BANTENG HUNTS

Banteng Hunting

BANTENG What a magnificent species, the black and often dark brown Banteng bulls. The only place in the world for hunting genuine wild and free range Banteng is Coburg Peninsular and the North West of outback Arnhem land..!! There are good numbers of truly wild Banteng. Only a hand full of NLC licensed operators with licensed guides offer this exciting and magnificent species. This is a unique hunt experience in WAS tropical bush country, price from 2x1 US$16,900. This beautiful and tough animal is a bit smaller than a Buffalo, but just as wary and as fast as a deer. Always difficult to approach, but the bush and terrain is much thicker, so you must hunt Banteng slower. Great close encounters with your double rifle, and some good opportunities for the Bow hunter. A Banteng hunt is very special, and similar to hunting Bongo or Forest Buffalo, an elusive species, a tough yet beautiful trophy. And yes, they have a nasty attitude, we stopped 3 Banteng charges last season. Banteng bulls have a reputation for spinning around at the impact to attack the aggressor!!

Best Season - June, July, August

Banteng Charges

THE 458 RUGER TROPICAL

We had spotted what appeared an older Banteng bull. He was walking down the creek, when he stopped, lay down, and took a rest in 3 foot tall grass. So Albert and I carefully stalked in to the last cover, a huge old Malaleuca paperbark tree. I made a plan. I would crawl to the right and make some pig noises, the Banteng would stand, and Albert would finally get to see the horns properly and decide. This plan worked perfectly and he fired a 416 Rigby Woodleigh soft point into the boiler room.... but.. in fear of green ants before the shot, Albert had stood out from the tree. So at 25m the hit Banteng, saw him and charged.... flat out.... straight for him. I held up the Ruger Tropical in 458 Winchester Magnum waiting for Albert's next shot..... nothing... urgently I fired at 8m and dropped the Banteng bull and it skidded towards Albert in the dust. I asked him to unload the chamber, before shaking hands... he ejected the empty case!! He had 'frozen' and not "reloaded and fired" with an angry Banteng coming for him...!!

FAST BANTENG CHARGE

In June 2023 after a long hot day, we had a group of Banteng bulls feeding towards us in dense bush. Squatting down Deron moved forward to a rest, thumbs up I indicated yes that first bull was the big one. When a clear shot presented, he placed a 375H&H in the chest and it turned sideways running, he got in another shot.. but it took off. He reloaded and we moved forward quietly and quickly with the light starting to fade. I heard a cough, and we approached. I saw a huge Banteng lift his head at 25yds, 2 others ran off, and the wounded Banteng immediately charged.. and fast. I was already moving to the left, and yelled for Deron to shoot, we both fired twice in under 3 seconds, which sounded like, boom, boom, boom, boom.. and the bull almost cartwheeled over and skidded in the dust 5 yards from Deron and Tom, 3 shots in the head and a 404 Jeffery in the spine. That was a close call, and again teaches us that every shot must be aimed and placed properly, to stop a charge..!!