Thanks, mate.
Some Canadian mates in particular have offered to show me a good time, hunting that is, not dancing girls. :mrgreen:
So when I save up the plane fare I'll probably go there and hopefully bag some game; whitetail, caribou, elk, maybe even moose or black bear.
As far as water buffalo go, my next project rifle will be a classic "
turn of the century" type Martini Henry in 45-70 with express sights.
That's the long arm I plan to use when I head north sometime in the future to hunt buffs.
They're the only truly dangerous game in Australia although much of the time they're pretty docile.
It's really a case of "
don't screw with me and I won't leave you stomped and gored into a bloody mash" with Asiatic water buffalo, unlike Cape Buffalo which have the "
you're alive so I should change that in the most violent manner possible" attitude.
My pro-shooter mate spent a fair bit of time when he was young culling them and he's used everything from a .303 using mil FMJ loads(
both the MkI 215gn RN and the MkVII 174gn spitzer) and 375 H&H to the 45-70 Marlin he now prefers.
When he was young and stupid(
and still using 303 FMJs) he was silly enough to stalk right up close and scream a whole lot of names at one big bull before pulling the trigger.........at which point the rifle went "click"(
the firing pin had snapped) and the bull began the stomping and goring procedure!! :x
Fortunately his offsider was an exceptional shot, close at hand and the hospital wasn't too far away.
And then there was the time he shot a camel, strolled up to it to make sure it was dead and gave it a kick.
It kicked back in a more vengeful manner and he had to pump another few rounds into it at close range.
He copped some broken ribs from that one.
Pro shooting is clearly not all it's cracked up to be. :roll: