Australia Buffalo

[SWS1]

Not a place where you want to run out of tyres or diesel . Nearly double the size of Texas with a population of 265,000 people most of whom live in Darwin/ Palmerston . I try and get around via helicopter . Saves a lot of time .

You just cant help but love the feeling of vastness and emptiness.. i remember sitting ontop of an escarpment and not being able to see any other sign of human activity as far as i could see.
Simply an impressive landscape..

 

[PCC600]

You just cant help but love the feeling of vastness and emptiness.. i remember sitting ontop of an escarpment and not being able to see any other sign of human activity as far as i could see.
Simply an impressive landscape..

It certainly is .

 

[Sarg]

Another nice Old Bull yesterday.

 

[bwanamrm]

Do you know how hard it is compared to NZ?

The two times I hunted New Zealand I used outfitter rifles...

 

[UpNorthMI]

My son and I did a large cull hunt in May 2025 with Alex Jagers, it was a trip of a lifetime, that included 32 buffalo, pigs, donkeys, camel and amazing fishing for Barramundi.

Taking guns from the US was easy, Alex took care of everything. Our whole experience of dealing with Alex was first class, his communication, planning and paperwork was excellent.

Alex is a serious guy that runs a busy business with his team, he delivers what he promises. We hope to return to the NT for another hunt in future years, it will certainly be with Alex and his team.

I plan and travel a lot for hunting and shooting, Alex was one of the most responsive outfitters I have ever dealt with.

Thread 'AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory Cull Hunting With BIG COUNTRY SAFARIS AUSTRALIA - May 2025'

May 17, 2025

I've been looking at planning an Australian cull hunt for several years now, I've talked to a number of outfitters at the SCI & DSC Expos and through this forum. My goal was to be able to hunt a reasonable number of animals of several different types to fill a long enough trip to make the trek to Australia worthwhile.

I was planning the trip to hint with my son who is in his early 20's and as a way to celebrate my early retirement. We finally decided to plan a hunt with Alex Jagers of @BIG COUNTRY SAFARIS AUSTRALIA in the Australian Northern Territory. We planned to hunt water...

• UpNorthMI
• Replies: 70
• Forum: Hunting reports Australia & New Zealand

• 
• 

 

[Jack Stevens]

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.

For a hunter who wants to hunt with his own rifle - and not a “rented” one from the PH’s stash at camp - your report is a major-league deterrent for me to even consider Australia.

 

[Sarg]

View attachment 787158Another nice Old Bull yesterday.

Also a bigger Bull for the same Hunter !

 

[SWS1]

Also a bigger Bull for the same Hunter !

View attachment 791163

Thats got some nice mass to it!

 

[Stretch]

I have also planed a hunt for water buffalo with Alex Jagers of @BIG COUNTRY SAFARIS AUSTRALIA in the Australian Northern Territory. My hunt will take place in June of 2028. I researched multiple outfitters and found Alex to be very responsive. He was willing to work with me and my wife to plan an adventure that not only includes hunting, but also to experience sightseeing in northern Australia. Alex had good communication skills which is paramount when I am making inquires and researching information. He was very responsive to my emails as well as WhatsApp messages. He even called me twice on WhatsApp to go over our plan. If you ever have had the privilege of talking with Alex you will quickly get a comfortable feeling and surmise he is a straight-shooter that wants nothing more than for you to have the time of your life when you spend time with him.

 

[CamoManJ]

I have also planed a hunt for water buffalo with Alex Jagers of @BIG COUNTRY SAFARIS AUSTRALIA in the Australian Northern Territory. My hunt will take place in June of 2028. I researched multiple outfitters and found Alex to be very responsive. He was willing to work with me and my wife to plan an adventure that not only includes hunting, but also to experience sightseeing in northern Australia. Alex had good communication skills which is paramount when I am making inquires and researching information. He was very responsive to my emails as well as WhatsApp messages. He even called me twice on WhatsApp to go over our plan. If you ever have had the privilege of talking with Alex you will quickly get a comfortable feeling and surmise he is a straight-shooter that wants nothing more than for you to have the time of your life when you spend time with him.

My experience precisely.
You’re in Excellent and Capable Hands. You’ll have a blast.

 

[leslie hetrick]

I still haven’t to date seeing how WY point creep has escalated but I’ll get it done before I decide to cash in my points.
Coincidentally, PA is a state I’d like to hunt in the flintlock season someday.

we would be glad to have you.

 

[JPbowhunter]

E

we would be glad to have you.

Excellent sir! What are your guns?

 

[Tibavati]

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

I was there in 2024. Hunted with Simon Kyle-Little. I did not get the feral ox but did get a fabulous banteng, great water buffalo and feral boar.

 

[whitetail]

Just booked trophy water buffalo and banteng hunt with Alex and Big Country Safaris for late June into July, 2027, this morning for my wife! Beyond stoked to say the least (and we depart in 3.5 weeks for Germany, Austria and Hungary- I’ll be hunting for alpine chamois outside of Salzburg and then the “Hungarian slam” with Laszlo Albert of Passion & Prey)!

We will also be touring both Kakadu and Katherine national parks with Alex while there for 4 days in between the buff and banteng hunts and then do a lil deep sea fishing off Darwin after the hunt. Then on from Darwin to Alice Springs to visit Ayers Rock before traveling back to Sydney for a few days. Going to be jammed packed action on both hunting/touring trips!

I too have experienced excellent communication with Alex of Big Country Safaris and have both messaged and spoken with him on WhatsApp. Do you know how sometimes you can just tell that you will gel with someone well that is certainly the case with Alex!! I am one who not only has a deep passion for hunting, but loves to truly enjoy the experience all around the Hunt, including the touring of all the locations in and around the area areas. Plus I love to drink beer and have a grand old time because if it’s worth doing it, it’s worth taking it to the limit!

I’ll be likely hunting Uganda in a couple years with one of my best friends Jacques Spamer of JKO Safaris (who basically everyone knows on here that has been a longtime member of this forum)- he knows Alex well and speaks very highly of him. So that’s about as good recommendation as it gets in my opinion! And believe me- Jacques doesn’t say that about everyone that he knows…

So, yeah- it’s going to be an exciting time with some fantastic upcoming hunts that are vacations at the same time!

Oh yeah, I forgot. I’ll be getting my trophies back from Romania with Marius of HuntRomania from last October and November very very soon! Can’t wait to see them!

Cheers AH friends!!

 

[Stretch]

Just booked trophy water buffalo and banteng hunt with Alex and Big Country Safaris for late June into July, 2027, this morning for my wife! Beyond stoked to say the least (and we depart in 3.5 weeks for Germany, Austria and Hungary- I’ll be hunting for alpine chamois outside of Salzburg and then the “Hungarian slam” with Laszlo Albert of Passion & Prey)!

We will also be touring both Kakadu and Katherine national parks with Alex while there for 4 days in between the buff and banteng hunts and then do a lil deep sea fishing off Darwin after the hunt. Then on from Darwin to Alice Springs to visit Ayers Rock before traveling back to Sydney for a few days. Going to be jammed packed action on both hunting/touring trips!

I too have experienced excellent communication with Alex of Big Country Safaris and have both messaged and spoken with him on WhatsApp. Do you know how sometimes you can just tell that you will gel with someone well that is certainly the case with Alex!! I am one who not only has a deep passion for hunting, but loves to truly enjoy the experience all around the Hunt, including the touring of all the locations in and around the area areas. Plus I love to drink beer and have a grand old time because if it’s worth doing it, it’s worth taking it to the limit!

I’ll be likely hunting Uganda in a couple years with one of my best friends Jacques Spamer of JKO Safaris (who basically everyone knows on here that has been a longtime member of this forum)- he knows Alex well and speaks very highly of him. So that’s about as good recommendation as it gets in my opinion! And believe me- Jacques doesn’t say that about everyone that he knows…

So, yeah- it’s going to be an exciting time with some fantastic upcoming hunts that are vacations at the same time!

Oh yeah, I forgot. I’ll be getting my trophies back from Romania with Marius of HuntRomania from last October and November very very soon! Can’t wait to see them!

Cheers AH friends!!

“Do you know how sometimes you can just tell that you will gel with someone well that is certainly the case with Alex!!“ - exactly how I felt when talking with Alex. Looks like you got an amazing adventure planned for you and your wife. Happy for you man!

 

[whitetail]

“Do you know how sometimes you can just tell that you will gel with someone well that is certainly the case with Alex!!“ - exactly how I felt when taking with Alex. Looks like you got an amazing adventure planned for you and your wife. Happy for you man!

Thank you and yes- great communication all around!!! See that you’re booked for June 2028- fantastic!!!! I will certainly write up a really good report, even though it’s several months away after completing the trip and include a bunch of photos!

 

[NDWoods]

My wife and I had a GREAT conversation with Alex last night. He has been very attentive to messages on this forum, WhatsApp messages, and now a WhatsApp phone call that was right on time.

He answered all questions and filled in the blanks on the experience for questions we missed.
He is a well spoken gentleman who is also a great listener making all questions fair and well received as important to answer for us.

I have complete confidence in his rifle import/export process and experience. I am someone who would stay home before using a borrowed rifle for big game so that is a critical consideration for us.

We are booking this week and look forward to next summer.

 

[LimbNoMo]

Are you able to bring multiple rifles? I.e. if you went on a PG/DG hunt in Africa and then on to Australia?

 

[Hyde Hunter]

My wife and I had a GREAT conversation with Alex last night. He has been very attentive to messages on this forum, WhatsApp messages, and now a WhatsApp phone call that was right on time.

He answered all questions and filled in the blanks on the experience for questions we missed.
He is a well spoken gentleman who is also a great listener making all questions fair and well received as important to answer for us.

I have complete confidence in his rifle import/export process and experience. I am someone who would stay home before using a borrowed rifle for big game so that is a critical consideration for us.

We are booking this week and look forward to next summer.

NDWoods read CamomanJ trip post he goes thru the process he had with customs and Alex

E

Excellent sir! What are your guns?

 

[Russ16]

Evening Gentleman

I hear your frustrations with bringing rifles into Australia. However bringing a firearm to the NT of Australia to hunt buffalo and Banteng in 2026 is a simple process. In 2024 we moved to an online system.

The hunter needs to upload via the NT Police online portal
- a copy of there concealed carry permit or firearms licence or a criminal history check
- the firearm make, model and serial number
- a copy of their passport, drivers license and visa, flight details
- outfitter name and license number
- dates of hunt

It is that simple. The outiftter will then be issued with your import docs and firearm licence and will send it to you. You will give this paperwork to customs when you land in Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney when you land. They will let you and your firearms in with open arms.

Now the export paperwork is the killer. Any outiftter worth his money will organise this for you whilst you are in Australia. He will give it back to you as you leave Darwin. When you give this paperwork to customs on your departure they will do backflips of joy as it has been sorted in Darwin by the outiftter and the local customs branch. They will simply check your gun against the serial number, stamp your completed paperwork and escort you to your airline desk and the front of the line!

The big problem people visiting Australia hunting run into is that they get to their departure port 2 hours before their flight leaves with no export paperwork and expect the customs officers who could be busy with a multitude of other airport tasks to sort it for them. Hence they miss their plane. This is the story behind 99 percent of australian gun horror stories.

I have 20-30 clients a year bring their firearms with no problems. In fact many tell me that is an easier system then bringing rifles into Africa and you also don't have to pay bribes! At the end of the day do your homework and make sure you hunt with an outfitter who can organise your export paperwork for you whilst you are in camp with them!

Regards Alex

If my state doesn’t have a firearms license and I don’t have a concealed carry permit what suffices as a criminal history check?

I’m very interested in Australia. It would be the final continent for me. But the gun process has been discouraging, I’m glad to hear you say it is easier.