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DAY 6

We woke up to rain. Rain? To most of us that sounds like no big deal. But it's not supposed to rain here and it should be dry for the next 5 months. So that seemed to throw everything off. We spotted a few buffalo in the morning but they were all on the move and very skittish. We didn't make a move on any of them and instead headed for an area called piggy piggy which held. . .guess? We didn't find any pigs nor did we find any buffalo so we gave up and headed back to lunch.

If you hunt long enough you realize that often when you least expect action - it happens. Such was the case today. We spotted a nice mature bull feeding out in the meadow about 400 yards away.

NO DOUBT THIS BOY WAS A SHOOTER. LOOK AT THE SPREAD BEYOND BOTH SIDES!

He was unaware of us so we quickly headed for a row of trees to get a better look. Mick guessed him in the high eighties and he looked great to me. We left Patrick behind with the video camera while we made an amazing stalk across a hay field in plain view of the feeding buffalo.

WE PLAYED CAT AND MOUSE WITH HIM ACROSS AN OPEN MEADOW. IT WAS AN AMAZING STALK. WE GOT LUCKY.

A couple of times we almost got busted but we only moved when his head was down. The bull picked up speed and headed toward a ravine. We motioned for Patrick then made our move covering ground quickly. The bull came out from his drink and moved another hundred yards into the open. We stayed with him until he bedded out in the open.

AFTER THE BULL BEDDED DOWN, I WENT AHEAD SOLO. I CLOSED THE DISTANCE TO 25 YARDS THEN I DECIDED TO GET EVEN CLOSER.

Mick and I discussed the stalk and came up with a plan. He and Patrick stayed behind while I stalked him solo. I would have to approach from the open field. Keeping the wind in my favor I moved wide-out into the field- before heading straight in to the bull. It worked.

I closed the distance to within 25 yards. Conditions were perfect and I was so confident that I decided to try for an even closer shot. At one point I stepped on a dry grass stalk that made a small crunch. The bull motioned in my direction before he put his head back down again.

I crept forward until I was only 14 yards from him. At that point my decision was a tough one; should I shoot him in his bed? The bull was a big one. He was probably close to 2000 pounds and the shot and angle had to be perfect. No room for error on a shot like this with an animal so massive!

I and decided to shoot him in his bed. I was confident and calm.

I drew back my 80 pound Mathews Monster and picked a spot visualizing the exit. I released, and my arrow buried completely inside the bull! He jumped up and turned around to see what hit him.

THE ARROW PLACEMENT WAS PERFECT AND BURIED UP TO THE NOCK. THE BULL TURNED TO FACE ME THEN RAN OFF. HE ONLY MADE IT 60 YARDS AND A FEW SECONDS LATER WAS STONE COLD DEAD WITH ALL 4 FEET UP IN THE AIR.

Then he ran a few yards, stumbled and fell l down. He got up and ran a few more yards before falling over and rolling on his back with all four legs up in the air. Stone cold dead! Like my Cape Buffalo, he had gone 70 yards and died in 30 seconds.

My first Australian Water buffalo went 88 SCI and weighed an estimated 1800 pounds. We spent the rest of the day on buffalo chores and celebrated over a great dinner of lamb chops and veggies. What a great day!