Bow, Arrows, Quiver...What else for the Buffalo?

[LBR]

I have my bow on order, I know which arrow shafts and broadheads I am going to try out, got an idea on what type quiver(s) I need.....what else is a "must have" for hunting buffalo in Oz?  I'm not too big on camo, but I'm thinking this is would be a time that it would be beneficial.  Ghillie, "leaf-o-flauge", or????  What colors would blend in best?  Anything else?

Chad

[Stykbowslim]

Big balls. . .

I couldn't resist. . . good luck on your buff trip.

[Cory Mattson]

I like the Leafy Jacket things. At least a jacket top and head cover. Burnt cork for face. Stalking sneakers  - Cabela's are good - have a hard bottom hiker in the land rover in case you get stuck.

[Rick McGowan]

Chad, buffalo have EXCELLENT eyesight. The leafy flage stuff does work well by breaking up your outline. Camo should be light colored, think dead dry grass. Monty wore tan Dickey work pants and the leafy mesh jacket for his stalks. Cory had on his leafy jacket and kneeled eyeball to eyeball with that big bull at the top of this page for about 20 minutes! Quite walking shoes are important. Most of the time it will be dry, but occasionally you will have to cross a stream or small swamp, shoes dry out pretty quick there though. Bring one extra large size gear bag to bring home your capes and horns! Or if you are Cory bring two so you have room for your souvenirs! You really don't need much else, I was there for three months this year with one large gear bag and that had my takedown recurve with an extra set of limbs and 3 1/2 dozen arrows in it along with 10 or 12 knives and some other stuff that a normal person wouldn't need to bring! Rick

[Terry Green]

LBR...when ya going?

Can't wait to hear about your trip.

[LBR]

Thanks again men!  I was at the closest Bass Pro Shops warehouse (Memphis, TN) this past weekend and was looking at the leafy gear---shouldn't be a problem getting something to fit.  Have plans to order some South Forty Birdshooters from Russell Moccasins, just trying to decide on which options to get.

Now, the hardest part--waiting to get it all together so I can make concrete plans to go!  AARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!    

Chad

[Rick McGowan]

Chad, I tell everyone that the easiest excuse is the one we come up with to NOT do something. I talk to guys all the time, that say "yeah, I want to do that, just let me know when you are going"! 9 times out of 10 they never go. Why? It will always be better to go "someday". It won't. The reason is that "someday" there will still be excuses not to go, that is until it really is to late and they really will never be able to go. The Russells should be great, I thought about trying a pair myself. Rick

[LBR]

Terry, I missed your post (sorry 'bout that), but I plan on going in the next 3-4 years.  Long time I know, but it's going to take me that long to get everything in order so I can do it right--a hunt like this is not something I plan to skimp on.  Hoping things work out so I can go sooner, but I have to try and stay realistic with it.

Rick, I know exactly what you mean, and I'll admit I have been guilty of it myself in the past.  I'm a hard-headed bugger though, and once I set my sights on something it's dang hard to change it.  I'm taking notes and gathering equipment--one good thing about the wait is I have time to get my gear in order.  My biggest problem, like many others, is with all I have going on right now I can't justify the expense.  I've just got to set it back a little at a time, so it's not missed.  Got a pretty good seed going, just gotta' let it grow for a bit.  I've done this once before, on a smaller scale--took me a while, but I got to go, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.  

Chad

[Rick McGowan]

Chad, make sure you plan on staying a while. The place I go understands bowhunters and dosn't charge by the day. Cory stayed for two weeks and never ran out of things to do! I stayed for three months and was missing it after I was home a week. Rick

[LBR]

I plan on staying at least 2 weeks when I go--would love to stay longer, but will have to see how that goes over with work.

Made the mistake of asking about quivers on the regular board--lol--got a few "one arrow is all you need" answers.  I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but danged if I would try to stalk a buffalo with one arrow!  I'll be at several big shoots next year, and will check out the bow quivers at these--hopefully I'll find one I can get used to.

Another thing I have thought about--how many people are usually in camp at one time?  I may have a friend or two that wants to go with me--of course I definately want to go while you are around Rick--need all the help I can get!

Chad

[AkDan]

its obvious you missed my point!

[Rick McGowan]

Chad, I found out before I went for buffalo the first time, you have to be careful who you ask advice from. It cost me a big bull and quite a few $$$! The thing is with buffalo, they don't drop with one arrow right away, so you keep shooting until they do or you run out of arrows, even if the first one was perfect. Also you can always run into a bunch a pigs and use up six arrows in a very short time. We had one animal that took two hunters 14 arrows and one .375 to finish off.
Six is the normal max that they would have in camp at one time unless there was a group that all wanted to hunt together, but normally its less than that. Often its only one or two hunters there at a time and everyone likes it that way. They don't charge anymore for one on one. It is a lot of fun to go on someones elses stalks though and a lot less stressful, all you have to do is look for good climbing trees. Rick

[Terry Green]

Little Hunter,

The fact that you can kill a beast such as the one being discussed with a bow PROVES its lethality.

People loose animals with guns as well.  If we are not careful, we will talk ourselves out of a job.

[Terry Green]

Sorry ....I didn't mean to imply little....just assumed Lil was short for Little.  My bad.  I really meant no diss-respect.

However...I will not let this thread turn into an ethics debate.

The Beast is legal, and it can turn and kill you anywhere between one or five arrows.  This isn't a coon hunt.

[AkDan]

lmao, It wasnt ment to be a debate but sure did bring up some interesting points about the animal and our choosen gear (myself included)  anyways, so be it and like I said before,  Have fun in aussie Land Chad!

[Terry Green]

OK Lilhunter, glad your not upset.  I really didn't mean to ruffle your feathers...honest.

I find it very courageous that men still chase dangerous beast with a simple weapon.  Makes me feel like a chump chasing hogs.

It does also in my opinion, not only show the courage of men, but the power of the weapon we choose.

There is a trade off in these battles.  May take one or more arrows to put an animal of this magnatude to rest, but that also gives the beast more time to trample the hunter.

From what I understand, when these animals are hit, they just look around like someone poked them in the ribs, and they are pissed.  Like they don't even know they are mortaly wounded.  If they were in emence pain, I am sure they would run like a scaulded dog AWAY from the source.

I also think that taking the 2nd shot would be more courageous than the 1st.

But that's just one man's opinion, and certianly not the gospel on Buff Hunting.

I hope to make the journey one day, and the return home.

[AkDan]

Terry,

Naw, trying to curtail my upseted ness with more solitude.  Gave up the hootin and hollering on the other site with the gasket lacquer thread that lead to my dissappearing act.   !

As to chump chasing hogs....dunno but they can unleash a serious blow themselves!

You say they stand and stare?  How long does one double lung shot take to bring down a 2klb buff?  Thats the hole reason I asked/said anything after deleting my own posts, both on the quiver thread and this one alike.  And that question has yet to be answered.  I am curious as we have some big, some mean, and some big and mean critters up here and so far one well placed arrow will take them down in seconds.

[LBR]

Guys, if you don't know Dan I can tell you one thing about him--he is a super passionate and experienced hunter--he's taken some game with bow and arrow that most folks can only dream about--he got a ram that will make you drool!  But anyway.....

Dan, I remember reading a story in a handgun magizine several years ago by a fellow that was testing some rounds on Aussie game--primarily donkeys, if memory serves me right.  He was amazed at how tough they were--he told of at least one he shot with a high-power, small caliber (seems like it was something similar to a .223) pistol.  He got both lungs, and the donkey didn't even stop grazing.  He didn't say how long it took it to die (I'm sure it did), but my point is there are just some animals that are too stubborn to know they are dead!  Heck, we've had whitetails down here run for hundreds of yards with their hearts literally blown out of their chest with high-power rifles.  Guess it's kinda like a bumblebee not knowing that, according to the laws of physics, it can't fly.  

I've still got to get with Rick on that one critter--I'm guessing that something went wrong somewhere--surely that animal was an exception, not the norm.

I have no intentions of making an Aussie pincushion, but I sure want to be sure I put it down and it stays down.

Chad

[Terry Green]

Exactly LBR.

I've shot whitetails that went right back to eating acorns after a non-rib-busting pass through.  They never knew they we hit.  I guess that is the point I was trying to make.

[AkDan]

Chad,

Thanks for the good words.

I have no doubt you are going to do your best with one!  I'll never question that one bit!  If you werent, you wouldnt be here years in advance in prep work.

I know critters can and do go a long ways.  Look at the famous rocky mountian elk!  How far a deer can go after being shot is dang impressive. How long they can live if they hunker down on a fatal hit is also impressive. Its a matter of seconds though, on the norm!  Just a few things I have witnesses first hand.  The reason I question its lethality is I havent seen it first hand and going by that post I made an a$$umption (you know the famous saying when you assume)  But I have yet to be shown the light either.  Now that the interest has been sparked on this truely huge beast, I ask what can I gang from all of this.  A TON!  as you know.  If I didnt, I wouldnt be questioning anything.  I'd be right out chasing sheep where I belong....baaaaaah! hehe This is the perfect place for some debate as all of us big and dangerous game hunters can learn from it regardless of what kind or where we are hunting them at!

You know the story behind my brown bear of 00.  I am suprised with 3 legs and no lungs and one heckuva steep mountian how far they can go.  And I also understand the shoot as much as you can while you can theory!  The big question I have is how many arrows does it take to bring one down?  how far on a good double lung shot will one go?  Liver? Heart?  I realize what you are up against but have also realized after Ric's post I can use a lot of this to my own use and also my local hunting pards.  Oh and Tom-tn if I can ever get his tn butt up here ;-)!  how long will one arrow take to bring one down?  how far will they go in that amount of time?  Heck for that matter has there been any studing done on hunting them with a stick and string? If you only knew how many times I edited that post last nite before Terry pulled it LMFAO! Didnt want to come off rude or in malice, as I stated after Ric's post!  I still mean that but realized my wording, well STUNK LMFAO!  

 Who knows when I hit the lottery I might have to go myself just to experience black death's next of kin!