Hunting Trip...

Soooo...... another week away bush is done and dusted.... I really...no I mean REALLY could have done with another week away. But such is life I guess. If you recall my thread from last month, the property was VERY dry having not had decent rain in months, of course the 42degC temps all week I was there didn't help that situation. Just after I left they had some pretty good rains through the whole district and I was hoping to see a huge improvement when I returned. Sadly it was not nearly as good as I had hoped, but it was much much better !!!!!! After the week I spent there I think much of the lack of rain issue is resolved for a bit





I pretty much got three days out of seven out of the hut thanks to water bucketing down.... that said it was VERY relaxing

In those days I did get out I put in two of the longest hunts I have in a number of years.... one afternoon I walked for nearly six hours from one side of the valley to the other during which time I saw over 140 individual deer (and a monster buck that was sadly already busted up from fighting). All week I fired a single shot and that was at the end of this hunt.... as I was almost back to the bike and as the light was going I came up on a good sized boar ....

I should add that many of these pics are not as good as usual, thanks to the decision to put many miles in I chose only to carry my pocket camera with me (saves weight ) and it is a very frustrating little thing, some times it spits out great pics...other...well not so much.

So the following morning, still sore from the walk the day before...but seeing the weather looking like it could turn I set out for a climb up to one of the highest spots on the place.... lots and lots of uphill .... And the country changes to some rock faces and shyte....







Gratuitous pic of favourite hunting rifle....

One of two small bucks I hung around with....



I have some video of him and the other one that I have to figure out how to upload...

"Selfie"....



So of course I managed to bang myself up just a little.... took one nice fall into rocks that left me with a lump the size of an orange on my leg and another on my forearm.... but then as I was coming down a face I realised that I needed to "urgently lower my centre of gravity" or I was going to take the express elevator down.... Basically I did a super quick "squat" and bottomed out.... feeling a "generally unpleasant" sensation in my right knee.... this being about the furthest point away from my bike as well....anyway.... I limped back and a few days on it is still sore but not serious....:D

On the walk back I came back down onto a track where I had parked the bike and was head down making distance along this track with some purpose.... of course I came across this little guy.....



.... he heard/felt me approach as you can see he is already flattened out (trying to make himself look all nasty and dangerous) .... like any good Aussie I just whipped out my camera (I may have even said "just a moment while I whip this out" - yes there is another snake joke there but lets not.... ) and snapped off a pic or two before chasing him off the track.

After this I only really got one more hunt in and it was a little uneventful. I did take a few critter pics" between the rain and as they showed up...

Echidna that I waited out so she would uncurl....



A young fox that was haunting the hut...



Magpie.... one of LOTS that also hung around the hut....



If you look at the pics from last month you wont see grass like this....

Last afternoon and I snuck out between storms...

This crossing was bone dry at the start of the week...



As was this spot...



Bike porn...



And loaded up to leave..... new off road trailer I collected the day before I left on this trip.... very happy with it...



Ok... I have some more pics/video to edit if I ever get Photoshop loaded back on my computer.... that is another story....

Awesome pics as usual. Congrats on the boar to bad he was the only one.

Great stuff! I always enjoy your pics.

Thanks guys always nice to get away from the rat race.....!!!!!

Great pics and narrative as usual. Always enjoy your pictures and wish I was there!

I'd call that a successful hunt. Beautiful country you get to enjoy.

Hunting land, a dirt bike, and a FJ80? It is shocking that you don't stay out there full time.

HJZ80.....

Even better. Pretty sure we never got those in the US.

I don't believe you did...seems hard for me to understand as these are the most common out here...

Awesome pics. Beautiful country.

Awesome pics! What's the rifle and bike?

Is that the same bike you bought a bit ago that was white ?

Thanks for sharing those pictures

....white tank at one point yes.... in fact it was BLUE with a white tank when it arrived....



Gundog, it is a 02 Yamaha XT600e.

The rifle started life as a Sako AII (@1982/83 made) in .22/250 (I have another that I bought new in 83 that is 200 different in serial number to this one). I got it off a farmer and it has been ummmm "well used"!!! It is now a .308 (Tobler barrel) laying in a McMillian stock with a Leupold 2.5-8 on top. Rebuilt it like this @2003 or so and could not be happier with it...!!!!! I will Cerakote it after this winter is all done but that is about it.

Andy

Yep that's the one.

Horrible hey..???!!! It was the right price though (Japanese tourist that had been touring around here)... gave me some "creative room"...