Wild bulls of the NZ bush

[Cervus elaphus]

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.

View attachment 408478

They not only move like ghosts, they freeze like statues. Comparing domestic with wild breeds is like comparing apples and oranges. Young bulls feeling their oats, especially around cows on heat are very unpredictable. I still hold the tree climbing record for my age group.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Limousine or simmental ?

I'm wondering if there is a DNA database that would trace back these animal's heritage. It would make a fascinating study.

 

[PaulT]

I still hold the tree climbing record for my age group.

Bwahaaaaa. Classic.

Talk about tree climbing, i have seen some BIG guys trying to scale trees.

Cervus, there have been more than a couple of clients of mine that have discovered the dark side of my humour when we have bumped a Red bull whilst out hunting.

In response to the remark, "Gee, he looks tame to me", comes my reply, "Yeh, sure he is, go pet him".

Bwahaaaaaa.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Bwahaaaaa. Classic.

Talk about tree climbing, i have seen some BIG guys trying to scale trees.

Cervus, there have been more than a couple of clients of mine that have discovered the dark side of my humour when we have bumped a Red bull whilst out hunting.

In response to the remark, "Gee, he looks tame to me", comes my reply, "Yeh, sure he is, go pet him".

Bwahaaaaaa.

In this game brother there are live cowards and dead heroes. I fit in the former.

 

[PaulT]

Unusual horns on a cow shot for the local community.

 

[PaulT]

Fight, or flight ?

 

[PaulT]

Another nice Red bull.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Fight, or flight ?View attachment 408496

oops. Hand me my brown trou

 

[Sarg]

Another nice Red bull.
View attachment 408497

That's a nice Bull there .

That White one has the look of a Bullock, horns a little thin & the look, did he have injured testicles or indeed any ?

My biggest Buffalo had a huge scar where his had been & it looked like a Dingo had ripped them out later in life as he looked more Bull like, we even got one on our East Arnhem Land concession & I'm sure no one was cutting them out way out there !

 

[PaulT]

You know your stuff Sarg

No visible damage to the scrotum (but i'm no doctor either) but he only had one nut ?

Not sure if you've been out to the Arafura swamp, but i couldn't imagine how or why anyone would be cutting them out there either.

 

[Sarg]

lol yes seen a bit, I have been out there on recon & we flew over lots of that country again later, my main area was Coburg & the Blue Mud Bay side & yes can't see any one catching & releaseing out there !

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Another nice Red bull.
View attachment 408497

After seeing the influence of Bos Indicus in these NT bulls I've not seen any like them in NZ which tend to be Bos Taurus types. There would be no point of the tick and heat resistant Zebu strain / Brahman for NZ because NZ has neither the extreme heat nor any dangerous ticks to worry the cattle. I grew up with dairy cows and Hereford beef cattle, the latter being about as docile as they get. With young Hereford steers I used to lie down in a paddock with them and wait. After a short while they would form a perfect circle around me. I saw this kind of behaviour up in the NT, Gulf of Carpentaria, when we were near Normanton. In a grassy clearing there was a calf lying down with a flock of white Brolgas in a circle doing a dance around it. the Brolga dance has to be seen - it is so graceful. The calf may have been sick and the birds were just sharpening their appetite in anticipation of the feast.

 

[Sarg]

Well pre BTEC near all the Wild Cattle/Scrub Bulls were Red Bulls (most were Red to but many colors) & had the look of fighting Bulls, real wild animals, small ass, lean, big necks & shoulders bald eye patches & super toey, resistant to all but bullets (some even to them) Bos Indicus has a big problem down the country where spiniphex grass grows as the bulls can not breed with those stupid cocks dragging on that mean grass, we had to shoot many with infected pussy (pustulant) penis's when doing Cull hunts down there for Horse, Donkeys & Camels !

 

[425SCHADE]

If this guy was black he would not look out of place in the arena as "Toro Bravo".
And when the first bullet into them is not much more than a smattering of shrapnel after passing through a tree, they tend to get a bit...cranky.
He was more than happy to turn and "talk" about it,

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Great thread.
I had a great time stalking many scrub bulls in 2010 in the NT, looking for a proper red bull. I got this guy with my 458WM after a great stalk. They sure have attitude and get the pulse going.

It's been far too long, but I'm headed back again this September to try and find another one to put on the wall this time, they make a great shoulder mount I reckon!

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

What would a guided hunt cost roughy?

 

[Tim Blackwell]

What would a guided hunt cost roughy?.

They are generally hunted as an add-on to a Water Buffalo hunt, in Australia's Northern Territory. Trophy fees are around $1500 from my experience.

A stand-alone hunt would run $5-8000 at a guess, depending on duration and level of amenities.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Well pre BTEC near all the Wild Cattle/Scrub Bulls were Red Bulls (most were Red to but many colors) & had the look of fighting Bulls, real wild animals, small ass, lean, big necks & shoulders bald eye patches & super toey, resistant to all but bullets (some even to them) Bos Indicus has a big problem down the country where spiniphex grass grows as the bulls can not breed with those stupid cocks dragging on that mean grass, we had to shoot many with infected pussy (pustulant) penis's when doing Cull hunts down there for Horse, Donkeys & Camels !

haha could be the reason I never wore shorts in spinifex country. It's a bitch.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

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.

View attachment 408298

Plenty of good tucker on the ground there. Fella is in good nick.

 

[Gemsbok45]

Any pics of those scrub bull skulls for euro mounts. They have to look cool!