Hunting?

[PhilK]

Don't whinge when you have nothing left to shoot in a years time.

Jeez I'd be doing alright if I managed to kill all the ferals in a year! There's never going to be nothing left to shoot.

i personally have never understood the "kill them all" mentality. cats and foxes yes but deer goats and even pigs no. i only ever wanted trophies with my bow and was quite happy to hunt for a week and pass up hundreds of animals just to get the one monster. I can still go back to any property i hunt on and expect to see a few big goats and big boars because we have not shot all the little stuff that has let them grow up and the girls keep the big boys around.

I personally think it is silly to allow the survival of ferals, who destroy native wildlife, erode and in the cases of pigs basically nuke the environment for your personal enjoyment. These are noxious pests, and I find it selfish to hear people say they want to keep them around so they can find a big one one day to hang on the walll.. They're all in the same boat for me and if they all disappeared forever tomorrow I would be happy.

The mentality you have is the same as lots of people - including the people who introduced all these animals into the wild, which was a great move for the Australian ecosystem!

Anyway, you have your view and I have mine, that's why the world is such an interesting place!

 

[Radar]

Have tried uploading a few photo's for you, doesn't seem to want to work. Am going out again in about 3 weeks, so will try again with those photo's.

Not having a go here, but I've never understood wanting to leave any behind. Im not really interested in trophies (kept a few tusks and a nice rack of antlers), although getting a massive boar is quite a rush, we shoot pretty much every feral we come across. Of course, if Im sitting on a waterhole, and a rabbit hops infront of me, and I have a choice between that or the pig that I know will turn up in 10 minutes, Im going to let the rabbit keep on hopping. I guess they're not really a limited resource around here, and I have access to at least 6 properties in the same area, so it's easy to move between them if one is slack. Deer aren't as destructive, until you get them in large mobs. On of the properties (de-stocked) we drive through regularly has mobs of close to 200 on the road, they just strip the place bare, and breed like rabbits after the wet season. Meh, each to their own, I don't think we're going to run out of ferals any time soon though. Although I hope we do.

 

[Kenshin]

dont you wish silencers were legal you could of had the rabit and the deer and afew more deer/boar before the realise your shooting them

 

[Gusbus]

i have shot for years and use 243 good power and knock down still resonibly cheap around the 90cent to a dollar shot depending how u reload, 223 are very accurate but not the knock down power u need, most roo shooter use them, 308 are great but just a bit dear if u hunting all the time...

 

[elapid68]

Where are all the photos?

You show me yours, I'll show you mine...........

 

[boof13]

You show me yours, I'll show you mine...........

Have a look at the second post on page 1.

 

[boof13]

 

[tooreye]

my partner worked as a dogger for years up bush, he said he shot everything with a 222 and then got it rebarreled and rechambered to 223 after wearing out the original barrel, he said he shot alot of mickys with them to he used 51gr speer hollow points he also had a 308 for alot of years and said he would confidently use it on buffalo with the right projectiles he said he would use a projectile over 180gn and used 125gn speer hollowpoint projectiles on pigs for years they were massive killers and never had any dramas. Alot of people seem to get to carried away with trying to use to big a gun and to fast a bullet nothing you do can compensate for poor shot placement, something you learn very quickly when youre relying on the shots to make your pay especially with dogs as you will never get another go at one once it has been shot at. He said his best advice is to ignore all the hype on certain guns and how spectacular they are get the one you can shoot confortably learn to shoot straight in various positions if youre not confident in the shot dont take it.

 

[Magpie]

I started shooting last year. I have a .308 ruger hawkeye with a leupold VXIII 1.5x5 scope and a lanber 12g shotty.

I haven't had alot of opportunity to use the Ruger yet but if i was about to buy a new gun again i would get a 6.5x55 rather than the .308. Reason for this is that the 6.5 has the same ammount (or more?) punch than the .308 but has a smaller projectile which i think makes it a more versatile round and can be used on bigger game, makes less of a mess on small game and even though neither of them kick much the 6.5 has less recoil. I would also go for either open sights or get a red dot scope (which isn't really a scope but anyway) because you will develop a better reaction shot. Also spend the time zeroing your gun in at a distance that you think you will do most of your shooting, i still haven't done this because i don't have access to a range and it is not good for your confidence. I also reccomend wearing ear plugs when you take your shots, at best without them you get a bad headache at worst you develop a massive flinch which (i know from experience) are very difficult to lose. But there is alot more to choosing a weapon than just looking at the round, the weight of the gun, size of the barrel, action etc etc etc are all very important.

I would reccomend being very very picky about who you go shooting with. I've had one mate decide it was ok to shoot over my shoulder, which scared the bejeezuz out of me and made me deaf in that ear for the rest of the day. I haven't been shooting with him since. I have another mate who i was once goose shooting with, we were standing about 20m apart and hadn't got anything that whole trip when a goose literally flew straight between us neither of us even flinched to shoot it because it wasn't safe. That is the kind of person who it is safe to shoot with.

Don't feel like you are less of a man for going for a larger calibre rifle than you might need. Just because it is possible to kill a buffalo with a .222 doesn't mean you have a good enough shot to do it. It is better to go a bit over and be certain of an instant kill than it is to make an animal suffer. Last night i made a decision to shoot a stray dog that decided it lived at my house, she was a sweet little dog but had no owner and was making my dog sick. I used a .308 round right in the top of her skull. The round did so much damage that it blew her bottom jaw off and butterflied the remains of her head so that from cheek to cheek her head was literally flat. I felt and still feel like a word that i can't say here and the mess almost made me feel ill but i know that she did not suffer. And that is the most important thing.

Wow this post has turned out massive. Just one last piece of advice. You can buy some very good second hand guns and if you are strapped for cash i think it's the way to go. You can get a good 6.5x55 Mauser rifle for less than $400 which means you'll have more money to buy your safe and more guns!!!

When's the NT duck season this year?
Hope to be there in September and wouldn't mind getting a few ducks / geese.

 

[waruikazi]

I would have to check my permit but i think it...

Just looked at my permit. It's from the 1st of september to 30th of december. Permit costs $35??? and i'd recommend getting a pig hunting permit also ($15 or so) and you would have to ring parks and wildlife on (08) 8999 4486 about being an interstate shooter applying for a permit.

Awesome fun, great scenery and delicious to eat too!

When's the NT duck season this year?
Hope to be there in September and wouldn't mind getting a few ducks / geese.

 

[kkjkdt1]

I would have to check my permit but i think it...

Just looked at my permit. It's from the 1st of september to 30th of december. Permit costs $35??? and i'd recommend getting a pig hunting permit also ($15 or so) and you would have to ring parks and wildlife on (08) 8999 4486 about being an interstate shooter applying for a permit.

Awesome fun, great scenery and delicious to eat too!

Duck is nice but roo tastes the best of all the meats

 

[cris]

Gordo, are you saying that you need a permit to kill feral pigs in the NT? or is that to sell the meat?

Duck is nice but roo tastes the best of all the meats

So true, well at least the best red meat anyway. Just needs to be fresh and not overcooked, even when over cooked it tastes good but is a bit harder/denser than other meats(which seems to bother some consumers). Its the most environmentally friendly red meat we can get here too, not that we are allowed to get our own, got to love our stupid wildlife laws

 

[waruikazi]

Gordo, are you saying that you need a permit to kill feral pigs in the NT? or is that to sell the meat?

To hunt them on the hunting reserves yes you do need a pig hunting permit, that's wether ur a dogger, bow hunter or shooter. And on an interesting note you actually aren't allowed to shoot buffalo, because they are all owned by the commonwealth govt. Doesn't stop anyone though.

 

[mungus]

came across this guy while hunting deer last w/end.

 

[PhilK]

Very cool mungus... love that you're using a 'traditional' bow - as in not a compound bow. I imagine it would take a fair bit of sneaky stalking to get close to a pig.

I have mixed feelings about bow hunting.. I think the animals probably have worse deaths most of the time but there is something so cool about it. It seems like a more "fair" way to do it - man vs animal on a more level playing field as opposed to shot by a rifle 200m away. If you screw up the stalk your quarry is gone. I would certainly like to try it one day.

Do you need a special licence for hunting bows?

 

[Magpie]

Gordo, are you saying that you need a permit to kill feral pigs in the NT? or is that to sell the meat?



So true, well at least the best red meat anyway. Just needs to be fresh and not overcooked, even when over cooked it tastes good but is a bit harder/denser than other meats(which seems to bother some consumers). Its the most environmentally friendly red meat we can get here too, not that we are allowed to get our own, got to love our stupid wildlife laws

You can get a permit to shoot wallaby in Tassie.

The NT has a couple of hunting reserves where you can go hunting if you don't have access to private property shooting. You need a permit to hunt pigs there, but not on private property.

To hunt them on the hunting reserves yes you do need a pig hunting permit, that's wether ur a dogger, bow hunter or shooter. And on an interesting note you actually aren't allowed to shoot buffalo, because they are all owned by the commonwealth govt. Doesn't stop anyone though.

I didn't know that about buffalo. I actually saw one when I was kayaking on the Roper river, but I only had my 44 magnum with me and the guy I was with didn't want me to make the shot. I'm pretty sure I can get a hunting permit on an interstate firearms licence. Might have to hit you up for spots or a trip when we are there. Should be a for a week or two in early September

 

[shaye]

does anyone do bow hunting in nsw??? if so could i get some info about it plz i would really like to get into it PM me with info if you kknow anything about it
would really appreciate it thanx peoples

 

[smeejason]

Well done Alecs. nice young boar.

Very cool mungus... love that you're using a 'traditional' bow - as in not a compound bow. I imagine it would take a fair bit of sneaky stalking to get close to a pig.

I have mixed feelings about bow hunting.. I think the animals probably have worse deaths most of the time but there is something so cool about it. It seems like a more "fair" way to do it - man vs animal on a more level playing field as opposed to shot by a rifle 200m away. If you screw up the stalk your quarry is gone. I would certainly like to try it one day.

Do you need a special licence for hunting bows?

No special licence and where does the worse death come from. most game i have shot with a bow has had really no idea they have been hit. i have boars and billys that will keep shagging after the shot and had deer look around then put there head back down to feed and stumble over. there is no big bang for them to react to and a razor sharp broadhead kills in seconds. found plenty of game with bullet holes in them that have healed you still have to put the bullet in the right place the same as an arrow but you can do it from a lot further away with a gun. i could not fathem shooting anything from more than 30m as it is just not fun and there is nothing like being feet from a 100kg boar when you stick him with an arrow in the boiler room. hearing those tusks clacking looking for whatever just poked him is fun up close.

 

[Radar]

Well done Alecs. nice young boar.

No special licence and where does the worse death come from. most game i have shot with a bow has had really no idea they have been hit. i have boars and billys that will keep shagging after the shot and had deer look around then put there head back down to feed and stumble over. there is no big bang for them to react to and a razor sharp broadhead kills in seconds. found plenty of game with bullet holes in them that have healed you still have to put the bullet in the right place the same as an arrow but you can do it from a lot further away with a gun. i could not fathem shooting anything from more than 30m as it is just not fun and there is nothing like being feet from a 100kg boar when you stick him with an arrow in the boiler room. hearing those tusks clacking looking for whatever just poked him is fun up close.

Totally agree, as with anything, you don't use a bow unless you can do it humanely. The way bullets and broadheads work on the animal are fairly different, have a look into the way each actually kills and you'll understand why, in many cases, a well placed arrow can actually be more humane than a bullet.

 

[PhilK]

Cris - apparently a damage mitigation permit to kill roos isn't that hard to get your hands on.

RE: bow hunting - I think I probably was being a little black and white. I agree that shot placement is everything but for some reason I seem to think it's easier to kill with a rifle than a bow.. I don't know why and I realise both ways can kill instantly or lead to a long slow death. Most of the bow hunting vids I have seen the animal runs off and is tracked for a few hundred metres before being found dead, whereas most of the shooting vids I have seen they drop or only run 10 or 20 metres.

Like I sad I would like to give it a try one day so I'm not anti-bow hunting or anything.. though I certainly wouldn't trust myself to be any good at killing an animal quickly... I suppose practice is the key.

So smeejason any Joe Public can go out and grab a compound bow and some arrows and go and shoot animals on private land?