GUIDES / RIFLES

Professional Hunters

Welcome to our crazy life, remote adventures, often living in outback Arnhem Land with a green canvas tent or swag/bedroll as home for the dry season. We all have a passion for fine arms, big bore rifles, and thrive on tough Buffalo hunting in remote wilderness. We do it right.

We complete training for various DG hunting scenarios, and fast accurate shooting. Trophy caping, treatment and documentation for export and taxidermy is reviewed. NT Police approved firearms and safety certificate courses are required for our licenses. Guiding on dangerous game requires specific skills and training - and is not the same as guiding on medium game. Most of our guiding team have hunted in Africa, and understand the importance of quality service in all areas. We do it right. If you hear any negative comments about our business, please let us know.

Guides For Your Hunt

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GRAHAM WILLIAMS - Guide

My passion is dangerous game, big rifles & exploring. It began 35 years ago on a Banteng & Buffalo hunt with my friend Colin Lane. At his first shot the Banteng bull spun around & took off, two more shots & it cartwheeled over 15 yards to my right. It regained its footings, turned & charged Colin on my left, busy reloading his Heym 470 NE. At 8yds I fired a 375H&H Silver Tip & dropped the Banteng in front of us.!! I was now hooked on dangerous game hunting. Raised on a farm, my dad taught me honesty, respect & firearms safety. My career became an Industrial Electrician & Instrument Tech (incl: Emergency response teams) at refineries & mine sites. Then travels and safaris in Southern Africa planted the seed, so in 1997 I starting Outback Expeditions, then as Australian Buffalo Hunters. I am proud to have been the Bulman area safari operator for Gulin Gulin Buffalo Company for 19 years to 2019. I will be guiding on dangerous game well into the future.

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My personal hunting includes; Australia, New Zealand, Mozambique for Cape Buffalo, South Africa for plains game, Elephant & Cape Buffalo, Namibia Caprivi strip after Elephant, Hippo, Cape Buffalo and Crocodile, Kyrgyzstan after Ibex, Siberian Roebuck and Marco Polo, plus Hungary, Belgium, France and Spain for Ibex, Stag and Boar. There is always a plan ahead.

I am a proud Life member of SCI, Life member of IPHA (International Professional Hunters Association), Life member of SSAA, a Member of ADA, MSL and Dallas Safari Club. I have guided over 900 Buffalo hunts, and Australian Buffalo Hunters guides have completed over 1400 Buffalo hunts. Old style safaris, classic rifles and traditional hunting, doing it right.

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JOE ESTERMANN - Guide

Joe assisted with our first ever Buffalo hunters in 1997. We hunted the Ramingining swamps in Arnhem Land for the first 3 years, Water Buffalo on coastal flood plains, and tough skull/cape retrievals. Joe's main career was government services and training. His professional conduct has seen him guide many clients, with a good hunt plan. At home in the south, he hunts wild boar and deer, also an avid fisherman. He has hunted South Africa, Europe and New Zealand many times, and understands client service. Joe is a founding member of both SWH&C and ADA WA.

WALLY ESTERMANN (Joes brother) has recently retired from guiding. His police service, fisheries dept, aviation, international pilot and Airline CEO experience, had him well qualified for excellent service for our clients. We still appreciate Wally assisting at camp, logistics and training.

JOSH RAWLINSON - Guide

A few years ago Josh joined the guide team, and brought his professional skills to enhance Australian Buffalo Hunters. He has hunted Australia and New Zealand, with a passion for tough hunts, mountain hunts, deer hunting and all types of fishing. A young gentleman who looks after his fellow hunters, and has added a lot to our Expeditions and Safaris. He prefers a 416 which has proven adequate to stop huge Buffalo, Banteng, and precise longer follow up shots on dangerous game. He enjoys hunting trips and fishing with some of the other guides and mates outside of the mid year Buffalo hunt season.

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SHAUN - Guide

Enthusiastic and a strong lad. Shaun is a professional hunter and team member who is always lending a hand, and getting everyone loaded up and out hunting on time. He enjoys using the time proven 404 Jeffery, and will make sure clients have a great dangerous game hunting adventure. He has hunted most species in Australia, and ventured to NZ and Africa on dangerous game. In his spare time he is often out hunting and back-packing for Wild hogs, Rusa deer and the large Sambar deer in our southern mountains. He often uses a 9.3x74 double rifle on Sambar in heavy bush.

ADAM CHRISTO - Guide

Since a child Adam had a love for wilderness, remote places and he dreamed of Africa. Throw in a passion for classic big game rifles, calibres and constructive conservation, so Adam naturally gravitated to safaris. With just shy of 20 big game safaris to the remote parts of Zimbabwe and Northern Mozambique, travels through East Africa, and hunting in many other countries, a lot of African dangerous game experience was gained. As an experienced professional hunter, he will ensure your success in remote Arnhem Land.

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IAN BLEVIN - Guide

Speaking of gentlemen. Ian has many skills and experiences, from running business and all types or hunting in Zimbabwe, plus his knowledge of birds, botanical etc when running an adventure expeditions business in central Australia. When called upon to guide Buffalo hunters he is professional, dedicated, a capable tracker and forward thinking. Ian understands client service and camp management. He knows how tough Cape Buffalo and Water Buffalo are. Recently an unprovoked charge was stopped with 2x Solids from the 416.

Wato - Assistant

What does a (semi) retired professional worker and dangerous game hunter do when he's not venturing to Africa.? Brian Watson has hunted many countries and has a passion for Rigby rifles, owning a lovely 470 Nitro Express double, and a Best Grade bolt action 416 Rigby made to order. Having hunted our Water Buffalo, and seeing how tough they are, he has joined us as an assistant for some of the tough and demanding jobs around Buffalo camp, such as loading the 4x4, spotting game, catering, testing fine wine, adding ice cubes, and trying to find his GPS.... plus many other useful tasks. However he is here because of our great friendship, our service and ethics, his jokes, and a desire to explore and breath in the wilderness and nature.

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Dangerous Game Rifles

GUIDE & CLIENT DANGEROUS GAME RIFLES The following information is my personal opinion only, and yes we all have different gear, ideas and thoughts. You can do it different if you want.. JMO.. Thick skinned dangerous game hunted on foot requires a heavy caliber, these rifles can have heavy recoil, so select the biggest dangerous game rifle cartridge that you can shoot accurately, and one not too heavy for you to carry all day in the heat. In our safari camp we have rifles available in 375 H&H, 404 Jeffery, 416 Rigby & 458 WM calibers. All have good express sights, and most fitted with quality scopes in quick detachable (QD) mounts. I have used both double and bolt action rifles, either choice is fantastic, as long as they function 100% reliably, and the hunter is very familiar to be fast and accurate with their weapon. Over the years and over 1200 Buffalo hunts, we have seen nearly all the big calibers in use. Personally, I have carried and used the following; 375 H&H, 404 Jeffery, 416 Rigby, 435 PH Express (my own invention), Boswell 450/400 double, 458 WM, 458 Lott, Holland and Holland 465 Express double rifle (stopped 3 charges), a few 500 Jeffery (a favorite hard hitter), a 585 Nyati (a 750 grainer (.577) I load mild to 2050fps), and I once carried a rare #8 Holland and Holland 600 NE Royal (900grainers) for a short time (damn heavy and a monster to shoot). I now generally guide with a 404 or 416, an easier carry weight, 4x Hydro or Cup Point Solids in the magazine, capable of the full body penetration occasionally required on a fast departing 2000lb bull Buffalo. If a charge occurs, to 100% stop someone from being smashed, I need perfect shot placement to destroy the brain. Graham Williams PH.

DOUBLE RIFLES The classic double rifle looks stunning, has two immediate shots, it shoulders fast, feels lighter and fantastic in your hands. Pictured above are some nice Heym, Rigby, Watson, Evans and Holland and Holland double rifles. Personally, I like the calibers of; 375 Flanged, 375 H&H, 450/400 NE, 500/416 NE, new 416 Rigby #2 rimmed, and 450 NE. All have manageable recoil for accurate shooting, and a reasonable carry weight, important for trekking under a blazing sun. Such rifles are stocked for quick iron sight shooting, so get a huge buffalo size target, and practice at 50m, BUT, please also fire a few shots at 100m and 150m, (yes it will happen). If your offhand or leaning 2 shots groups are 10-20cm (4-10") that's fine. Sometimes animals turn and run, and fast shots are required. Some hunters with ageing eyes cannot see express front sights anymore, especially at dusk with low light and in shadows, this is where a large white front sight and a white triangle in the rear sight is brilliant. A detachable scope with long eye relief is a solution, and a scope in QD mounts can also be carried in the backpack, and mounted on the rifle if needed. Moving up to the 470 NE, 500 NE & 577 NE these are ideal for Elephant, Hippo and Buffalo. Recoil is harsh to some people, and tolerable for a big rugby player or a practiced large bore shooter. Sorry no scope on a .470 or .500 for me. Before you order or buy a big caliber rifle, I suggest you test fire a friends big caliber rifle. Fire 6 or more rounds (not just 1 or 2), from a rest, offhand and kneeling, 50m & 100m, simulate what you will be doing in the field. An ethical hunter's responsibility is to shoot well, and take his trophy or game cleanly. Before your hunt practice with small and large rifles, field shooting positions, quick reloading, and offhand.

THE BOLT ACTION Calibers for Buffalo include the 9.3x62, 375 H&H, 416 RM, 400 H&H, 416 Rigby, 404 Jeffery, 458 WM, 458 Lott, 500 Jeffery and 505 Gibbs. Also the 378, 416 & 460 Weatherby Magnums excelling in their caliber class. One of the best things about a bolt rifle, is its magazine capacity, and 4 or 5 rounds gives me much comfort in the field. I might also mention Hearing Protection, some clients start out with earmuffs that get discarded after day 1, and foam plugs which get forgotten in the rush.. So.. most hunters WILL end up with some hearing loss from large rifles. I keep the low cost $20-$40 Sonic Valve 11 ear plugs in my top pocket, I love em. It takes only 5 or 6 seconds to pop them in during the final stalk, and I can still hear easily, yet the blast is stopped (also called Acu-Life ear plugs). ALL Guides and Hunters should try these for hunting. The diaphragm system blocks the blast sound wave, (but.. they are not suitable at a gun range where multiple sound waves bounce off walls, roofs etc). Specialist bullet makers like North Fork, Barnes, Swift, Nosler, Woodleigh etc, produce very tough projectiles with controlled expansion and all perfect for thick skinned game. A 375 H&H is a good caliber to practice with, and hunters can also use their 375 safari rifle for plains game, antelope, deer, wild boar etc. Again a detachable scope makes a big bore rifle very versatile, and scopes around 1x-6x or 2x-10x magnification range are great for both close up and longer shots. A scope mounted on a 416 Rigby or 458 Lott must have long eye relief and be mounted forward. Most important, is ammunition feed from the magazine, slow, medium or fast, as reliability and shot placement ensure success.

BUFFALO SHOT PLACEMENT & APPROACH We are hunting the heavy muscled 750-900kg older Buffalo bulls, which have double the mass in skin, muscles and bone structure than that of younger water buffalo bulls or buffalo cows of 300-500kg. The brain is small, protected but mostly 2" to 3" of solid bone, and moving, so preferably your first shot with a quality expanding bullet through the heart and/or both lungs is best, and a shoulder also taken out is good. On rare occasions, large tough animals can regain their footing and run, or occasionally charge.... so be prepared with a Solid or FMJ bullet/s in your magazine, and be able to shoot accurately on running game, and achieve maximum penetration. Fire again until the Buffalo is down, and then another spine or shoulder shot to be sure. Approach with caution and hold your rifle tight with both hands, (so a horn flick doesn't send your rifle flying, or your AD shot back at others), approach with rifle ready to fire, butt on your shoulder, and looking over your sights. Once the Buffalo is confirmed dead, barrels up and in a safe direction.... next... all hunters must safely clear your rifle chamber/s.. (before inspecting the trophy, and taking pics). Practice.

To Stop A Charge

STOPPING 100% A charge, it is very rare for the client, but it does happen. A Buffalo might get back up, can ambush and come from the side or behind, or just straight through heavy bush. We have heard of rare and unusual instances of african Cape Buffalo with multiple shots from 416, 458, 470 etc through the vitals, yet still coming and driven on by adrenaline. Trust me, it is the same here. If this happens to you, the only one shot placement that WILL STOP the charge is a brain shot (size of an orange), or a spine shot (size of a thick rope), if you miss that, the animal can be on top of you. On our Water Buffalo the position of the brain is exactly between the horns, whether the head is up and coming, facing you, or down to smash or hook you.. We keep an old water buffalo skull in camp/s, so you can see for yourself.

SOFTS OR SOLIDS - In a bolt rifles magazine I suggest 2x Premium Softs for the hunters first one or two shots into the vitals, and then 2x Solids for the running side or rear raking shots.. or charge. The skull; our Water Buffalo bulls have flatter and much thicker 2" to 3" solid skull bone structures, than a Cape Buffalo bull which has many hollow cavities under the boss... Yes we have studied and dissected mature age skulls of both species. We have seen some cases of quality SP ammo skidding off an angled Water Buffalo skull, and no penetration, even close up, because of the solid bone thickness and shot angle factors. So we require our guides to use Solids for back up, final approach, and to stop a charge.!!

Many African guides have been wounded and some killed because of fast animals, fast changes, waiting to follow up, poor shooting, thick bush, fumbled reloading, and wrong gear.. (and please don't rely on Knock Down power of a big bullet in the head.. if it misses the brain, often they keep coming, I've seen this a few times..!!) In a charge situation- pointing and pulling the trigger often doesn't work,.... It must be aimed, follow the target (lead), with trigger control.. hitting brain or spine. .. and immediately reload.... Practice..!!