Table of contents for Edition 86 in Australian Hunter

There is much to be said about spending quality time in the bush, be it enjoying outings with the family camping or hunting with a mate or two. Generally speaking, there is not much happening from the hunting point of view through the middle part of the day. It’s a good time to rest-up for the afternoon hunt or do a bit of value-adding to supplement any game meat from a successful hunt. Yabbies are a resource that frequent dams and streams amid many hunting locations. Trapping them can be a great way to fill in down time through the day and a fun distraction to keep the kids occupied if they are with you. If you are fortunate enough to have harvested a deer and have a supply of…

Bergara has delivered an impressive offering with its new BMR (Bergara Micro Rifle), available in .22LR, .17HMR and .22WMR. Bergara is a Spanish firearm company founded in the late 1960s. Since 2004 the firm has been a manufacturer of precision rifle barrels, using the latest technology in that field, supplying these to other riflemakers. More lately, Bergara introduced a line of its own centrefire rifles. Following on from the success of those, Bergara has introduced rimfire rifles. The latest model rimfire, the BMR, only reached our shores at the end of 2022. Herron Security & Sport are the Australian distributor for Bergara and I got my hands on a BMR Carbon in .17HMR. This is the carbon-fibre-wrapped, 20" barrelled version. First impressions The BMR is a compact and lightweight rifle…

Nothing is more enjoyable to me than hunting, whether it be simply the ubiquitous rabbit or some exotic species overseas. It could mean hunting wilderness areas in Australia or further afield, where game abounds or places which are almost devoid of game. My successes are deemed so not by kills, but by the friendships and privileges of savouring the great outdoors. This includes involving myself as an instructor on hunter education courses, plus organising mentoring programs. Also, I impart to hunters the fundamentals of ethically pursuing deer in the Aussie bush with its challenges of introduced species, whether game or pest. It is humbling to share with somebody these thoughts and ideas. I consider it a significant moment when I am privileged to be present at the time of a…

New hunters are often hesitant and uncertain about harvesting the meat from their kills. This does not need to be so. With a little practice and a sharp knife, it is surprising how fast even large animals can be dismantled in the field. Wild game meat is the ultimate in free-range, organic food and more folks are developing an interest in hunting for that reason alone. But, before I take you through how to butcher animals in the field, let’s explore some important lead-in aspects to having the whole family relish and appreciate game meat. These may be obvious to most experienced hunters but are worth stressing to beginners. Firstly, proudly dropping a pile of large, bloodied, fur-covered animal segments, with liberal amounts of adhering grass and dirt, onto the…

In the constant search for accuracy coupled with reasonable velocity, there are some tools that assist in making the cartridge case a better vessel to contain powder primers and projectiles. The sometimes-overlooked issue is that of case length. Cartridge cases under the influence of great pressure tend to stretch, to some extent the amount of length increase is a factor of both case design and cartridge intensity. Older designs tend to stretch more. It is necessary to be aware of this and check each cartridge after every firing. There are several types of mini lathes on the market which will trim cases to a particular length. The only problem is that they have to be reset for each different type of case. Personally, I prefer form and trim dies. After…

We are all guilty of leaving ribs in the field more times than we care to mention. The ‘lack of space in the esky’ excuse is common, plus a million others. Frankly, it just seems like too much work for too little yield. However, this American recipe for venison ribs is pretty straightforward and incredibly delicious. The advantage with this recipe is that the slow cooking tenderises the ribs and then the barbecue finish adds crispy deliciousness. Suffice to say, you won’t leave another set of ribs out there once you’ve tasted it. Marinade ingredients • 2 tablespoons paprika• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika• 2 tablespoons cumin• ¾ cup brown sugar• 3 tablespoons dried garlic• 2 tablespoons oregano• 1¾ tablespoons ground black pepper• ¾ cup salt• 1¾ tablespoons dried mustard• 2…

I have to admit to being a traditionalist, at least where rifles are concerned. I just like the look of deeply blued metal and fine-grained walnut furniture. Every one of my hunting rifles is dressed like this, until now. Before, the lightest hunting rifle I have is a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. It’s chambered in .243, which to my mind is the round the rifle is easily identified with, and suitable for. That rifle has taken its fair share of fallow deer and I’ve always had the utmost confidence to do the job. But as time goes by it seems that the hills are becoming a little steeper and the scrub a little thicker. It could be that advancing years have something to do with that, but I intend to…

A spiring hunters know that deer are wary animals. But, just how wary? And how can that knowledge be used to your advantage? The following information is specific to red deer but, given the similarities between deer species, you can safely apply this to any group you might be hunting. There is no denying that deer represent a tidy package of tasty food for predators, both human and animal. Also, in comparison to other game species, deer lack offensive capabilities, which adds to their attraction as a prey creature. Lacking effective defences, deer instead rely on threat detection and escape. Over the eons of evolution deer have honed their senses to perfection in order to survive predation by a host of predators and human hunters. Deer have three principal senses…

A good knife is an essential tool for any hunter and outdoors person. In order to make the most of the knife you carry, it is crucial to know what you will be using it for. Of course, there are specialised blades for skinning, filleting and chopping down undergrowth as you blaze your trail. Other models attempt to be a solution for everything. Unfortunately, this all too often results in knives that do it all but excel at nothing. Add to this the fact that the ‘best blade for the job’ is a personal choice and it will be clear that the chances of encountering the ultimate are slim. Over the past decades, I have been fortunate enough to handle a large number of knives. Some were fantastic, others did…

We don’t have the bears or large cats that might eat us while we are out hunting in Australia, but we do have some of the most venomous snakes in the world. Many of the hunters from places such as North America who wish to come here and hunt are just as concerned about snakes as we might be about their maneating species. Yet if you speak to many of those who do a reasonable degree of shooting of game in Australia, they will often say that they don’t have many encounters with snakes. I’ve had a few meetings with snakes over the years while hunting, so I thought I’d mention some of them. About 30 years ago I was targeting pigs in Nundle, NSW, with a .308. I had…

With extra fuel, an icebox full of refreshments, a sizeable quantity of rissole and pickle sandwiches, the canine cavalry in the dogbox, ammo, bang sticks, tracking collars, a camera plus tripod and first-aid kit, we headed off. Our good mate Andrew had joined me and Neil in the front seat of the mighty Honda Pioneer 700 side-by-side as we went in search of a pig or two or a meat-eater buffalo for one of my wife Gina’s awesome curries. It was great to be back in the buggy, giving the accelerator a bit of a nudge and feeling the wind blowing through my hair. Our first likely spot was a large expanse of wetlands that was well frequented by the local marauding pig and buffalo population. The edge of the…

I don’t have many regrets in life, but one does niggle away at times. I’ve shot the .243 but never owned one. I almost bought a Ruger No. 1 in that calibre but was slow taking up the offer. I considered it a bit much for small game and a bit light for bigger game. The quest for the all-round rifle has generated countless articles and much debate around campfires. New cartridges arrive in a blaze of publicity, promising untold wonders to the hunter. At best, they are often just a new take on an old classic to serve up similar performance. A few survive to carve a niche for themselves in the shooting world. Others sell a bunch of rifles before slowly fading away. These thoughts sprang to mind…

The myth or consensus by certain proclaimed conservationists that duck numbers are threatened by hunters is not fairly represented or founded. If anything, they tend to spread misinformation to favour their own cause without consideration for the law-abiding hunters who have over the decades adhered to the ever-changing rules and regulations associated with duck hunting. Hunters have also been instrumental in the protection of ducks and other aquatic bird species. This has been done through the reclamation of degraded wetlands to viable aquatic ecosystems. Joint efforts with government for the recognition and establishment of wetland reserves have been crucial to waterfowl habitat and much more. Importantly, duck hunting is conducted in line with the authorities in the respective states. South Australia, Victoria, Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania have an…

In the age of the mobile phone, we all receive SMS messages, right? I certainly gather my share of them and a while back I received one from the owner of a property where I had hunted for many years. It was succinctly short but to the point - a message that mattered: ‘Hi Wayne, just a heads-up mate. We’ve sold the property and will be moving out in two months. Regards to all, (the owner).’ As I re-read the message, its full impact hit me like a brick on the toe. That property was where my kids had learned to hunt and enjoy camping. And with each recollection of the joy we had there, the loss just seemed to become worse. But I understood this scenario was always possible,…

During the summer time when the interests of many hunters drift with the humid breeze to fishing and socialising, there’s a bounty to be had in the scorched dry countryside, involving young foxes. While the satisfaction of a winter coat to be tanned or the contentment gained when you secure an old wily fox that’s survived for years may be absent, rewards remain for the summer fox hunter. It’s a period when many farmers begin to experience trouble with the increased number of foxes and their subsequent need for food such as chooks. This is especially when the cubs are nearing independence but still dependant for a food source from a vixen scrambling to fill the ever-expanding bellies of her youngsters. As the new year begins and the dry summer…

Every hunt is different, each foray out bush unique. The weather changes, locations vary and the animals we chase are often different too. There are a number of recurring themes though. One of which is that almost every hunt involves a stiff hike over rough terrain. While no two feet are the same, long walks are more comfortable and safer with proper footwear. Of course, this is a rather generic concept, with some people opting for lightweight hiking shoes and others for their trusty pair of Blundstones or something sturdier like lace-up boots. Generally, the ideal footwear for a hike are leather lace-up boots of at least medium height with a grippy rubber sole. On overnight or longer trips, you can combine these with something lighter and easier to slip…

My mate Wayne and I struggled to lift the chital buck onto the cargo box of the Can-Am quad bike, before giving it away for the sake of our backs. It’s said that they are only small deer with an average weight of 80kg, but this one would have been almost double that as it was in fine condition, being fat and sleek. We wanted to shift it to a shady place for butchering, but it proved to be too heavy for us to lift onto the quad - and we are not weak men. Instead, we dragged it with the quad to a nearby tree and hoisted the deer up with the quad’s front-mounted recovery winch cable, placed the quad under it, let it down and tied it off.…

My friend’s voice sounded urgent as my phone rang just before noon on a Friday morning. “I’ve found a Rigby,” he exclaimed, “a .416!” After he mentioned the asking price, I shut my office down in record time and headed for the gunshop as fast as I could. All hopes were dashed the moment we saw the old .416, though. The metal shimmered like a desert mirage from across the room, the result of a sub-standard blueing job. Meanwhile, the engraving was shallow and washed out from the not-so-tender application of a buffing wheel. The Magnum Mauser action’s sidewall was drilled and tapped for Griffin & Howe-type scope mounts and held a cheap, well-used Japanese scope. The magazine floorplate was engraved with something that was intended to look like a…