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Next morning the plan was to hit the same area and see if we could find JB a bull to shoot.

Hit on the wetlands / mud flats at a different point. And worked through them.

At one point JB spotted the buffalo, and we moved behind some bushes or trees as cover. Moving forward and to the left a little maybe a hundred metres and a bull was spotted. JB in front stalking, me behind. A clump in front could be used as cover, and allow us to approach close enough for a shot. JB wisely IMO decided to use a rifle. These buffalo are a bit touchy and it would be hard to get within bow range, and while there is cover, not real good cover. Bending down under a branch, the arrows on the bow got caught in the branch. I indicated for JB to stop still and unhooked them. There was a very slight metallic noise, but really I wouldn't have thought it enough to alert the buffalo.

Moving forward, it became obvious the bull was moving away from us, and was alerted. It stopped and looked back, once, then again, and JB took the shot. The shot looked good but it ran off without falling. Then turned and looked back at us. JB took a second shot, and it looked like a hit again. But is was off solidly, I took a shot with the .450 at quite a distance, and it looked and felt fantastic.

A huge bang, a thump on the shoulder and a huge cloud of dust behind th buffalo's shoulder. It looked like the bullet had passed through the bull. Later on, worked out it had missed, probably just under the bull but hit a termite mound behind which exploded, but help by causing the bull to come running back towards us, but then to the side.

We gave chase and I know I lost sight of it, JB was reloading the magazine of the .375 behind, I did sight the herd, with the cows and young running off in fright but a bull only walking behind them. Deciding this was the wounded bull, I managed to put a 480 gr FMJ in it from behind, and it fell as if pole axed.

Very pleasing to have it on the ground. I was worried when it ran off that we might have a long long walk and search for it. When I have hunted buffalo in the past, with an outfitter, I never mind if the PH shoots if the bull doesn't go down and runs, or drops and then gets up to run. If a major bone / shoulder is not broken, or spine or brain shot, these buffalo can be very tough to kill and soak up bullets. As Claydog later said, keep shooting them until they are down and finished.

You will see a hole in its rear right hip. This is actually TWO holes. JB's bullet was found lodged as a lump under the skin here and had traversed the bull from the chest. A couple of inches from this hole is the entry hole from my FMJ bullet which probably travelled the full length of the bull and possibly broke the spine.

I was very glad for JB to get a bull. It was looking to me at some points that we would have trouble scoring. The hunt was very enjoyable anyway, very good company, good food, a pleasant camp, JB is a gentleman and excellent to talk with. But getting a bull crowns it off.

Walking away afterwards to go back to the vehicle, it was funny when I checked the GPS ... wrong direction ... it was mazing to look at how we travelled since sighting the buffalo, zig zagging to and fro, never would have realised it without the GPS recording it all. Sighting the herd. Moving to see what was in it. JB sighting the bull. Moving to stalk it. The shot, it running, us running, changing direction, running after it, another shot, the GPS showed us crossing to and fro.

Without a GPS wouldn't be a problem as moving to the East we would have to hit the track after a few kilometres.

Got to get in on the act ...

We decided to walk back to the car, drop off the rifles and extra gear, grab an axe, bring the Landcruiser closer and then walk back.

In the end we decided JB should still carry a rifle as who knows what we bump into. I still brought my camelback as I don't go anywhere without water. Plus GPS etc. Knives.

Then the work started. The lovely red ants were on the bull in the sun, but didn't cause too much of a problem.

JB said he wanted the horns and not a shoulder mount. Later just the bone connecting the horns. And so started to remove the head from the neck. Buffalo have very thick skin. We didn't succeed in getting the right spot to get the skull off the spine easily so the axe was used to finish the job.

A suitable sapling was found. None of the fallen trees had wood which was not brittle. The sapling cut, not softwood either, was used to swing the head from so we could carry it out between us on our shoulders. The distance was not too great, and I have done it before, but it did seem to dig in more than I remembered with a scrub bull in the past, and that was a far longer distance. Some stops to rest the shoulders. And hit the vehicle spot on.

Back to camp, a wash and cool off in the COLD clear running water, lunch and then the rest of the day cleaning off the skull as much as possible. JB did a really good and clean job, removing a lot of the exposed meat. We didn't have any means to boil the head, so hopefully Claydog would be willing to do it for JB or someone who does it for an outfitter. Failing all that I would take it South with me and do it there. About ten days till I got home so might get stinky though.

Later Claydog was again very generous and offered to do it for JB. A very good fellow.

But this was the second to last hunting day for JB, so we still had one more day. We might be lucky and find a nice real big bull for JB. Also I did want some meat from a younger animal if it could be found.

A celebratory dinner that evening. A bottle of Barossa Valley Estate E&E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz (phew that is a long name!) opened, chilled from the fridge. This wine is a super premium Barossa sparkling red that is no longer made by the winery. And a wine new to a Frenchman! A sparkling red. A traditional Barossa wine.

Also no cooking that night, but Barossa "German" garlic mettwurst, "white pudding" - lebewurst (liver wurst), lachshinken (smoked cold ham) , duck and orange pate, cabernet paste (these were both from Maggie Beer), a=marinated calamari, vintage cheddar cheese and crackers.

Followed by coffee from an Italian cafemaker, cognac for me and Irish Whiskey for JB and a big cigar each.

Good to enjoy a successful day. And a really fun hunt. The buffalo bull kill was quite exciting.

JB celebrating his first water buffalo bull.

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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