The Outdoors Guide

1. Don't Shoot Bucks That Looks Insecure When you first see a buck, take a moment to check its posture. Dominant bucks hold their heads high and walk loosely with their tails held straight out. A subordinate buck walks with stiff legs and a hunched back, and keeps its tail between its legs. If you see a good back in a subordinate posture, consider holding your shot. It could mean there's a real monster in the area. 2. Find Small Bucks Near Big Scrapes If you are looking to shoot a buck quickly during the rut and aren't much concerned about the size of its antlers, look for a large scrape that's torn up, irregularly shaped, and looks like it's being used by more than one deer. Younger, more submissive bucks frequent such scrapes. Since these bucks are less wary and more numerous than trophy animals, you'll stand a good chance of filling your tag faster than you would when hunting scrapes made by solitary (and often bigger) deer.

Hunters and shooters are hoarders of many things, not the least of which is ammunition, but how long can we expect it to last on the shelf. As general consensus has it, the smokeless powder and primers in modern ammunition are chemically stable for around 25 years after it is loaded—as long as the ammo is stored in a cool, dry environment. But ammunition has been known to last much longer. I have read that some of the .50 BMG used by American mechanized units in Operation Desert Storm was from World War II stock. If this is true, the ammunition could have been 50 years old. I frequented gun shows in my area back before they became flea markets, and one guy who always had a table specialized in vintage ammunition for collectors. Most of it was quite expensive, but if a box showed wear or damage or had cartridges missing, prices were often affordable. I used to buy an occasional box, some of it dating back to the 1890s. Just for the fun of it I would shoot a few rounds from a broken...

I’d acquired a “new” full-bore rifle from a nice fellow shooter in Tamworth, of all places; new because it was a 98 year-old Winchester M17 action in full-bore target configuration. It was the right price, had a beautiful Schultz and Larsen 13-twist barrel and its stock was not your regular adapted full-bore abortion that some had appended to their bundooks. Being a Winchester action, it was the “creme de la creme” of M17s, somewhat more desirable than the Remingtons and much more so than the Eddystones. I had a scoped Eddystone that was very accurate though, just rough in appearance. So I rolled up at the property, touched base with Grant and he said he’d be keen to come out for a hunt and a walk when I’d finished with the target work. An extra pair of eyes is always appreciated because mine aren’t the sharpest, especially when I’d not hunted for some time. I arrived at my normal target shooting paddock and noted that the grass was as green as can be and while not “as ...

No excuse to buy a new rifle is a good one, and with my well-worn Ruger M77 .280 Remington starting to lose its appeal another rifle in a different cartridge was pretty much a foregone conclusion. In fact, I’d already decided on a 7mm Remington Magnum, months earlier. The only decision remaining was which rifle to choose, and with so many different brands available my final choice wasn’t going to be easy. At first, I was rather keen on the Winchester model 70 super grade, but unfortunately it wasn’t available in 7mm Rem Mag. So after some pondering and perusing the isles of several gun shops, I decided on a Remington 7mm Magnum model 700CDL. It had all the features I needed as well as a reputation for good accuracy, and of course, having a soft spot for Remington’s certainly helped. So the deal was done! Once ordered it took nearly six months for the dealer to call saying my new bang stick had arrived and was ready to be picked up. After finally taking possession, I had a few a...

Gaining access to good hunting properties is becoming harder all the time. In my local area, landholders are refusing access, frustrated by poachers and the odd idiot who doesn’t respect the farmer’s wishes in regards to livestock and gates etc. For this reason, I tend to look after the landholder’s who allow me access to their places. I respect their wishes, help out where possible and don’t take anyone else with me who has net been granted permission by the cocky. For this reason, choosing a hunting partner can sometimes be a difficult task. There will be plenty of takers if you offer up a hunting trip, but finding someone you can trust is hard and often the key to success. Over the years, I have learnt some valuable lessons when taking people hunting. These experiences have taught me that human nature can be very fickle when it comes to loyalty and friendship. Throughout this article, I will relay some of these experiences so that you, the reader, can be forewarned and somewhat...

Hog deer are not widely distributed. The main population is located along a narrow coastal strip stretching from south-east Victoria up into the south-east corner of NSW. I’d received an invite to hunt on private property where the hog deer population was living in heavy tea-tree thickets along swampy creeks. Being subjected to light hunting pressure, they haven’t been much disturbed, and are inclined to leave cover and feed on adjacent grasslands in early morning and late evening. In this haven they often stay out all day and bed down in the tall grass to enjoy the warmth of the sun. In most areas, however, hog deer don’t stray too far from the edges of cover, but during the rut which takes place in February and March, they are inclined to linger longer in the open, wandering about through the long grass. The gestation period averages five months and hinds usually drop their fawns late in August. But I was hunting in April after the end of the rut and the deer were scattered all ...