Just returned from a water buffalo hunt in the Northern Territory of Australia with Aaron Corbett of Australian Outback Buffalo Safaris. Aaron has several hunting camps and we hunted at the Moroak Station camp. Moroak has been operated as a cattle station for a hundred years and encompasses about 700,000 acres of rough outback bush country. Lots of trophy buffalo, scrub bulls, banteng, pigs, etc. for hunting. I took a very nice old buffalo bull--photo attached--that scored just under a 100 SCI.
If you like roughing it in camp, this is the set up for you. Tents with no electricity and only an outdoor privy with shower and toilet for the camp. Warm days and cool nights made for good sleeping and millions of stars in the Australian sky. As we say in Texas, "if this ain't the middle of no where, you can damn sure see it from here."
I took my 416 Rigby Big Game with me and one shot of Federal's Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 400gr dropped the bull in his tracks.
BE AWARE THAT AUSTRALIA IS NOT HUNTER FRIENDLY IF YOU TRAVEL WITH A RIFLE.
Aaron's wife handled getting my license and rifle permit in advance. Bringing the rifle in was a bit of a hassle as Qantas check-in agents at DFW Airport seemed unsure of how to handle a passenger traveling with a hunting rifle. Australian Border Force (ABF) in Sydney cleared the rifle coming in, but Qantas wrapped my rifle case in more yellow warning tape than the O.J. Simpson crime scene. Leaving with the rifle was a bigger hassle as ABF said I needed a RGP--Restricted Goods Permit, and export documentation to take the rifle home. That took about three hours of back and forth between the terminal and the Customs House on the other side of the parking garage at the airport. At each step, the agents seemed a little unsure of what was needed, so I had to fill out three pages of paperwork and go back to the ABF office in the terminal to get the rifle cleared to come home. Silly unnecessary paperwork considering that all of the data requested was the same as on the already approved import permit and all they really needed to do was confirm that I was the same passenger, same passport number, carrying the same rifle, same serial number and stamp the existing documents and check my bag onto the Qantas flight--after wrapping the case in even more yellow warning tape.
BOTTOM LINE: DON'T TAKE YOUR RIFLE TO AUSTRALIA.
If you like roughing it in camp, this is the set up for you. Tents with no electricity and only an outdoor privy with shower and toilet for the camp. Warm days and cool nights made for good sleeping and millions of stars in the Australian sky. As we say in Texas, "if this ain't the middle of no where, you can damn sure see it from here."
I took my 416 Rigby Big Game with me and one shot of Federal's Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 400gr dropped the bull in his tracks.
BE AWARE THAT AUSTRALIA IS NOT HUNTER FRIENDLY IF YOU TRAVEL WITH A RIFLE.
Aaron's wife handled getting my license and rifle permit in advance. Bringing the rifle in was a bit of a hassle as Qantas check-in agents at DFW Airport seemed unsure of how to handle a passenger traveling with a hunting rifle. Australian Border Force (ABF) in Sydney cleared the rifle coming in, but Qantas wrapped my rifle case in more yellow warning tape than the O.J. Simpson crime scene. Leaving with the rifle was a bigger hassle as ABF said I needed a RGP--Restricted Goods Permit, and export documentation to take the rifle home. That took about three hours of back and forth between the terminal and the Customs House on the other side of the parking garage at the airport. At each step, the agents seemed a little unsure of what was needed, so I had to fill out three pages of paperwork and go back to the ABF office in the terminal to get the rifle cleared to come home. Silly unnecessary paperwork considering that all of the data requested was the same as on the already approved import permit and all they really needed to do was confirm that I was the same passenger, same passport number, carrying the same rifle, same serial number and stamp the existing documents and check my bag onto the Qantas flight--after wrapping the case in even more yellow warning tape.
BOTTOM LINE: DON'T TAKE YOUR RIFLE TO AUSTRALIA.
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