AUSTRALIA: Plan B Banteng Hunt

Tim Blackwell

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G'day all,
Well with our long-held plans to hunt Cape Buffalo in August this year being derailed by you-know-what, I didn't have much on the cards this year. Most of our state borders have been closed so travel has been very limited.
A good mate rang one day to say the Northern Territory had opened it's borders to my home of South Australia. Within 48 hours I'd been in touch with Stephen Paterson from Dingo Creek Hunting and booked a Banteng hunt. This is something I'd wanted to do for many years but was never sure if I'd get the opportunity. But with overseas hunters locked out and excess tags available, it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
A fortnight before the hunt I finally received my Sako AV 375H&H from the gunsmith. This rifle belonged to the late great Matt Graham, who many would know from Hunt Australia Safaris. I'd had the stock refinished with a Buffalo horn forend fitted, as well as a barrel band and full reblue. A Swaro 3-9x36 finished it off. I loaded Aussie made Atomic 29 270gn copper hollow point bullets and was ready to go.

A combined 13 hours of driving and 4 hours of flying had me at the Dingo Creek camp in the remote Garig Gunak Barlu National Park on Cobourg Peninsula. This is indigenous owned country, very few visitors are allowed each year and it really is one of the world's great wilderness areas. No fences, very few roads, and all hunting done on foot.
After passing on many bulls, I shot a fantastic old bull at last light on a dry floodplain, a fantastic hunt and stalk into 40 yards. The 375 worked perfectly, 2 quick shots and it was all over.
2 days later my mate Jason also used my rifle to take a great old bull from a mere ten metres.
Very happy with the result, a fantastic week hunting in beautiful country, and I can highly recommend Dingo Creek Hunting. Plus Matt's old rifle was back in service, just as it should be.
Hopefully our new plans for August 2021 will see our buffalo hunt with KMG Safaris go ahead!
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Awesome! I think the Banteng is the coolest of the bovines you have up in Northern Oz, but would love to hunt for the trio of Banteng, Buffalo and Scrub Bull while fishing in between!
 
Awesome! I think the Banteng is the coolest of the bovines you have up in Northern Oz, but would love to hunt for the trio of Banteng, Buffalo and Scrub Bull while fishing in between!

Having now hunted the 3, they are all quite different in their mannerisms. But all a fantastic hunt in a great part of the world. I think anyone who loves hunting big game in remote areas would have a ball. (y)
 
Congrats and thanks for sharing!
 
Very nice. Some good looking bulls. Good for you on getting out to take advantage of the opportunity. Thanks for sharing.
Bruce
 
Awesome! I think the Banteng is the coolest of the bovines you have up in Northern Oz, but would love to hunt for the trio of Banteng, Buffalo and Scrub Bull while fishing in between!
@Ragman
Start saving my friend it ain't going to be cheap. I looked into a water buffalo hunt a while back and that was 7,500 Australian dollars alone not counting airfares for 7 days. That's why I went to Namibia because it was the same price as hunting at home .
Bob
 
@Ragman
Start saving my friend it ain't going to be cheap. I looked into a water buffalo hunt a while back and that was 7,500 Australian dollars alone not counting airfares for 7 days. That's why I went to Namibia because it was the same price as hunting at home .
Bob

Which is half the price of a decent entry level cape buffalo hunt.....

Whether you think its good value or not, the Northern Territory is like no other place on earth and would be a fantastic experience for the travelling hunter wanting to experience some fantastic big game in unique wilderness. It's something I'd encourage any keen foreign hunter to come and enjoy. Stay and visit our beautiful country while you're here! ;)(y)
 
Congrats Blacks, at least this "Covid" thing was good for something. Thanks for sharing, hunting photos and stories are few and far between this year.

Sadly yes. And I didn't expect this one to happen, we only booked it about 10 days out. It was definitely a silver lining from a pretty ordinary year all round.
 
My cape buff was similar, I had 5 days to agree and get on the plane. At least you have a bit more time to look forward to our buff/elephant hunt now another 12 months away.... hopefully.......... Well done mate(y)
 

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