Aussie Public Land Adventures

[jwb300]

I've been on a long journey with guns and I think I've finally found the one :-[ I'll post a review later but I've had the Sauer 404 for about 4 weeks now and been out hunting a bit with it.

The first group I shot after working to max and I am ready for hunting

The following weekend I headed up to a NSW state forest. Saturday morning I saw a few deer but swirly winds had us busted. I took this young fox on the walk back to the car.

The afternoon wind was more consistent and I managed to take another nice meat animal

After packing the deer out to the car I headed back to camp. That night around the fire I could hear some scratching around in the bush. I found a bunch of turkeys scratching around and managed to catch one by hand.

 

[jwb300]

The next morning I headed out early. I've been trying to kill a red stag in a state forest for many years and I couldn't believe my eyes when this guy materialised in the morning dawn some 200 yds away. I closed in about 20 yds to rest on a tree and checked one off the bucket list. He was a huge bodied 9 pointer in great condition. I've since eaten a bit and the meat is some of the most tender venison I've eaten.

 

[jwb300]

Did a quick trip to Victoria to chase sambar with fellow forum member Dinger. We headed off at 2am Friday morning and arrived home Sunday night. We explored a bit of new country but the hunting was a bit slow. I only took a yearling sambar for meat but I was happy as it was my 3rd species of deer in two weekends on public land.

Here are a few pics.

Clearing trails

Typical country

Found a series of deep holes where the land looked to have sheared away from the hillside opening along up long fault/crack. Wouldn't like to find one walking out in the dark.

Yearling sambar - meat looked like a vealer

Crazy mushroom - a bit smaller than a dinner plate. I believe it to be Amanita Muscaria which is supposedly psychoactive.

 

[SLDMTN]

Thanks for sharing! That part of the globe is a bucket list item for me.

 

[jwb300]

Thanks for sharing! That part of the globe is a bucket list item for me.

Come on down. I'll take you out and you can shoot some deer.

 

[SLDMTN]

Come on down. I'll take you out and you can shoot some deer.

Oh man that would be a blast! One day, probably when the kids are grown, I'll make it down there.

 

[Merc]

Absolutely awesome public land hunting from the looks of it.

We've got some free ranging sambar on the coast here in Texas off of a large estate. Impressive to see some of the bucks running around.

One of these days I'll get down under.

 

[jwb300]

Absolutely awesome public land hunting from the looks of it.

We've got some free ranging sambar on the coast here in Texas off of a large estate. Impressive to see some of the bucks running around.

One of these days I'll get down under.

Thanks Merc

Sambar stags are some of the wiliest animals one can hunt. An under appreciated animal globally but they are widely considered the premier game animal in Aus.

 

[Lockster]

Wow, Awesome hunt mate, I'm based in Sydney but have never bothered to get my ticket for hunting the state forests since I was told that they were "all hunted out" but I have been reconsidering it again lately and now after seeing your results I will definitely be making it a priority.

if you don't mind me asking, what rough area did you go to?

Oh, and DEFINITELY don't eat that Mushroom!

 

[Shrek]

Congratulations on some sucessful hunts and your new rifle.

 

[jwb300]

Wow, Awesome hunt mate, I'm based in Sydney but have never bothered to get my ticket for hunting the state forests since I was told that they were "all hunted out" but I have been reconsidering it again lately and now after seeing your results I will definitely be making it a priority.

if you don't mind me asking, what rough area did you go to?

Oh, and DEFINITELY don't eat that Mushroom!

Anything within cooee of Sydney is hit pretty hard but there is game there if you put the time in. I've spent a lot of time learning forests and my advice is this: Go when it is cold (less people) and don't drive to the farthest corners of the forest. A lot of people go right past good areas to get into some 'remote' area. I mainly hunt around Nundle and usually pull a deer or two out and sometimes pigs. There are some cracking mountain boars up there if you put the time in. Here is a fallow from two weeks ago - fat as mud. There are also loads of deer around some of the Southern forests such as Maragle.

 

[Lockster]

I see what you mean about having to get way out from Sydney.

I am spending a bit of non-hunting Bush time in recent times but haven't been on a hunt for about a year, thanks for the advice and also the inspiration.

I'm hoping to pick up a new 308 very soon so I'll be keen as hell to get out there!

 

[Merc]

Saw these Sambar on an estate on the way to my dad's here in Texas and thought y'all could appreciate them.

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[jwb300]

Saw these Sambar on an estate on the way to my dad's here in Texas and thought y'all could appreciate them.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Nice pic - once they get out they are unstoppable. They will inhabit just about any terrain and don't tend to mob up like European deer. Are these ones on a farm?

 

[Sodbuster]

jwb, congrats. You have your rifle tuned in and stacking animals.Nice.

 

[Merc]

Nice pic - once they get out they are unstoppable. They will inhabit just about any terrain and don't tend to mob up like European deer. Are these ones on a farm?

These are, that's a high fence ranch they are on. The Powderhorn to be exact.

There are a few that have gotten out but in this area we've got enough people with guns that aren't afraid to use them to fill the freezer that they don't last long.

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[wilkes]

Turkeys on private land? Pretty sweet! Nice adventures mate.

 

[jwb300]

Turkeys on private land? Pretty sweet! Nice adventures mate.

They were on public land mate

 

[jwb300]

Took a couple of fellas hunting in Victoria over the weekend for their first Sambar hunt. Also ducked over to some private land in Southern NSW and tipped over a few red deer. 12 Sambar seen in state forests including 3 stags but the fella's I took couldn't connect.

Strange fungi

Wallow

A few preach trees - one was so fresh you could smell the stag

Kosciuszko NP

Some reds off private land - must not shoot anything else for a while... freezers are full.

 

[wilkes]

PUBLIC LAND!?! Can't tell you how happy that makes me to hear, even if I never get to hunt them. Love the idea that Turkey are getting about.