Help Me Learn About Water Buffalo

[Sabre]

I am curious about water buffalo hunting. When I do searches on AH, what I mostly find are photos of successful hunts, but not much info.

There seems to be two different kinds. The ones I see mostly from US game ranches seem to be tight smaller horns. And the ones I see from Australia and maybe Brazil seem to have large wide horns. Are they the same species with different management or completely different species?

What is a reasonable cost to hunt one in say, Australia? I feel like I see prices all over the place.

What is the hunt like? Is it fun, exciting, difficult?

Are they dangerous to the same extent as a Cape buffalo, a little less dangerous, much less dangerous?

Very interested in any info people could provide. Thanks!

 

[chashardy]

I hunted water buffalo in the Northern Territory, Australia in 2023. I used Australian Outback Safaris and had success. They use a tented camp, so we were "roughing it" compared to most outfitters in South Africa. Lots of big buffalo to choose from. They are not as aggressive as Cape Buffalo nor as easily spooked. In fact, the bull I shot was only about 70 yards away and just standing there looking at me. Pretty easy frontal shot with my 416 Rigby. Also took a nice scrub bull and helped with culling of feral donkeys.
Be advised that Australia isn't very hunter friendly and I had a hassle with lots of unnecessary paperwork to get my rifle cleared and checked in for the flight home. Permitting to enter and to leave is required. You might want to consider renting a rifle from the outfitter.
I've visited Australia three times--twice just touring and once to hunt. Australia is beautiful and Australians are fun loving and very welcoming of Americans.
Take the time while you are there to see Australia.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Larger & heavier but less aggressive than African Cape buffalo. When I say less aggressive, I don’t mean not aggressive at all. They are capable (when angry) of ramming & overturning a speed boat with little effort. I’ve seen it happen.

I once had to cull 46 of them due to government orders in 1979. Combined with my men, we all took between us 550 of these gigantic bovines in 5 working days.

The Australian species are introduced there from Asia. But for some reason, the meat on the Australian species tastes tougher than the meat of the Asiatic species. Australian water buffalo meat is perfectly fine for burger grind or sausage or koobideh or kafta. But I wouldn’t consider eating it as a whole muscle cut (such as a steak) unless it was pounded really thin & left to marinate for a day to tenderize.

 

[CamoManJ]

Good subject & do tell, following with interest.

 

[Andrew62]

I hunted buffalo in Australia back in 2001, took my own gun but I do not recall the issues of getting my gun in and out of the country. I did take a .375H&H, they had a loaner gun, 30.06, the guide also had a 30.06.

I certainly wouldn’t want to get tangled up with a wounded one, but the two I shot just stood there when I shot them, nothing like a Cape buffalo.

The last I saw a price for a hunt was 12,500, that was 3-4 years ago.

I wish you well in your search!

 

[375Fox]

Australia will have varying prices in part due to outfitter reputation, private land or arnhemland, and how remote. I hunted 2 buffalo on 100k acres of private land part forest and part flood plain. I rented a rifle. It was a great experience large number of buffalo, boars, and big crocs. I caught barramundi. I saw dingos multiple times and also wild horses. However, Darwin Australia takes a huge amount of travel time to reach from US. If I go again I will hunt in arnhemland to see it. There is more wilderness in Australia to me than Africa and definitely less people. It’s a great experience but the buffalo are no where near as wild and aggressive as Cape buffalo. They are much more calm and sometimes appear standoffish or curious instead of running.

Something interesting on my hunt. I don’t know if anyone offers it now, but I hunted wet season in January. The visibility wasn’t as good and we had to use lighter vehicles to get around but bulls were primarily on dry forest instead of flood plains. I prayed for heavy rain though for a break from mosquitoes at times.

 

[SWS1]

I've been fortunate enough to hunt them three years running.
Year one I hunted with Simon Kyle-Little. An absolute legend of water buffalo hunting. Font of knowledge and a great first big game hunt.
Last two times i've been with Walkabout Safaris. Wonderful and managed to take great banteng as well as buff. Stephen has two concessions on the flood plains and both species get big there.
Banteng to me are the equivalent of a smart deer.. great fun to hunt them through the paper bark forest. Water buff tend to be a bit less concious of hunters but a great fun hunt. It's a definite addiction and I've already booked for 2027!