2006 Ozbow hunt ???
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- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
2006 Ozbow hunt ???
I'm just curious about what members want for our 2006 hunt. Perhaps this poll may give us some direction and start some discussion on where, when or if, regarding our 2006 hunt.
Mick
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
- jindydiver
- Posts: 1333
- Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:06 pm
- Location: ACT
I voted for option 3, but I am ambivalent about the "pay" part. I have been thinking about something for next years hunt and I have some inquires to make to see if it is possible.
I think a longer hunt, with the date set well in advance, would make it even more fun. If we had say 10 days at a place then we would be able to have more people show up because they could work around other commitments. I have been thinking about some competitions too. Not your ordinary biggest animal, most kills type of thing (I got over that about 20 years ago), but with more of a focus on what makes a good hunt, and that is the company and the effort people put into helping others. I think others might be able to help with the ideas for that.
I think a longer hunt, with the date set well in advance, would make it even more fun. If we had say 10 days at a place then we would be able to have more people show up because they could work around other commitments. I have been thinking about some competitions too. Not your ordinary biggest animal, most kills type of thing (I got over that about 20 years ago), but with more of a focus on what makes a good hunt, and that is the company and the effort people put into helping others. I think others might be able to help with the ideas for that.
Mick
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
So far the poll looks to favour a hunt of a longer duration at a pay property. It's the option that I prefered myself. Maybe we could book the property for a full week which would include a long weekend within that week. Members could come and go within that week long period and adjust their time their to suit themselves.
I don't know, but I reckon we could do a deal with the landowner and organise a reduced rate. A sort of bulk discount rate, depending on how many members turn up.
Does anybody know of a good pay property that's nice and central for all east coast members? It would be nice to have a river running though it and plenty of game and lots of good cover to allow close in stalking.
I believe most of these pay properties charge considerably less for visitors that don't intend to hunt. If this is the case, it would suit our non-hunting members too.
Mick
I don't know, but I reckon we could do a deal with the landowner and organise a reduced rate. A sort of bulk discount rate, depending on how many members turn up.
Does anybody know of a good pay property that's nice and central for all east coast members? It would be nice to have a river running though it and plenty of game and lots of good cover to allow close in stalking.
I believe most of these pay properties charge considerably less for visitors that don't intend to hunt. If this is the case, it would suit our non-hunting members too.
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
I'm up for it...whatever it is...but mostly I think that a long duration event is best for me...getting time off work and away from family is rare and precious.....but most necessary I think I'd fly just about anywhere for a meet up with you guys....more for what I'm going to learn than anything else and whilst I'd dearly love to kill something I'm sure I'd come back with some treasured memories....so can I come, can I ?
- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
hellier, of course you can come, where ever that may be?
Jindy, I've just come to terms with the word "ambivalent". I thought you meant you liked it. I knew you would be able to come up with a few alternatives. We all appreciate your involvement and input. Thanks mate!
I've sort of had some input from other members offering their private piece of hunting real estate for our hunt next year. It's very appreciated fellas. I am concerned about possible repercussions if something went wrong though. I don't want to see any one member left in the lurch and with one less hunting property. I know this is extremely unlikely though. I would feel happy trusting the Victorian High Country blokes with absolutely anything, except perhaps the key to the wine cellar.
Anyway fellas keep the input coming. Times getting closer and closer. As others have said, we need plenty of advance time to organise annual leave, long service leave and time of work and time away from our families. It's no good leaving it until the last minute.
Mick
Jindy, I've just come to terms with the word "ambivalent". I thought you meant you liked it. I knew you would be able to come up with a few alternatives. We all appreciate your involvement and input. Thanks mate!
I've sort of had some input from other members offering their private piece of hunting real estate for our hunt next year. It's very appreciated fellas. I am concerned about possible repercussions if something went wrong though. I don't want to see any one member left in the lurch and with one less hunting property. I know this is extremely unlikely though. I would feel happy trusting the Victorian High Country blokes with absolutely anything, except perhaps the key to the wine cellar.
Anyway fellas keep the input coming. Times getting closer and closer. As others have said, we need plenty of advance time to organise annual leave, long service leave and time of work and time away from our families. It's no good leaving it until the last minute.
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
Any idea when in 2006 mate ?? just to tie up a few loose ends and stuff and generally get the ball rolling so to speak ?? I'm looking to try a place on the Bowen River just after new year...it's a pay place but I don't mind as I'm still new to hunting in Australia and it's a start I suppose....
I'd love to have a battle of wits with you.....but you appear to be un-armed.....
Im , New to Vic so I may not be on the right track .but take a look at
www.sentosa.com.au , it is just an idea. We may be able to get a group rate or something.
www.sentosa.com.au , it is just an idea. We may be able to get a group rate or something.
- jindydiver
- Posts: 1333
- Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:06 pm
- Location: ACT
- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
If we decide on a hunt on a pay property in outback NSW, we would need a property with plenty of lignum swamps and steep banked creeks for cover. It would also need to be a big property, but most of them are huge anyway.
I haven't had much experience with pay properties, but the various booking agents should be able to point us in the right direction. I think the current costs are about $35 per night, but we might be able to do a deal because of the fact there will be so many bowhunters there at once.
Looking at the best time of the year for the hunt, I'd say we'd want a time when water is scarce, to ensure the pigs are concentrated around tanks, yet we want the weather to be reasonably mild. I reckon that November 2006 would be pretty good. It gives us plenty of time to get organised too.
Even if a couple of us booked the property for a week or two, that would ensure the event was a goer. Other members could turn up anytime during that 1 or 2 week period and pay the landowner when they leave. It could be quick and easy to organise.
Like the 2005 Ozbow High Country Hunt, all members attending would have to be totally self sufficient. Members with 4WDs could ferry hunters to various points and pick them up again.
I reckon it would be fantastic to kick back for at least a week, living it up around the campfire at night and hunting pigs and goats during the day. What could be better?
Mick
I haven't had much experience with pay properties, but the various booking agents should be able to point us in the right direction. I think the current costs are about $35 per night, but we might be able to do a deal because of the fact there will be so many bowhunters there at once.
Looking at the best time of the year for the hunt, I'd say we'd want a time when water is scarce, to ensure the pigs are concentrated around tanks, yet we want the weather to be reasonably mild. I reckon that November 2006 would be pretty good. It gives us plenty of time to get organised too.
Even if a couple of us booked the property for a week or two, that would ensure the event was a goer. Other members could turn up anytime during that 1 or 2 week period and pay the landowner when they leave. It could be quick and easy to organise.
Like the 2005 Ozbow High Country Hunt, all members attending would have to be totally self sufficient. Members with 4WDs could ferry hunters to various points and pick them up again.
I reckon it would be fantastic to kick back for at least a week, living it up around the campfire at night and hunting pigs and goats during the day. What could be better?
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
Just my take on the pay property thing, they are generally over hunted by dogs and riflemen=hard bowhunting. and 14 days x $35 is a big dollar hunt really. What about approaching the game council and see if they can come up with the goods. Doesn't anyone have a not so secret spot out west, it would have to be better then a pay place. I'm most likely not going to be able to make it, just a heads up.
And if it did come down to a pay place this bloke would do the best deal for animals avail
Matt's Sport Safari
P.O. Box 1380
Armidale
NSW 2350
Australia
tell him Adam Greentree put you on to him and the amount of guys attending.
p.s if the hunting is at its worst you blokes will still have a ball, and you have the rest of the year to hunt.
And if it did come down to a pay place this bloke would do the best deal for animals avail
Matt's Sport Safari
P.O. Box 1380
Armidale
NSW 2350
Australia
tell him Adam Greentree put you on to him and the amount of guys attending.
p.s if the hunting is at its worst you blokes will still have a ball, and you have the rest of the year to hunt.
True Wild Range Traditional Bowhunter
- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
Adam
You've made a good point. I take it, these pay properties get a fair flogging from doggers and rifle hunters. One of my mates (a rifle hunter) went to a pay property near Louth in NSW in January this year with a couple of mates and shot 33 pigs. This tells me two things, firstly there must have been some pigs on the property to begin with, but more importantly, there were 33 less pigs when they left. These blokes go to the same property each year and they always do well, but then again they are using rifles and spotlights.
I agree with your overall sentiment though. The costs would be fairly high and the results would be predictably poor. Even if we made the duration of the hunt for one week only, at $35 per night, that's $245 for each of us to pay. When you add the costs of just getting there to this figure, it may begin to hurt the hip pocket.
Obviously our best solution would be to find some private property where we could hunt for nothing. The hunting would probably be much better and the costs much less. Unfortunately I don't know of any such place that I could recommend.
Maybe we could strike a private deal with a landowner who doesn't normally allow paying clients onto his property.
What sort of situation would we be looking at using Matt's Safari's? I would imagine it would be a considerably higher daily fee with a higher likelyhood of bagging game, but I can't really see members being too excited with a formal, organised hunt.
Anyone got suggestions????
Mick
You've made a good point. I take it, these pay properties get a fair flogging from doggers and rifle hunters. One of my mates (a rifle hunter) went to a pay property near Louth in NSW in January this year with a couple of mates and shot 33 pigs. This tells me two things, firstly there must have been some pigs on the property to begin with, but more importantly, there were 33 less pigs when they left. These blokes go to the same property each year and they always do well, but then again they are using rifles and spotlights.
I agree with your overall sentiment though. The costs would be fairly high and the results would be predictably poor. Even if we made the duration of the hunt for one week only, at $35 per night, that's $245 for each of us to pay. When you add the costs of just getting there to this figure, it may begin to hurt the hip pocket.
Obviously our best solution would be to find some private property where we could hunt for nothing. The hunting would probably be much better and the costs much less. Unfortunately I don't know of any such place that I could recommend.
Maybe we could strike a private deal with a landowner who doesn't normally allow paying clients onto his property.
What sort of situation would we be looking at using Matt's Safari's? I would imagine it would be a considerably higher daily fee with a higher likelyhood of bagging game, but I can't really see members being too excited with a formal, organised hunt.
Anyone got suggestions????
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
Im just thinking(thinking) Matt would have a property that you blokes could have the run of for a good price(non guided hunt). Because theres going to be a good crowd he should be able to work something out, or ofcourse any hunting outfitter.
Im thinking you don't need a guide to be with you, you don't need the biggest and best hunting grounds, just a place to camp out and chase a few critters.
I would go the other way though and try keep right away from paying to hunt ferals. Its more relaxing when theres no money riding on the hunt, you know what I mean.
Its a hard one mick cause of the number of hunters going, I usta do group hunts on a private patch I had permission too but the issue is poachers, word gets out you know, It was some of the best hunting grounds most guys would see(heaps of deer goats and pigs). Anyways with a big number of hunters as you would know its hard to organize good grounds. Id go the vic tops if I was going. free for all really and no pressure, but other game than those near impossible deer would be good. I don't know myself, jeezzz.
adam
Im thinking you don't need a guide to be with you, you don't need the biggest and best hunting grounds, just a place to camp out and chase a few critters.
I would go the other way though and try keep right away from paying to hunt ferals. Its more relaxing when theres no money riding on the hunt, you know what I mean.
Its a hard one mick cause of the number of hunters going, I usta do group hunts on a private patch I had permission too but the issue is poachers, word gets out you know, It was some of the best hunting grounds most guys would see(heaps of deer goats and pigs). Anyways with a big number of hunters as you would know its hard to organize good grounds. Id go the vic tops if I was going. free for all really and no pressure, but other game than those near impossible deer would be good. I don't know myself, jeezzz.
adam
True Wild Range Traditional Bowhunter
- jindydiver
- Posts: 1333
- Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:06 pm
- Location: ACT
I think I know what you are saying Adam. We tried the Vic Alps for 2005 and we were on a hiding to nothing really because sambar don’t come easy, and they are almost not ever seen by people lobbing for a weekend hunt. If we had a good patch that had been scouted well then we would have had more of a chance, but really sambar need more than a two day effort. It was a great hunt though, just "hunting" was way down the list of reasons to attend.
I have been thinking about a place I know out near Hay. I would need to drive out there and talk to the guy face to face though, because I would feel uncomfortable just ringing and asking can a dozen guys have free access to his back yard. If I feel motivated enough I might make the drive, but I am not itching to do it.
I visited some friends up at Condo’ the other week to see whether we could make some arrangement there, and they are happy to allow this sort of thing, but the drought has knocked them about pretty badly and the goats are too valuable to just go shooting, and the pigs have been very thin on the ground because of the lack of feed. This winter I might get back up there and have another look.
We have plenty of time yet so who knows what will come up.
I have been thinking about a place I know out near Hay. I would need to drive out there and talk to the guy face to face though, because I would feel uncomfortable just ringing and asking can a dozen guys have free access to his back yard. If I feel motivated enough I might make the drive, but I am not itching to do it.
I visited some friends up at Condo’ the other week to see whether we could make some arrangement there, and they are happy to allow this sort of thing, but the drought has knocked them about pretty badly and the goats are too valuable to just go shooting, and the pigs have been very thin on the ground because of the lack of feed. This winter I might get back up there and have another look.
We have plenty of time yet so who knows what will come up.
Mick
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
Jindy
Yes mate goats are worth too much to landowners to allow bowhunters to reduce their numbers without renumeration. I'd be more than happy to pay the full market price for any goat I took, especially if I wasn't paying a daily fee.
I agree with your sentiments about the High Country hunt. As much as we all really enjoyed it, the hunting was pretty much a non event. We talked about it at the time and agreed that a hunt where game was more abundant would be the go next time in 2006.
Personally I'd still be happy enough to go with a pay property, but I will concede that better options would be preferable.
Nobody expects you, Jindy to run around the countryside organising another hunt. You did more than your share last time mate.
Mick
Yes mate goats are worth too much to landowners to allow bowhunters to reduce their numbers without renumeration. I'd be more than happy to pay the full market price for any goat I took, especially if I wasn't paying a daily fee.
I agree with your sentiments about the High Country hunt. As much as we all really enjoyed it, the hunting was pretty much a non event. We talked about it at the time and agreed that a hunt where game was more abundant would be the go next time in 2006.
Personally I'd still be happy enough to go with a pay property, but I will concede that better options would be preferable.
Nobody expects you, Jindy to run around the countryside organising another hunt. You did more than your share last time mate.
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
This could be a bit off topic, but one of these days I'd like to canoe down one of the wild rivers in the Australian Alps. Maybe the upper Mitta Mitta, but I'd do lots of research first.
I've done lots and lots of whitewater canoeing in years gone by. I haven't done it for about 15 years or so. It's not the whitewater aspect that really appeals to me though, it the certainty of penetrating deeply into virgin sambar country (that sounds sort of rude ).
I'd only paddle short distances during the middle of the day and then set up camp and hunt till dark and then again at first light, before heading on further down stream. You could regulate the number of days easily by simply travelling further or less each day.
It would be better for 4 to 6 people to do a trip like this, as you need to think about the inevitable car shuffle and possible worst case senerios like snapped canoes (I've been there before).
How good would this be?
Mick
I've done lots and lots of whitewater canoeing in years gone by. I haven't done it for about 15 years or so. It's not the whitewater aspect that really appeals to me though, it the certainty of penetrating deeply into virgin sambar country (that sounds sort of rude ).
I'd only paddle short distances during the middle of the day and then set up camp and hunt till dark and then again at first light, before heading on further down stream. You could regulate the number of days easily by simply travelling further or less each day.
It would be better for 4 to 6 people to do a trip like this, as you need to think about the inevitable car shuffle and possible worst case senerios like snapped canoes (I've been there before).
How good would this be?
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
Mick I have mates that do exactly that but with rifles, They drop off a car at their destination then drive up to the start and launch their canoes and spend several days slowly canoeing downstream in the mornings, make camp by late morning, go stalking in the afternoon / dusk.
They always return with a deer but see many by the river in the mornings. They only take what they will use so nornally only one deer is shot unless of course a quality stag is seen.
They always return with a deer but see many by the river in the mornings. They only take what they will use so nornally only one deer is shot unless of course a quality stag is seen.
- Mick Smith
- Posts: 4957
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
- Location: Surf Coast Victoria
Yes that would be a problem, definately. Does anyone make dehydrated beer? Maybe an airdrop? Or float some slabs down in inner-tubes before we leave.
It's only a dream Sparra, you can do what you like in a dream.
Mick
It's only a dream Sparra, you can do what you like in a dream.
Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.
- jindydiver
- Posts: 1333
- Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:06 pm
- Location: ACT