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"Water Buffalo Hunt at Gan Gan" - Day 5

A day of rest. Sort of.

We had the task of shooting a calf for the blackfellas, the animals legs to be removed and distributed to the main four families, plus some choice cuts for the camp. Why eat a tough old bull when you can eat veal.

But that was for late afternoon. The sandy ridges should provide a calf fairly easily.

Some fishing at the coast was in order and the beautiful azure bay with white sands would make a fantastic camp but for the lack of drinking water.

Some 400 years ago the Dutch explorer Willem Jantszoon passed this way but was chased off by the aggressive aboriginals. He and others are the origin of many Dutch names in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

While Steve and Matt tested the local fish I tested out the new camera.

Finally the allure of a shady tree proved too strong for us all.

Yawn

Steve wanting to fireform some H&H shells into .375 Weatherbys gave us a test of offhand shooting at drink cans at 50 metres, which we started hitting consistently perhaps after one miss, and a buffalo dung, a target for the .450.

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As expected the herds had moved into the ridges prior to evening and a calf was quickly spotted. Matt using the .375 made a fine headshot on a buff calf while the rest of the herd fled.

"Veal"!

Removing the legs for blackfella tucka

The hunt wasn't over though. While collecting branches to shade the meat, only a few metres from the butchered calf, a boar trotts past me. I was stunned as it walked a mere 5 metres passed me but Steve was quicker on my report and gave chase to dispatch it and take a photo of a pig as a trophy too.

Pigs at Gan Gan are targets of opportunity, but several were sighted over the week

The night ended with the meat being distributed to the traditional owners. What a great ending to a fine week of hunting. Maybe I would be back in the Top End again next year or perhaps much sooner .......

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