BUFFALO ATTACK
Hunter has 10 surgeries after he was mauled by 800kg beast
A HUNTER is lucky to be alive after he was attacked by a vicious buffalo at a secret Territory location.
Taxidermist Danny Vanbrugh told the Sunday Territorian he still remembered the look in an 800kg buffalo’s eyes before it attacked him, which has left him in hospital for the past 14 days.
He has had 10 surgeries since the incident.
“We were out in the bush there and we’ve seen a big buffalo go down to the waterhole and I shot him and he ran off into the bush for about 800m and we’ve tracked it in there,” Mr Vanbrugh said.
“We got up to where the tracks were really fresh but, being smart, he knew what we were doing and came back at us from around the side.”
Before he knew it, the beast was charging at Mr Vanbrugh and hit him with a well-placed hook from his right horn.
“As I’ve loaded the gun he’s come through and hit me through the right bicep with his opposite horn and he’s thrown me and I’ve hit the ground,” said Mr Vanbrugh, who did not wish to reveal the location of the attack.
“I’ve gotten up and just pushed myself back as he’s charging again to try and get in the middle of his head, so he didn’t get me with his horn again and he’s hit me straight in the back with his horn and he’s driven me down into the ground.”
The buffalo came in for a third strike but the hunter was able to get to his feet and run for the car. With his son Brody and his son’s friend, Darcy Roberts, already having retreated well back, Mr Vanbrugh, from Queensland, gave the order to his son.
“Brody was about 10m further up from me and I said ‘shoot him’ and he’s shot him and the buffalo’s just gone down.”
Bloodied, scarred and with a slashed back and a punctured arm, 20-year-old Brody and 21year-old Darcy tourniqueted his arm before making a slow 2½-hour drive back to Darwin.
Originally planning to be in the Territory for 10 days, he has been through at least 10 surgeries in two weeks but said he won’t hold any grudges.
“I’m lucky he hit me with the opposite horn because if he’s hit me with the horn on that side, he would have killed me, it would have gone straight through my stomach, I would have been impaled on him,” Mr Vanbrugh said.
“I’ll get straight back into it when I can, I’m a taxidermist, so it’s what I do for my job and I love getting out into the bush.
“I won’t stop doing what I do – I do it because I love it. This is what Australia’s about … I’m not blaming anyone for what has happened to me.”
Despite his injuries, Mr Vanbrugh ended up victorious against the Buffalo and hopes to keep the horns to make a special mount upon his wall.