A week away.....

Just home from a week in the bush bothering the wildlife…. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

All in all it was a pretty good week away and certainly beat a week at work hands down…!!!!! Left on the 1st and managed to be driving north in rain that was almost biblical…!!! Traveling up the F3 out of Sydney there was more traffic parked on the sides than there was moving (I wish people realized this was what hazard lights are for!!!) … the further north I went the heavier it rained. About the only issue I had was a snapped tie down on the Zombie Express that needed changing in the pouring rain (thanks Goretex !!!).

Arrived at the property about 9pm… on the drive in I went over a small bridge and in the ½ light at the side I THOUGHT I noticed the water running just below the bridge level, having been going here for around 30 years I didn’t think so as that would have meant the creek was WAAAAAY up…. The further up the little valley I got the more I concluded that was indeed what I had seen. There was water crossing the road in places I had never seen it before and the actual causeways were running about 50cm deep (when they are normally a trickle if at all). There is a creek crossing (that was raised and given a solid base about 15years ago thankfully) just short of the cabin I stay in and as I was pulling up prior to this I came across the people who own the property next door to the one I hunt on, they have not long acquired the place and were unsure about the crossing, they were hoping I would see if it were passable for them…. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> At the crossing it was running around 60-70cm over the base (which is on pipes so the actual crossing was about 1.5m deep off the sides (this is right at the top of the valley and this water was straight out of the adjacent hills). I crossed without issue which gave the neighbors the courage to come over…LOL The following morning I went down and we figured with the rain that feel through the night the creek came up much further (and looking at where the debris was) to be about 1.2m over the actual crossing point….!!!! Because we are so lose to the source the creek drops back down fast as well.

Unpacked and went for a ride/hunt (OK…more of a ride) the following day. The tracks were slush and the three places I had to cross the creek were “interesting” but not insurmountable, I did end up wet and muddy though…. LOL

The ZE as it rolled off the trailer…



And up in the bush on it maiden voyage… <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Still some fine tuning of racks and such to figure out but all in all I was pretty happy with hop it is setup so far…



Hunting the “hard way” … or …sitting on a game trail seeing what arrives…



Not much happening that or the following day as it was basically still raining…. (thanks again Goretex) …;)

A couple of mornings later I rode out to the furthest point east in the property, a place I have not spent much time at all…. the property extends to the back and reaches of the far left of this picture… yes it is large…. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />



One poor lonely hog got it out here right on dark…. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />



The following day I went out to another spot to both see if I could find a couple of hogs I had seen earlier and try and snap off some decent pics of deer…. I did manage to find the hogs again (I was shagged at this point as now the rain had lifted it was getting freaking warm and humid …!!!!!

Saw the two hogs about 70 yards away and got a little closer, as the larger of the two was trotting across the top of the hill we were all on I was swinging the rifle with him and finally let drive… I remember seeing something in the peripheral of the scope but I was rewarded with a dull meaty thump… <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> When the sow slowed down to see what was happening she also got her’s !!!







As I walked back to where I had dumped my pack and camera I was thinking about what I had seen when I fired at the first hog… took a look at the trees on the way back and found out how close I was to missing him and killing a tree…. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />



Then I snapped a few pics of deer roaming around me….



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One of the guys I hunt with about once a year is not as young as he use to be <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> and has had both knees replaced (not bad for 77 I guess). I knew he would not be able to get his truck out where I could mine (ground clearance and tyres) so I offered to take him for a run one morning. We saw LOTS of deer but all at great distance however it was a beautiful morning to be in the bush and we basically just enjoyed the scenery !!!

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One large reptile was also enjoying the morning light….

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Spent the afternoon alone out on another part of the place, didn’t see much till right on dark and managed to snipe this little one out of the grass at about 250yds…. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

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Last day I was pretty lazy about it all, but I did manage to get some meaty treats for my two Fur Children… <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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And while doing so turned over a rock (to hold my meat bag still in the wind) and found a scorpion resting underneath…. I have not seen one (does not mean they are not there of course) for years…!!!! He (or she) was kind enough to pose on the blade of my Busse for a pic… <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
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One and only one knife picture for the sake of a knife picture… this ASH, my B4 and a Rodent Solution were with me almost constantly…. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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And all packed up to leave on the last morning….. &#61516; &#61516;

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I am back for another week there in around six weeks time…. should be cooler and I will spend less time looking for snakes… <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

All in all I think I shot six or seven hogs and fourteen deer and didn’t fall off the bike once…. (people at work are going to loose money on that last fact….!!!!).

Nice kills and a sweet ride. Are the hogs feral? Looks like beautiful country if I ever get to make it down there I would love to see it in person.

Andy, what do you do with all that meat?

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks guys....:)

Skunk, the hogs stay where they fall, they carry too many nasties for my liking.

as for the deer, that annoys me. We HAVE to shoot them or thge property owner is going to bring in a helicopter and that would decimate them. I took some choice cuts but most of it is still there.

Some stray pics I just edited.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

As the weather warmed up and the creek subsided it did indeed become a nice place to cool sore feet..!!!



A sunset snapped as I was unpacking the bike one evening...



And the creek looking a little inviting as the temps went up...!!!!

Awesome pics, I really need to visit the friends we have down there. They are between Cairnes and Sydney. where are you at again?

Cairns and Sydney.... that is a broad range.... think Canada to Key West.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I am in Sydney.

Love the pictures
Next to domestic cats, hogs have probably done more to destroy native species across the world then any other animal (not counting man)

Sweet ! Gun's, blades and dead critters. My kind of holiday.

Great pics Andy!!!

Just packed and taking off back to this same spot for another week.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Catch you all soon.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Nice make sure we get pics.

Great Toyota, great bike, great blades, great place. Congrats

Awesome pics!

Thats a sweet set up you have.

Just home from another great week away....pics tomorrow... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />