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"Water Buffalo Hunt at Gan Gan" - Day 4

An early morning start we aim to again cross the river and travel the track of the afternoon before. But a herd of buffalo draw our attention. Obviously harder hunted on this side of the river they do not stay for long. But an interesting sight is spotted - a pack of dingoes. First one, then another until four are spotted. Unusual to see so many and then the black pig is seen. It is presumed the pig may have piglets in tow and our vehicle saved them from being eaten.

Today we are making for the great open wetlands that are accessible from this spit of dry land. They are magnificient and we alight from the vehicle to have some lunch and a drink while enjoying the view. Kilometres of green wetlands with thousands of duck, geese and other birds, their calls making a racket as they feed. Underneath no doubt fish and crocodiles glide.

The wetlands are filled with waterfowl - magpie geese,
ducks of various species and other water birds - their
calls make quite a racket

Buffalo too can be seen feeding way out across the wetlands. The number of buffalo here is unbelievable and there is no lack for the trophy hunter.

We walk along the tip of what is a peninsula of land with water on three sides, I am nice and comfortable having left the heavy double in the 'cruiser. Matt carries the trusty .458 while Steve carries a custom .375 Weatherby Mag built on a Ruger no. 1 Tropical.

The wetlands.

Three bulls can be seen several hundred metres away across the far waterway. One of which is very good but we head back down the shore to see what lies that way. Steve is very interested in that bull but it will be a hard hunt to get close to these bulls.

A buffalo flees

Moving through a patch of scrub a young bull is spooked and crashes off through the bush. Another bull which is definitely shootable feeding out in the waterway spots us and after a good look at use runs in the direction we are heading.

A bull in the wetlands with three more in the distance

Another bull just off the scrub's edge. He isn't bad and watches the other bull further out on the wetland facing away from us. Matt and Steve approach it for a close look and give it a once over. Steve can not resist a practice aim with the bull dropping to the ground it stretches out for a midday siesta. The boys sneek off to leave it in peace.

A bull sleeps unawares

Confering they decide to hunt the water buffalo in the water. Better them than me! I don't have to trudge through several hundred metres of knee deep watery mud. My buffalo is already in the salt! They set off across the strip of wetlands to the seemingly dry treeline. Not so, they are actually paperbarks and in deeper water, with a good three hundred more metres (at least) of paperbarks to tranverse but also cover their appoach.

I make my way cross country enjoying the quiet walk spooking the young buffalo again from his shady sleep under a tree. Back to the vehicle I find a perfect "safari" tree for a sandwhich, a ice cold soft drink, a book and a siesta.

BANG, then BANG.

The birds rise in a cacophony from the vast wetlands. I hurry to the water's edge. Using my 8x Swarovski's I can see two buffalo running as there is another gun shot or two. I can not see the hunters nor their target. I hope he is down and not one of the two buffalo fleeing out into the deep water.

Returning to finish my sandwhich I check out the route to the closest point of dryland to which Matt and Steve can reach and on returning to the vehicle am surprised by two buffalo thundering 50 metres past. The two surviving buffalo have made a great half circle in the wetlands and come right past me!

It is easy to drive the landcruiser to the closest point, the scrub inland being a little more open than the thick vegetation growing at the water's edge.

Now I suppose I will have to get my feet wet after all and I try to find the dryest route to the boys. Impossible task eventually I splash into the thick reeds and watergrasses carrying a water canteen and my camera. The going is a bit easier in the paperbarks as they are relatively free from vegetation in the water but the water is deeper. I wonder about crocodiles.

Three quarters way there I find Steve struggling along carrying rifle, camera, camelback and dragging the cape floating on the water. He was successful and dropped his bull well. Relieving him of everything except the camelback and cape we hang the gear in a tree for me to pick up on the way back. Matt too has a load and a half with the skull and horns plus rifle, knives and bag. Matt carries the skull back (better him than me) and I load up Steve's as well as Matt's gear and setoff by the most direct route across the open wetlands. Now why on earth did I bring the digital camera! A fall in the water and the brand new camera will be history. Deciding the muzzles will be the first to hit the water should I overbalance, as a rifle an be cleaned, nevertheless eventually broken up dried mud is reached and luckily the direct route actually means a lot less water. It is paradise to reach the vehicle and unload.

The carry out - Steve relieving Matt of the skull and horns for the final 50 metres

Steve meanwhile has reached the vehicle so I help him unload the cape and cover it with leafy branches to protect it from the sun. A man not to shirk he goes to help Matt with the skull and relieves him of it to finish carrying it to the vehicle. Matt's daypack is somewhere stashed prior to the hunt in the paperbarks so off he goes again to fetch.

An Aussie "Duga-boy" ie "mud-boy"

Wow these boys put in a lot of effort. The bull was just a half inch shy of a hundred inches but the effort and hunt would make it a first class trophy in anyone's collection.