Australia Buffalo

[Surgeon1]

Who, how, when, where? Who has been to Australia to hunt buffalo recently?

 

[deewayne2003]

Not recently but I've been to OZ twice and hunted buffalo in the NT with friends; for my 3rd trip I want a Banteng and the only huntable population of them on earth is in Arnhem land NT.

I spoke with Alex Jagers @BIG COUNTRY SAFARIS AUSTRALIA at SCI Nashville this year and when it comes time for my 3rd trip I'll be going after Banteng with Alex; friends in both OZ and America had recommended him before I went to SCI.

 

[Surgeon1]

Thanks. I reached out to Alex and was never able to hook up with him. The only contact I had back was a text that said hw would reach out to me at DSC this January but that never happened and he did not respond to my texts or phone call while I was at DSC. Sent a couple emails with no response.

 

[bwanamrm]

I hunted with Graham Williams of Buffalo Hunters Australia a few years ago and took a nice buffalo and banteng... would highly recommend. Not the cheapest but a quality hunt. He did have some great rifles, doubles and bolt guns. I took my double, enjoyed using it but the hassle of getting in and out of Oz were such that if I did it again I would use his rifles.

 

[Brian]

Thanks. I reached out to Alex and was never able to hook up with him. The only contact I had back was a text that said hw would reach out to me at DSC this January but that never happened and he did not respond to my texts or phone call while I was at DSC. Sent a couple emails with no response.

Sureon1,
I had a bit of difficulty on the communication with Alex. He would promise to get back to on a certain day but was a always a couple of days late . Happened at least twice as I remember.
So, I always figure that if a man has trouble with the little things, then don't expect any better with the big things. ( I am a retired businessman from owning a manufacturing company. I don't mess around things like that.) Alex seems to have charisma and is popular, so maybe he is ok.

I found another outfitter, had good communication and heard what I wanted to hear so I booked with him for July next year. AJ Corbett, Australian Outback Buffalo Safaris. He hunts on the Whilton River in Arnhem Land NT. Very remote. that's on the east side of Kakadu National Park. Huge area.

 

[JPbowhunter]

You guys obviously aren’t aware of “NT time”. They run like the rest of the world did but 30-40 years behind. No one is in a hurry and things get done in their own time.
I actually prefer it to the hustle and bustle of modern day demands.

 

[Nevada Wapati]

Thanks. I reached out to Alex and was never able to hook up with him. The only contact I had back was a text that said hw would reach out to me at DSC this January but that never happened and he did not respond to my texts or phone call while I was at DSC. Sent a couple emails with no response.

You can reach Alex at +61 429 398 704 on What's App.

 

[Brian]

You guys obviously aren’t aware of “NT time”. They run like the rest of the world did but 30-40 years behind. No one is in a hurry and things get done in their own time.
I actually prefer it to the hustle and bustle of modern day demands.

lol, Yes, I have heard about it. We have "NT time" here in Canada too. "We call NWT time". (North West Territories.) Same as in parts of the Yukon. "Yukon time" My wife and I loved it when we lived in the North. However when doing business with "Southerners" as we called them, we were expected to be more punctual.

Flying to the other side of the world for an expensive hunt, I want to deal with a man who does what he says he is going to do, when he says he is going to do it. I have to be able to trust him. The dangerous game market is international. Just my opinion, no offence intended to anyone.

Actually 30-40 years ago, come to think of it, you had to be on time or you would be looking for a new job. I just remembered those days. Whoa, that was a long time ago! That was when I was starting my manufacturing company. I am 81 now. Time flies when you're having fun!

Happy hunting, Brian

 

[SWS1]

Have been across to there three times now and booked for a fourth for next year.
I've hunted both the floodplains and the inland areas. Both great areas but markedly different hunting. Flood plains tends to be a lot of looking over vast areas for specific animals and then conducting a stalk into them. Inland was long walks, bumping into animals.
Flood plains tend to have bigger bulls, and banteng.
As much as I love the water buff (and will continue to hunt them) there is something very special about banteng.
I think you would have a very hard time to look past Walkabout Safaris. Outstanding area, great guide, wonderful camp and great animals. I'm booked for a third time with him!

 

[Flbt]

You guys obviously aren’t aware of “NT time”. They run like the rest of the world did but 30-40 years behind. No one is in a hurry and things get done in their own time.
I actually prefer it to the hustle and bustle of modern day demands.

That actually sounds great.
The little place I am from in fl all ways seems to be 10-15 years behind.
Now it’s doing it’s best to catch up.

I would really like to find a place 20 -30 years behind time

 

[Flbt]

I don’t know where he went.
But my ex son in law went on a weekend hunt when he was with the usmc doing some training over there.
Told me they gave him a 303 m4 and fmj to use
He was usto that his grandpa gave him a savage made one that he had.
We could not get the old fmj that came with it to work
Cordite and it had problems light out of the case.

 

[Redfishga1]

I hunted with Graham Williams of Buffalo Hunters Australia a few years ago and took a nice buffalo and banteng... would highly recommend. Not the cheapest but a quality hunt. He did have some great rifles, doubles and bolt guns. I took my double, enjoyed using it but the hassle of getting in and out of Oz were such that if I did it again I would use his rifles.

More difficult than Africa and Europe?

 

[Brian]

Have been across to there three times now and booked for a fourth for next year.
I've hunted both the floodplains and the inland areas. Both great areas but markedly different hunting. Flood plains tends to be a lot of looking over vast areas for specific animals and then conducting a stalk into them. Inland was long walks, bumping into animals.
Flood plains tend to have bigger bulls, and banteng.
As much as I love the water buff (and will continue to hunt them) there is something very special about banteng.
I think you would have a very hard time to look past Walkabout Safaris. Outstanding area, great guide, wonderful camp and great animals. I'm booked for a third time with him!

SWS1,
Thanks, I appreciate very much your suggestion and advice on the hunting areas.
"Walkabout Safaris", what a great name. Have hunted with them twice and booked for a third, your opinion goes a long ways with me.

I have already booked with Australia Outback Buffalo Safaris for 2027. On your advice, I am going to check out Walkabout Safaris for the next hunt.
Thank you again for speaking up about them. Brian

 

[bwanamrm]

More difficult than Africa and Europe?

More difficult than most of Africa! Maybe Cameroon was as bad. Never imported a gun into Europe... just used outfitter guns.

 

[Brian]

More difficult than most of Africa! Maybe Cameroon was as bad. Never imported a gun into Europe... just used outfitter guns.

Please tell me what port you went through, Brisbane or Sydney? What part was difficult?
Did you do the paperwork/forms yourself?
I have never been to Australia. Thank you very much for your experience on the process. Brian

 

[Hyde Hunter]

You can reach Alex at +61 429 398 704 on What's App.

my friend Jason aka "Camoman" on AH is there now hunting with Alex and has taken some pigs and a couple old buffalo, he will be doing a lengthy write up when he get back

 

[SWS1]

I’ve done the paperwork multiple times now. Living in nz I have to do it for transshipping Australia with a firearm (even if I never even see it in aus).
First time is a bit of a pig, but after that it’s not too bad.. took maybe three hours the first time and a half hour each subsequent time.

 

[Brian]

my friend Jason aka "Camoman" on AH is there now hunting with Alex and has taken some pigs and a couple old buffalo, he will be doing a lengthy write up when he get back

Yes, He reports that he is having a very good hunt. Brian

 

[bwanamrm]

Please tell me what port you went through, Brisbane or Sydney? What part was difficult?
Did you do the paperwork/forms yourself?
I have never been to Australia. Thank you very much for your experience on the process. Brian

I flew through Sidney and on to Darwin. Not only do you need an import license to get a rifle in, you need an export license to get it back out. When we were flying home from Darwin and back to Sidney, we showed up four hours before our flight to have time to get the permit, However, the local Police hemmed and hawed then punted on our export license and told us to get them in Sidney. We had to go from the Domestic Terminal to the International and collect our baggage since we couldn't check through to Houston because of the lack of an Export Permit. Collected bags headed to International and Police Checkpoint to get Export paperwork and was told it would be a minimum wait of two hours. Missed our connection to IAH. Rerouted later that day to San Francisco. San Fran wasn't expecting our guns on the plane so that threw TSA into a tizzy since we had to go to Customs as first POE to get them logged and then back to TSA to check them to Houston. Almost missed that flight... needless to say it was a mess brought on by the Police at Darwin that were too lazy to get our export permits a day or so before...

Never again.