Water Buffalo in Texas and Florida.

Has anyone here had any experience hunting Water Buffalo in Texas or Florida? Also, I saw a show recently where a guy was hunting Spanish Fighting Bulls in Texas. I guess it's not much of a hunt, but maybe I'm wrong?

All of these buffalo can be dangerous if properly motivated. I know a guy that was almost killed at a ranch in TX by a wounded water buff a couple years ago.

I was just thinking of an affordable hunt that would be similar to Cape Buffalo. I talked to a ranch owner down in Florida, and he described a good hunt, on over 4000 acres. But then I heard someone say that he shoots the buffs in the butt with birdshot to make them wary of people. I guess I could get used to the fence idea on that much land, but don't want it to seem like shooting fish in a barrel.

They vary greatly in how the hunts go. The difference lies in that the cape buff is in no way shape or form able to be domesticated. There are places where the asiatic water buff can be found hooked to carts. That said the wild cattle in australia are about as mean and aggressive as bovines get and theyre farm cattle that are wild for a few generations. The waterbuff i shot in texas was a very foul tempered creature on just about a 100 acre pen that i shot for te owner bc it kept attacking everything that entered the pasture. Including pickups. That wasnt much of a hunt but i got to see what a barnes xbp will do and that was worth something. I didnt pay for it just did the ranch owner a favor as no one else wanted to shoot it hence no mount or skull at my house. The ranch owner was also curious if i could kill it with my pistol as we had just shot bison on a 2k acre part of the ranch earlier. He was as curious as i was on the effect of the pistol These can be crazy hunts or shooting fish in a barrel just research it well.

when africa was looking for cape buff that hadent been efected by the teesee? fly they went to texas for clean buff,so texas had some that wernt quite wild.

How did the xpb do BTW? I talked to Hunt Australia about a Buff hunt over there, and it's fairly resonably priced. Plus, you can shoot a trophy bull, and as many cows as you'd like, for $250 each. But, unfortunately you can't do it with a handgun. Lynn Thompson shot his with borrowed Redhawks, they say. I assume the locals can have handguns if they run a hunting operation. I suspect it will be the same here before it's over......

You can use a handgun in Australia, but as you stated, you can't bring your own. Lynn definitely used the outfitter's SRH, but it's a platform he is familiar with and one of his favorites. All bovines can have foul mood swings -- just ask anyone who has worked a cattle ranch!

Oh yes I agree. Having been chased out of several cow pastures while turkey hunting, I understand completely! lol!

I did a hunt with J&R Outfitters in FL a few years ago. We looked a buffs in vehicles (they looked tame), then we hunted on foot (they weren't tame). I used a .475 Linebaugh and demanded to my guide that we get close. They were spooky and the stalk was challenging. Got him at 30 yards. His buddy had issues with us and came after us. Exciting!
Do one with a revolver and you'll have all the excitement you can stand. Good accomodations. Good food. Big place. I'd go again since Australia doesn't want my $$.

I talked to him last year about a hunt. I believe he quoted me $5500 for a buffalo. Plus, he said you can donate the meat for a tax deduct. When do you plan to go again? I may just do that hunt in the near future.

The barnes did really really well and into the offside hide. Went through one shoulder. It was a rather stiff load.

Sounds good! What weight bullet was it?

Hunted in Florida a few years ago with some of the members and used a factory Hornady 400gr XTP in 475 LB to take this water buff. The guide brought a 375 H&H for backup which was not needed because when the XTP hit the buff his entire body shook for a second or two after which he went down. I`ve never seen that reaction after a bullet hit my target....

I was a 250 gr xpb at 1920 fps

James
Now you've gone and done it! Looks like I will be forced to go to Florida! What ranch did you go to?

Tradmark

That's great penetration considering the bullet weight! I use Barnes tsx in my rifles and love them.

Not going too soon. Can't get the Africa bug out of my system yet. I did that with the meat except for a 4-5' backstrap.

I wish I could afford the real thing myself. I had made big plans of going to Africa a few years back, but at the time I had no one to go with, and didn't want to make the trip to a foreign country alone. That was long before I had internet, and could talk to like minded people like the ones on this forum. Instead I made 3 trips to AK in search of a brown bear. I managed to kill a black bear, but never got a shot at a brownie. Now I'm into a house and truck payment for a few years, so the expensive trips are on hold.

Toby, The place I hunted in Florida is no longer in business and I would never recommend a place that I or a friend had not hunted. However, WVhitman (Doc Rogers) hunted a good place called J&R Outfitters. Good luck and good hunting cause when you stalk and hunt one of these Asian buff with a big bore handgun make sure that first shot hits the right place or you will have a handful...

Yea it looks like J&R is a good choice. I like the idea that they have over 3000 acres to hunt on . Should make it seem more like a free range hunt.

I chased a herd of water buff for four hours before getting a shot at Wilderness lodge in TN. It was about as hunt as you could get. We got charged twice. I used my .450 Marlin with a 420gr cast bullet. The critter I killed was 6' high at the shoulder. My son is ready to go after one with a handgun and of course I will provide back up. reflex264

Nice! How far did he go after the hit? How many acres is that ranch, and how much$$$$?

Just to inform whoever is interested. I contacted Wilderness Hunting Lodge that Reflex 264 was referring to, and he quoted $2750 for a trophy size bull. This is all inclusive, with 3 nights lodging and meals. $275 for non hunters. The Buff are on 1000 plus acres. As Reflex said, the hunts are advertised as real hunts.