Wild bulls of the NZ bush

[Cervus elaphus]

Here's a nice black bull taken by a Danish client with a .458 Lott.

This bull was taken at Murwungi outstation, Arafura Swamp.

Reminds me of a Camargue bull

 

[PaulT]

A young bull surprised at close range when out looking for buffalo, early season.
These are the situations that can turn to crap quite quickly.

 

[PaulT]

This bull is one of the biggest bodied bulls ive seen.

Taken at last light, he absorbed several .416's and a couple of .375's.
All well placed.

 

[425SCHADE]

I'm a big fan of how unique and individual each scrub bull is, from horn confirmation to colouring.

 

[PaulT]

An up-and-coming bull only a couple of years from making a great Trophy.

 

[PaulT]

A bit of "camera-flinch" showing here, as i was quite close and was feeling a little vulnerable clutching the camera instead of my gun.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

A bit of "camera-flinch" showing here, as i was quite close and was feeling a little vulnerable clutching the camera instead of my gun.

He's got that "Well do ya feel lucky?" look that I've seen on many young bulls

 

[leslie hetrick]

i shot the free range herford that could not be caught to be butcherd, i used a marlin 95 in 45-70 with a 405 hard cast bullet at 2000 fps. the shot was taken at about 85 yards with a between the eyes shot. it went down so fast i didn,t see it fall as the rifles recoil was heavy.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

i shot the free range herford that could not be caught to be butcherd, i used a marlin 95 in 45-70 with a 405 hard cast bullet at 2000 fps. the shot was taken at about 85 yards with a between the eyes shot. it went down so fast i didn,t see it fall as the rifles recoil was heavy.

View attachment 408427

Great meat-saving shot leslie !

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Here's another bull from the Arafura Swamp where the Scrub bulls have a fair portion of Bos Indicus blood in them.

View attachment 408297

The closest match to the Zebu strain I could find is the Droughtmaster although the one in the pic is very light and lacks the Brahman features. I wonder what this one was crossed with ?

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Dad and I cleaned out a small herd of Durham and Hereford crosses an elderly gentleman had let run feral and then after his passing his son simply let go. The bull dressed and quartered weighed over eight hundred. 45-70 300grain Hornady hollowpoint on top of 3.4ccs (43.5grains) of imr4198 in the first vertebrae of his neck. Picture is of his skull before euro mounting.

that bull moved as quiet as a deer an he was first or second generation feral. I can’t imagine how the ones you gentleman are dealing with being multi generational feral can move.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

The closest match to the Zebu strain I could find is the Droughtmaster although the one in the pic is very light and lacks the Brahman features. I wonder what this one was crossed with ?

Limousine or simmental ?

 

[PaulT]

The closest match to the Zebu strain I could find is the Droughtmaster although the one in the pic is very light and lacks the Brahman features. I wonder what this one was crossed with ?

I really can't say with any authority.
This specific region of Arnhemland, the Arafura Swamp, does tend to produce bulls with a lot of Bos Indicus traits as opposed to other Arnhemland regions i have hunted which tend to exhibit Bos Torus traits.

Why this is so i'm an not totally sure but i can assure you that they are as wild as wild can be and when not respected can do an awefull lot of damage to the human body.

I arrived at my buffalo camp one season to a story told to me by my Traditional Owners where a local Man went out hunting Red beef. A shot was placed on an animal and it went down, but not out.
The animal was approached with undue caution.
The animal got up and charged. The defensive shots were not enough to kill the animal until it had done a tremendous amount of damage to the unfortunate Man who had to be airlifted out of the region. He survived but not without many long lasting complications.
There are many stories like this around in Arnhemland involving both buffalo and wild bulls.

 

[Sarg]

Sort of not the NZ Wild Bull theme of the original poster but I see he said post some so I had a bit of a dig but can't find a lot of the good ones I was after & most of my NZ ones are on film & no time to take photos of these ones alive, but I dug a few out .

I saw this Bull again when I had a hunter & we took him, I think it was a year later ?

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Sort of not the NZ Wild Bull theme of the original poster but I see he said post some so I had a bit of a dig but can't find a lot of the good ones I was after & most of my NZ ones are on film & no time to take photos of these ones alive, but I dug a few out .

View attachment 408481
View attachment 408482
View attachment 408483
View attachment 408484
View attachment 408485


I saw this Bull again when I had a hunter & we took him, I think it was a year later ?

1, 2 & 3 pics look very much like the fighting black bulls of the Camarague, esp #3.
p.s. I'll take any photos of wild bulls you have !

 

[PaulT]

Great pics Sarg.

I'd like to let the air out of the second bull, big time.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Sort of not the NZ Wild Bull theme of the original poster but I see he said post some so I had a bit of a dig but can't find a lot of the good ones I was after & most of my NZ ones are on film & no time to take photos of these ones alive, but I dug a few out .

View attachment 408481
View attachment 408482
View attachment 408483
View attachment 408484
View attachment 408485


I saw this Bull again when I had a hunter & we took him, I think it was a year later ?

I would be extremely proud to have his head on the wall and hide on the floor. Scrub or wild bulls are so underrated as trophies and yet so far up the scale of DG. I'm hoping this post will perk some interest towards them as a respectable and worthy choice with buffs and other bovines. The next time I go into the bush where there are wild ones like those, I'll be carrying a 404J with 450gr Woodleigh Weldcores @ 2300fps.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Great pics Sarg.

I'd like to let the air out of the second bull, big time.

You and me both Paul, he's got attitude.

 

[PaulT]

I would be extremely proud to have his head on the wall and hide on the floor. Scrub or wild bulls are so underrated as trophies and yet so far up the scale of DG. I'm hoping this post will perk some interest towards them as a respectable and worthy choice with buffs and other bovines. The next time I go into the bush where there are wild ones like those, I'll be carrying a 404J with 450gr Woodleigh Weldcores @ 2300fps.

Yes, they do make interesting and unique Trophies.

 

[PaulT]

The only white bull i have ever seen.