# A hunt with a spear



## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

It is Friday night again and I decided to put up another story of an adventure. 
 Has anyone else hunted anything with a spear? 
I have hunted pigs for many years, first with a gun then dogs before exclusively using a bow.
So one dayl I decided to give a spear a go…… I got my forge out and fashioned a spear head ……clang clang….fire…..quenching etc ..etc….
 I used hardwood to make a solid shaft……all done
I figured that I have shot many a pig from under 10 meters so I thought I would practice at that range…..I threw that thing until my shoulder was sore and managed to hit a coconut once out of every 1000 throws….oh well….what the heck….I was 128kg and needed the exercise
Anyhow I waited until it was absolutely pouring with rain and went for a walk through some high country as I knew up here during extended wet the pigs move to high ground.
It was also a really windy day so all the better…..I set off wind in face and spear in hand…..I kind of felt good and strangely powerful…haha
Before long I found some fresh tracks and started to follow them….not long after that I heard the unmistakable sound of boars fighting and I began to close in.
My heart was pumping out of control when I saw the backs of a mob of pigs in the grass. With a strong wind in my face (they can’t smell you) and a steady rain I closed the gap to about 20 meters.
The ground was so soft that it made silent movement easy.
I knew I was way too far and had to get closer so I crept in like a svelte leopard and closed the gap to 10 meters.
When the pig was busy digging I raised my spear and just like practice I completely missed…….i saw my spear sticking in the ground about 3 foot from the pig who did not even notice.
I was now disarmed…..I did not think about making more than one spear…now I wish I had…..anyhow I stood there until the pig moved off before crawling through the grass to get my spear.
I was back in action again and began stalking for the second time……again I closed the gap on a feeding pig…took a deep breath….and….missed again….but this time I did not go unnoticed.
Two big NT boars saw some movement and began to circle where I was (they were trying to get down wind of me so they could identify the threat)
They moved closer and closer all puffed up and menacing looking and making a hideous growling noise…..they were only 5 meters away from where I was crouched in a thicket of grass while my spear was sticking out of the ground 10 meters away…..great!
I unclipped my big old homemade knife as I just did not know what they would do when they caught my scent……..well as expected they hit my scent and stopped, let out the big boar WHOOF!WHOOF! (hunters will know this sound) which scattered the rest of the mob (and me)before they also left.
A bit shaky I walked to my spear picked it up and began the long walk back to my hilux. On the way home I threw that thing at every ant mound I passed and nailed it most times………Oh well at least I had a go. I felt ok ….despite not bringing home the bacon(so to speak) It felt a bit cool that I had got close enough for a shot (twice) on an angry animal that most people hunt with a rifle.
Just thought I would post it on a Friday Night

I took a self timed pic for the memory book. 

View attachment 190175


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## chickensnake (Mar 11, 2011)

Sweet story mate, iv seen vids of blokes getting in trees and nailing pigs as they went past. just seems a bit boring and heaps of effort to me lol. dogs are the best to pig with 
mabey take some backup, and extra spears next time...if you decide to do it agian


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

I had a jack russel i was going to take but he went MIA when i lived in Howard Springs.... I will try again one day....I am sure it can be done...made me think how easy our scociety has become that we don't have to hunt for our food anymore


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## Darlyn (Mar 11, 2011)

Ha ha ha nearly wet myself laughing at that.
Sorry a lot of it was at you, not with you!


Maybe you could use that spear on some of the MIA dogs roaming around Howards Springs.
They have become quite a big problem.


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## chickensnake (Mar 11, 2011)

jack russels are awesome. Lol it amazes me how ppl think that little dogs cant pig, they are usually the best bailers ever!.


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## Asharee133 (Mar 11, 2011)

try to fashion a woomera. it'd help TONNES.


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## bigfella77 (Mar 11, 2011)

Cool story and top effort for trying mate, looks like a fairly hefty spear.


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## cris (Mar 11, 2011)

I dont like your font, what is with that, are you so special that normal typing isnt good enough for you? :lol: I would only hunt with a spear if i was restricted to it. It would be fun if it was required but why bother when you can kill humanely with technology devolped a few hundred years ago?

I have thought about using a spear to hunt, but wouldnt bother if i could get a clean kill without much extra effort.

No offence etc. i just prefer to learn skills to humanely kill stuff before trying it. I am toleratant of other cultures though(even those with differant fonts).


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

Darlyn said:


> Ha ha ha nearly wet myself laughing at that.
> Sorry a lot of it was at you, not with you!
> 
> 
> ...


 
Thanks mate, you will have to come along next time


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## cris (Mar 11, 2011)

Asharee133 said:


> try to fashion a woomera. it'd help TONNES.


 
IMO detention centres are also cruel.


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

cris said:


> I dont like your font, what is with that, are you so special that normal typing isnt good enough for you? :lol: I would only hunt with a spear if i was restricted to it. It would be fun if it was required but why bother when you can kill humanely with technology devolped a few hundred years ago?
> 
> I have thought about using a spear to hunt, but wouldnt bother if i could get a clean kill without much extra effort.
> 
> No offence etc. i just prefer to learn skills to humanely kill stuff before trying it. I am toleratant of other cultures though(even those with differant fonts).


 
Sorry bout my font!! I did it in word and pasted it after fixing most of my mistakes........but now I am always going to use fancy font on you from now on cris


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## Asharee133 (Mar 11, 2011)

cris said:


> IMO detention centres are also cruel.


 wah?  do you even know what a woomera is...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woomera_(spear-thrower)


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

chickensnake said:


> jack russels are awesome. Lol it amazes me how ppl think that little dogs cant pig, they are usually the best bailers ever!.



He was a fearless dog



Asharee133 said:


> wah?  do you even know what a woomera is...



A fellow was going to show me how to make one. Some of my frieds spear fish up here


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## Darlyn (Mar 11, 2011)

cris said:


> IMO detention centres are also cruel.


Was that supposed to be funny, cos I laughed.

Guzzo: The new leader of the Pig Killing, one spear, annoying font tribe.
Jesus what sort of camo do you wear for that?


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## saximus (Mar 11, 2011)

lol Guzzo for a man who was nearly mauled to death by a rat you got some balls. I'd love to go on a pig hunting trip one day. Just another one for the list though for now


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

I wore old overalls on that hunt



saximus said:


> lol Guzzo for a man who was nearly mauled to death by a rat you got some balls. I'd love to go on a pig hunting trip one day. Just another one for the list though for now


 
If your in the NT I am sure i can come up with an adventure that could get us both amost killed


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## Darlyn (Mar 11, 2011)

ha ha ha, that's a nice one.
Not the overalls of course.


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## cris (Mar 11, 2011)

Darlyn said:


> Was that supposed to be funny, cos I laughed.


 
Not a joke but the earthquake is Japans fault.


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## saratoga (Mar 11, 2011)

You definately need a spear thrower and your spear is too rigid. Needs to taper from the head to the tail so it will quiver in flight to help keep it straight. In good hands a spear is quite effective!!


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## SteveNT (Mar 11, 2011)

hahahaha

I have found several 10 inch plus stone spear heads made from the Pine Creek chert. This is amongst the best weapons grade material anywhere in the country and was traded to WA and Qld as well as all across the NT. They were VERY old and still sharp enough to break a pig’s skin. 

These spearheads are totally excessive for any living native animal and methinks they were for hunting hippo sized wombats and other mega-fauna many thousands of moons ago.

I have known some amazing old men who could do anything with a spear including nailing fish in saltwater with a freshwater layer on top (maximum visual distortion).
Sadly they have been falling off the perch and these skills are also fading.

So, goodonya cobber for reviving the oldest hunting tool in the game (apart from rocks). A spear thrower will give you double the thrust and double the distance, Early days in Sydney the Eoa people could throw a spear twice the distance of an effective musket ball, with greater accuracy and effect and the colonists learned that the hard way.

Love ya work mate.


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

saratoga said:


> You definately need a spear thrower and your spear is too rigid. Needs to taper from the head to the tail so it will quiver in flight to help keep it straight. In good hands a spear is quite effective!!


 
It flew like a brick.......I have since heard a lot of people use bamboo......I have seen some of the locals hunting sting rays and they all have a spear thrower and their speers are long and thin like you say



SteveNT said:


> hahahaha
> 
> I have found several 10 inch plus stone spear heads made from the Pine Creek chert. This is amongst the best weapons grade material anywhere in the country and was traded to WA and Qld as well as all across the NT. They were VERY old and still sharp enough to break a pig’s skin.
> 
> ...




Thanks mate! I will have to go back to the drawing board haha


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## saximus (Mar 11, 2011)

guzzo said:


> If your in the NT I am sure i can come up with an adventure that could get us both amost killed


 If that's a serious offer I'll be on the next plane up


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## saratoga (Mar 11, 2011)

Bamboo or Beach hibiscus is good, but you need to straighten both over a fire. Many aboriginal hunters will load the spear into the spear thrower and just before throwing will give it a little flick with the other hand to set up the quivering motion so it flies truer.


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

saratoga said:


> Bamboo or Beach hibiscus is good, but you need to straighten both over a fire. Many aboriginal hunters will load the spear into the spear thrower and just before throwing will give it a little flick with the other hand to set up the quivering motion so it flies truer.


 
gees wish I had spoken to you earlier



saximus said:


> If that's a serious offer I'll be on the next plane up



Hey mate got to give me more time to think up an adventure....when this wet is over I will let u know


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## Darlyn (Mar 11, 2011)

cris said:


> Not a joke but the earthquake is Japans fault.


 
Ummm I really don't understand this............ But hey nice font!


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## AshMan (Mar 11, 2011)

i wish my friday nights were as intresting as yours


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## SteveNT (Mar 11, 2011)

saratoga said:


> Bamboo or Beach hibiscus is good, but you need to straighten both over a fire. Many aboriginal hunters will load the spear into the spear thrower and just before throwing will give it a little flick with the other hand to set up the quivering motion so it flies truer.


 
Mate, that's a true story for hunting fish. Both those timbers are floaters which you want for fishing but for big land animals you would want real weight. Like milky plum (persoonia falcata), ironwood (erythrophleum chlorostachys) etc.

Right tool for the job stuff. Like the tiny stone tips used on spear grass stems that will slow a magpie goose down just enough for you to catch it.


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## guzzo (Mar 11, 2011)

SteveNT said:


> Mate, that's a true story for hunting fish. Both those timbers are floaters which you want for fishing but for big land animals you would want real weight. Like milky plum (persoonia falcata), ironwood (erythrophleum chlorostachys) etc.
> 
> Right tool for the job stuff. Like the tiny stone tips used on spear grass stems that will slow a magpie goose down enough for you to catch it.


 
very interesting stevent.....I knew of one traditional owner when i was in jabiru who was known for getting a buffalo with a spear...thought i would try it but I was not quite made of the right stuff haha


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## cris (Mar 11, 2011)

Darlyn said:


> Ummm I really don't understand this............ But hey nice font!


 
Their crack its there fault. Then again it would be fair to blame the quakers.


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## Darlyn (Mar 11, 2011)

I'm always amazed by people "hunting" buffalo. For christ sake they just stand there.
That's not hunting, it's like shooting a cow in the paddock.
No matter what the weapon is.


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## SteveNT (Mar 11, 2011)

Never been hunted by an angry buffalo then young Darlyn. (hope the font is ok)


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## saximus (Mar 11, 2011)

Yeah I would have thought a couple of tonnes of angry Buffalo was pretty fair sport


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## Darlyn (Mar 11, 2011)

You guys may be right (doubt it)
What would make the buff angry?
Hunting them or just looking at them from a distance as they munch away.
Bit like snakes really, if you don't interfere with them they don't become angry.


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## SteveNT (Mar 11, 2011)

I was going up the middle road through Arnhem Land a few years ago and blew a tyre. A buffalo bull decided to play with me and I had to climb off the roof into the Troopie and blast the horn, rev the motor, etc and when it was far enough awayI would get a wheel nut off, get chased again and repeat the process. An hour later I got the tyre swapped and shunted that bull up the **** with my car 30km across the flood plain.

Just keeping future travellers safe!


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## Darlyn (Mar 11, 2011)

Excellent, but did you hunt it down and shoot it.
Just for the sport of it, or because it was endangering your life?
Or did you figure that hey he is not about to hunt me down and eat me, "I'm safe?
Just like a cow/bull in a paddock?


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## SteveNT (Mar 11, 2011)

Given the chance he would have smashed me and wandered off to sample some of the herbage without a second thought. If he sees a car coming now he will stay well clear. All he suffered was humiliation was and a bruised ****. It worked for me!


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## saratoga (Mar 12, 2011)

SteveNT said:


> Mate, that's a true story for hunting fish. Both those timbers are floaters which you want for fishing but for big land animals you would want real weight. Like milky plum (persoonia falcata), ironwood (erythrophleum chlorostachys) etc.
> 
> Right tool for the job stuff. Like the tiny stone tips used on spear grass stems that will slow a magpie goose down just enough for you to catch it.



Bamboo is fine for both buffalo and pigs, provided you have a decent weight on the end of it, like a metal shovel-nose tip and use a bondok (spear thrower). I've seen some pretty nasty looking ironwood tips as well.

I don't think they used spear grass (_Sorghum sp_), much too thin lol, but they did use the tall sedge (_Phragmites sp_) that grows along the rivers, for goose spears


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## MrFireStorm (Mar 12, 2011)

Save yourself some work and pick up a javelin mate......lol


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2011)

guzzo said:


> I wore old overalls on that hunt
> 
> 
> 
> If your in the NT I am sure i can come up with an adventure that could get us both amost killed



can i come?


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## guzzo (Mar 12, 2011)

Farma said:


> can i come?


 
Of course! you might have to make your own spear


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## saximus (Mar 12, 2011)

guzzo said:


> Of course! you might have to make your own spear


 lol


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## SteveNT (Mar 12, 2011)

saratoga said:


> Bamboo is fine for both buffalo and pigs, provided you have a decent weight on the end of it, like a metal shovel-nose tip and use a bondok (spear thrower). I've seen some pretty nasty looking ironwood tips as well.
> 
> I don't think they used spear grass (_Sorghum sp_), much too thin lol, but they did use the tall sedge (_Phragmites sp_) that grows along the rivers, for goose spears



cheers Saratoga

You wont see me stabbing a buff with a bamboo spear cobber.

In Wagiman counrty (South Daly) there are viens of quartz east of Dorisvale Station that produce long slender crystals, light enough to fit on a spear grass stem as described. (_Sorghum sp_) 

Who's that "they" you speak of?


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## waruikazi (Mar 12, 2011)

You are such a man Guzz!

I'm gonna have to give this a try lol.


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## byron_moses (Mar 12, 2011)

Darlyn said:


> You guys may be right (doubt it)
> What would make the buff angry?
> Hunting them or just looking at them from a distance as they munch away.
> Bit like snakes really, if you don't interfere with them they don't become angry.


arent they a pest?


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## longqi (Mar 12, 2011)

Tiny bit off topic but a few years ago a fisherman speared a black marlin up near Bamaga from the shore
I always wondered if that has ever been done before anywhere else

Ive seen footage of Africans hunting buffalo with spears
Absolutely adrenalin time


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## waruikazi (Mar 12, 2011)

byron_moses said:


> arent they a pest?



Funnily enough no they aren't a pest. They are actually protected under commonwealth law.


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## longqi (Mar 12, 2011)

They wait for the charge and spear through the breast plate with a spear grounded


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## saximus (Mar 12, 2011)

longqi said:


> They wait for the charge and spear through the breast plate with a spear grounded


 
Now THAT would take balls


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## longqi (Mar 12, 2011)

They were matabele young men getting their tribal manhood rites
It was on utube or something similar about 5 years ago
One was killed but the other two were called men afterwards
Bit like the old hunting lions trick


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## byron_moses (Mar 12, 2011)

longqi said:


> They were matabele young men getting their tribal manhood rites
> It was on utube or something similar about 5 years ago
> One was killed but the other two were called men afterwards
> Bit like the old hunting lions trick


 thats why there were mainly women in the tribe


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## guzzo (Mar 12, 2011)

waruikazi said:


> You are such a man Guzz!
> 
> I'm gonna have to give this a try lol.




Thanks Gordo haha

I bet you would have some good advice available where you are on how to make and throw a spear.......


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## scorps (Mar 12, 2011)

Witht the buff, in the Nt do you need permitss to take them or is it like pigs and if your allowed to hunt in that particular spot can you hunt them?


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## Darlyn (Mar 12, 2011)

scorps said:


> Witht the buff, in the Nt do you need permitss to take them or is it like pigs and if your allowed to hunt in that particular spot can you hunt them?


 
Depends where they are. Aboriginal land you require permission. Pastoral leases you need permission. Crown land pretty much go for it.

Having said that I don't understand the "thrill" of hunting a cow in a paddock, but that's just me.


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## bigfella77 (Mar 12, 2011)

If you like the idea of buffalo huntin, read some books by Tom Cole, "Hell west and crooked" and i forget the other one. Great stories of the old days. Never done wth a spear though chasing buff on horseback was obviously a rush for the old boys.


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## SteveNT (Mar 12, 2011)

bigfella77 said:


> If you like the idea of buffalo huntin, read some books by Tom Cole, "Hell west and crooked" and i forget the other one. Great stories of the old days. Never done wth a spear though chasing buff on horseback was obviously a rush for the old boys.



Yea, Cole's books are a good read. Back in the day he was a renowned cuttle duffer and it was well known, but he was tolerated at most Stations because he told great stories and good entertaiment was hard to come by. 

Back in the 70's and early 80's it was a weekly event to go and knock over a young killer and that was the meat supply for the week. We used to go down near the old Grove Hill pub and there were plenty to choose from. The BTEC program put an end to that.


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## waruikazi (Mar 13, 2011)

Darlyn said:


> Depends where they are. Aboriginal land you require permission. Pastoral leases you need permission. Crown land pretty much go for it.
> 
> Having said that I don't understand the "thrill" of hunting a cow in a paddock, but that's just me.



Not quite. Crown land you need a crown lands permit, which allows you to hunt all exotic species except for buffalo and pigs. If you want to hunt pigs you need to get a pig hunting permit (which costs about ten bucks) and i haven't found a buffalo permit yet but they are protected under commonwealth law. You would never get prosecuted for hunting them though. 

Darlyn, pigs are much easier to hunt than buffalo. There is an awful lot more to it than shooting a cow in a paddock. They have really good eyes and ears and an even better sense of smell. A heard of buff made me when i turned the safety off my rifle at well over 70m while i was como'd and masked up. I've also had one wander up the back of my house which took 5 shots with a .308 to down. Pig on the other hand... I've started hunting them with my shot gun just to make it more difficult for me.


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## saratoga (Mar 13, 2011)

I've also heard stories from very reliable sources of aboriginal men hunting buffalo with an axe(not a stone axe, a european one) and dogs. The aim is to cut the Archilles tendon and render it unable to move.

Buffalo don't just stand in a paddock and wait to be shot; they may do this on the side of the Arnhem Hwy but in the bush they are very wary creatures and can be extremely dangerous. They are also a lot faster than cattle! Aboriginal people are much more wary of buffalo than most europeans, because they know what they are capable of.


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## waruikazi (Mar 13, 2011)

saratoga said:


> I've also heard stories from very reliable sources of aboriginal men hunting buffalo with an axe(not a stone axe, a european one) and dogs. The aim is to cut the Archilles tendon and render it unable to move.
> 
> Buffalo don't just stand in a paddock and wait to be shot; they may do this on the side of the Arnhem Hwy but in the bush they are very wary creatures and can be extremely dangerous. They are also a lot faster than cattle! Aboriginal people are much more wary of buffalo than most europeans, because they know what they are capable of.



Very true. When the bull that wandered up the back of my house finally went down, i went trapsing up to bleed it like you would a cow you've just slaughtered. My local mate Henry said to me 'Benkwan oota! Webin dribe up, dis wan bin chiki wan.' That translates to 'You're mad! They are dangerous, we'll drive up.'

As for hunting with axes... I have a mate who is a T/O of the Cobourg area. He knifed a banteng with his dog and he says he has tipped a buffalo before.


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## Darlyn (Mar 13, 2011)

The buffs I've seen in the bush are wary of your presence but quite content to keep on munching away
on their food. I guess since I'm not trying to kill them they don't have to be crafty or dangerous in order to survive.

Just wondering why Aboriginal people use an axe to hunt, wouldn't they just use a gun?


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## waruikazi (Mar 13, 2011)

Darlyn said:


> The buffs I've seen in the bush are wary of your presence but quite content to keep on munching away
> on their food. I guess since I'm not trying to kill them they don't have to be crafty or dangerous in order to survive.
> 
> Just wondering why Aboriginal people use an axe to hunt, wouldn't they just use a gun?



Hunting like that is usually opportunistic. No one ever sets out to hunt a buffalo with an axe or just a knife, but if the opportunity presents itself sometimes it is worth having a crack.


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## saratoga (Mar 13, 2011)

Like Gordo said, and not everyone has or had guns.


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## waruikazi (Mar 13, 2011)

Here's a good story about how easy buff hunting is...

[video=youtube;vo5fUodIuFE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo5fUodIuFE[/video]


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## junglepython2 (Mar 13, 2011)

Very entertaining Gordo.


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## saratoga (Mar 13, 2011)

Great yarn Gordo, thanks for posting


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## guzzo (Mar 14, 2011)

Hey fellas take a look at this guy!!!!! About Gene Morris - The Greatest Living Spear Hunter in the World

I hear he started spear hunting at 40 .....I was 40 last year.....Gordo I think you should give this a go too!


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## waruikazi (Mar 14, 2011)

guzzo said:


> Hey fellas take a look at this guy!!!!! About Gene Morris - The Greatest Living Spear Hunter in the World
> 
> I hear he started spear hunting at 40 .....I was 40 last year.....Gordo I think you should give this a go too!



I think it's gonna happen lol. We should go on a spear hunting safari Guzzo.

I made a 44 gal drum oven to roast my little piggies on the weekend. It should go good enough to be a smithy's furnace. So now i need to make a knife and a spear... gonna have to start looking for those leafe springs soon i think.


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## guzzo (Mar 14, 2011)

waruikazi said:


> I think it's gonna happen lol. We should go on a spear hunting safari Guzzo.
> 
> I made a 44 gal drum oven to roast my little piggies on the weekend. It should go good enough to be a smithy's furnace. So now i need to make a knife and a spear... gonna have to start looking for those leafe springs soon i think.


 
I bet the dump there would have a few old cars.....boat trailer springs are a good size too. A spear hunting safari sounds like a great idea


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## PeteDarwin (Mar 14, 2011)

nice story mate, lol i bet it has recurred throughout history many a time as young adolescents from tribal peoples learned to hunt. i always picture those ice age people in europe hunting mammoths 10 000 years+ back, no doubt they had a dozen spears each and a huge advantage in numbers though. but yeah, props for the effort. however, the zoologist in me cringes a little thinking of the poor animals that would be at the receiving end of the spear, even though they are introduced pests i'd suggest sticking with your rifle for the sake of a quick death (quicker than a spear anyway). i don't want to preach too much but the pigs are here by our doing, not theirs, if you've got to kill them try not to make them suffer too much for our mistakes. but yeah, keep ridding our bush of the pests mate!


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## waruikazi (Mar 14, 2011)

You get one lot of greenies saying 'how hard is it to walk up and shoot an animal? Try doing it without your gun tough guy!' and then you get the other bunch saying 'You should only use guns, it's th only humane way!' Bah, i do it for sport and meat as much as i do it for conservation, which ever way works without being cruel (my idea of cruel) i'll keep doing it.


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## cris (Mar 14, 2011)

Im not sure if this counts, i didnt even think of it when i saw the thread, but i have hunted rats with spears before. Probably not quite the same adrenaline rush as hunting pigs or buffalo, but a rat could get violent if it was cornered :lol: What would be the best way to make spear for small stuff like rats, toads? or slightly bigger small stuff like foxes and cats?



waruikazi said:


> Funnily enough no they aren't a pest. They are actually protected under commonwealth law.


 
You only mean they arnt legally a pest i assume? Just because something isnt legally declared a pest doesnt mean it isnt a pest.


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## saximus (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm sure Guzzo will attest to the violence capabilities of rats .
You could just use a good old pen gun with some modified sewing needles for them couldn't you?


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## guzzo (Mar 14, 2011)

As saximus said cris I am sure not one to underestimate the violent and terrible capabilities of a rat. I tremble in fear every time I open my rat cage to get out a feeder these days. I have a good airgun with a scope. It groups 5 shots in a 5 cent size hole at 25, meters. But you could always try a bow which is kinda like shooting small spears....very very effective too......or make a blow gun but i'm not sure if they are legal.


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## cris (Mar 14, 2011)

I have hunted them with a bow, both a real one and a toy one. The problem being i normally break or bend arrows and isnt practical to fire into the air. The toy bow only had an effective range of 1.5m and all the arrows are now broken it killed its fair share of rats. I have considered buying a kids bow to replace it, probably wont bother though.

A spear is good because it wont go to far, probably not break and much easier to control the force used. The ones i have made didnt fly straight (not that i was was intending them to at the time). This thread got me thinking a well made spear would be a fun way to hunt rats running around in trees and possibly even the occasional feral cat or fox that comes around.

Airguns are the most safe and practical thing but not legal in urban areas. Im pretty sure blowguns are illegal(most cool stuff is).


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## Snakewoman (Mar 14, 2011)

I admire your courage Guzzo  I enjoyed reading about your experience.


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## guzzo (Mar 14, 2011)

Tahlia said:


> I admire your courage Guzzo  I enjoyed reading about your experience.


 
I always seem courageous until something goes wrong haha



cris said:


> I have hunted them with a bow, both a real one and a toy one. The problem being i normally break or bend arrows and isnt practical to fire into the air. The toy bow only had an effective range of 1.5m and all the arrows are now broken it killed its fair share of rats. I have considered buying a kids bow to replace it, probably wont bother though.
> 
> A spear is good because it wont go to far, probably not break and much easier to control the force used. The ones i have made didnt fly straight (not that i was was intending them to at the time). This thread got me thinking a well made spear would be a fun way to hunt rats running around in trees and possibly even the occasional feral cat or fox that comes around.
> 
> Airguns are the most safe and practical thing but not legal in urban areas. Im pretty sure blowguns are illegal(most cool stuff is).


 
how would one of thos aluminium fish spears go for rats cris or a slingshot??


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## waruikazi (Mar 15, 2011)

guzzo said:


> I always seem courageous until something goes wrong haha
> 
> 
> 
> how would one of thos aluminium fish spears go for rats cris or a slingshot??



The aluminium ones are all weighted wrong. The back nearly always ends up over taking the front if you thrown them.


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## Magpie (May 12, 2011)

I've hunted Magpie Geese with a spear, but was unsuccessful.
Why hunt buffalo? 400kg of meat is a pretty good incentive.


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (May 12, 2011)

When I was at school, I made a spear from stick. While waiting for the bus after school I threw the "spear" at a bunch of seagulls. 
To my surprise, it pinned one of the birds to the ground through its back. 
As the other kids crowded around around one of the girls called me a cruel bastit, another started to cry and it was going pear shaped in a hurry and I felt bad for the dying seagull, so I thought Id put it out of its misery . I picked it and after removeing the stick I attempted to stretch its neck. Unfortunatly, its head came off in my hand, more screams and crying and even the guys were calling me sick.


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## Elapidae1 (May 12, 2011)

I know it's wrong but that made me laugh.


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## saximus (May 12, 2011)

lol agreed


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (May 14, 2011)

Looking back, I can see the humour but no-one was laughing back then. 
Even the teachers looked at me different after that.


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## Magpie (May 21, 2011)

ssssnakeman said:


> Looking back, I can see the humour but no-one was laughing back then.
> Even the teachers looked at me different after that.


 
Classic! Made me laugh but I've been called sick before now too.


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## guzzo (May 21, 2011)

ssssnakeman said:


> Looking back, I can see the humour but no-one was laughing back then.
> Even the teachers looked at me different after that.



Oh!!!! thats terrible Muriel!


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