A few weekends ago, we were once again enjoying the cool dry-season weather camped on a sandy creek east of Darwin. The good wife was ready for a couple of days of ‘bushwalking’, while our eldest daughter Nikki carried my .416 Taylor and her friend Ralph was armed with a .444/.375 Lee Enfield sporter. I was quite content to take my recently-acquired Rodda .577/.500 No.2 for another walk, since the vintage double had successfully opened its account with a nice buffalo shot for meat on a previous weekend.

Initially, we had a bit of trouble locating our quarry in this area, as Cyclone Monica had scattered the game to the four winds, but mid-morning on the second day saw us cross a low range of hills and enter a lush creek-line with plenty of fresh buff sign. Nikki and Ralph decided to head downstream, while Rebecca and I checked out the upper reaches. We were back at the rendezvous point about 20 minutes later, having lucked-out with the wind, but there was no sign of the other party. The wife and I sat back in the cool shade to await events, which could be brought to a conclusion anytime with the hand-held UHF if nothing was heard in another half-hour or so.

We had just gotten comfortable when the unmistakeable loud boom of the .416 washed over the little valley. No follow-up shots eventuated in the next couple of minutes, so I grabbed the radio and arranged to walk on down. Apparently, the pair had caught up with a small mob of buffalo only a hundred metres or so after parting company with us, but the animals were constantly on the move through the long grass, always facing directly away, so getting in position for a shot was quite a challenge.

This was the only view of the quarry on offer during a half-hour stalk.

One of the cows had a small calf too, so it was essential to correctly identify the mother so she could be excluded as a candidate. Eventually the animals crossed the sandy creek bed, presenting the opportunity for a quartering shot on what looked like a young bull but turned out to be a large barren cow.

The .416 Taylor had once-again proven itself as a successful buffalo cartridge. The 410gr Woodleigh bluff-nose soft-point had entered at the last rib, and was recovered under the front of the off-side shoulder.

This was to be Nikki’s last bush trip with us before her next overseas deployment (right into the hornet’s nest this time!). Hopefully we will be able to enjoy many more successful hunting and fishing trips on her safe return.