The best Northern Territory water buffalo hunting occurs during their dry season, from August through September. Though it is winter Down Under, it is still quite hot—like 90- 95 degrees F with 50- 70 percent humidity. Pack the lightest camo gear you can find. Badlands’ new Air series proved ideal—the Air Hoodie and Pant in particular. For footwear, lightweight hikers or running shoes are in order. A good water bottle and electrolyte mix (like MTN OPS Hydrate) is vital.
Your bow should include a minimum draw weight of 70 pounds, which is more welcome if you have a draw length shorter than 29 inches. A minimum finished arrow weight of 575 grains is critical for ample penetration, as well as a rugged, one-piece cut-on-contact broadhead.
PSE
My outfit consisted of a PSE Mach 34 set at 73#@30” and set up with GAS Bowstrings SystmX strings, which provided a 5-7 fps arrow velocity boost. The Northern Momentech 250 arrow weighed 609 grains and was tipped with a 145-grain Northern Broadheads EVO Hybrid broadhead plus a 5-grain PDP brass weight washer. This combination produced 268 fps velocity and 97 foot-pounds of kinetic energy.
Mathews
Anders shot a Mathews ARC 30 set at 70#@29,” sending a 580-grain Northern Momentech 250 arrow at 265 fps and producing about 90 foot-pounds of KE. His bull, shot through the top of the heart, traveled only 70 yards after being hit with a single arrow. Anders also used Northern Broadheads’ 145-grain EVO Hybrid—a four-blade head with bleeders designed to break away if it hits bone.
Getting There
Flights to Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, run about $1,700 to $2,000 if booked a couple of months in advance. You need a visa to enter Australia, which you apply for online through a government website. You’ll need a hotel room on arrival and before departure, about $250 U.S. per night. If you hunt private land, as we did, a trophy fee is par, at $3,000 to $5,000 U.S., depending on trophy quality. A fully-outfitted hunt will add about $1,000 per day to expenses. Everyday items Americans take for granted are expensive in Australia, but the U.S. dollar exchange rate in currently favorable (.71-.72 cents Australian to U.S. dollar).
No Taxidermy Shipping
You can bring a water buffalo skull and horns back to the States, but you must thoroughly boil and clean them. The ranch we hunted had a fire pit and boil tub for this task. Our trophies passed through customs (Sweden and U.S.) without problems. A wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen, binoculars and rangefinder, and packable fishing gear round out your kit. I used no bug spray, though I suffered many gnat bites, so insect repellent is welcome.
Wild Hogs Too
Bring plenty of arrows since you may have opportunities at other game. Your bow or crossbow will have to endure many hours of plane vibration, not to mention bouncing around rugged dirt roads. Tighten every screw on your bow before leaving home, and double-check them upon arrival. You’ll want to warm up your shooting form after a long plane ride, and the extensive preparations are worth every second.
