Australian Hunter

Teenager Monty Williams fulfils his ideal script for ‘Schoolies’ Week’ when his dad Rodney takes him on a hunting trip to New Zealand that sees the pair on the trail of whitetail deer and tahrs during a three-week adventure. Brad Allen comes across a plethora of game animals on a trek to South Africa’s Natal region, while Rhys Millington stays closer to home on an interstate assignment in northern New South Wales for four days of hunting hogs. Don Caswell stresses the importance of projectile choice and placement when hunting deer, while veteran small-game enthusiast John Hill points out the advantages of using lighter loads. The Camp Kitchen turns positively gourmet with individual venison pies, plus rabbit and chorizo terrine enough to make any hunter’s mouth water. Our reviewers also test the Browning BLR Lightweight lever-action rifle, Fabarm Waterfowl Supermag 3.5″ Camo shotgun and Gieggerig Hydrapak hydration system.

The tropical island of Kosrae in Micronesia is the exotic setting for a traditional pig hunt as Alby Adams is guided through testing, dense jungle by a wily local. Maintaining the international theme, Mark Benns heads back to his native New Zealand and enjoys an overdue shoot for deer in the Kaimanawa Range of mountains. Leon Wright goes looking for quail, with his trusted German short-haired pointer, Cobber, leading the way, and Don Caswell muses on what it means to be a game stalker and the qualities that are needed to follow this style of hunting. Testing out equipment are John McDougall, who picks up a Webley & Scott 2000 Game field shotgun, and Bruce Wellington who checks out a trio of Vortex Viper riflescopes.

Bob Salisbury explains how changing farming trends in Northern Ireland have led to an increase in woodpigeons, which provides great hunting for shooters. A long drive to Far North Queensland is made worthwhile for Alistair McGlashan when he and his brother Stewart come across feral pigs, chital deer and sooty grunter fish. Other animals featured in various yarns include South Australian fallow deer and feral goats, Arnhem Land buffaloes and African bushpigs. Don Caswell goes on the prowl for pest animals with his air rifle, while Dick Eussen looks at what different rifle and cartridge combinations work in downing wild pigs. Rick Huckstepp tests the Tikka T3 Battue Lite rifle, Rob Murton checks out Buff multifunctional headwear products and Neal Finch looks at The Whole Hog nose-to-tail butchery DVD. Pigeon with Cumberland sauce provides a succulent and alternative dish, and Geoff Cartner highlights the advantages for hunters of cooking with foil in the outback.

Senior correspondent John Dunn goes out on the range in search of the rather unique pronghorns amid the vast expanses of Wyoming. It’s also a walk on the wild side for Mick Thompson, as he heads up into the spectacular Southern Alps of New Zealand to hunt the world’s most challenging mountain game animal, the Himalayan tahr. American hunter LP Brezny steps out of his comfort zone by journeying to Australia’s Far North to hunt heavyweight trophy scrub bulls. For treks into the bush, items such as the Lifesaver jerrycan to carry drinking water and the NexTorch Viker Star headlamp can prove invaluable accessories and both are scrutinised by our writers. Night-vision equipment is also given a try-out with the focus on the Guide IR518C hand-held thermal imager.

The Locavore restaurant in the Adelaide Hills town of Stirling abides by the principle of using local produce from within a 100-mile radius. Owner Chris March explains where he got the idea and how his business features regional foods as they come into season. Still in South Australia, Rick Huckstepp and his hunting crew round up a mixed bag of varmints in the Riverland. Further afield, Ted Mitchell’s Aussie group enjoy an African odyssey, while Andrew Balcombe experiences a Dutch wildfowl and hare hunt. Senior correspondent John Dunn tries out a couple of high-quality binoculars made by Kings Optics Canada Incorporated, John McDougall tests the Marocchi First Deluxe shotgun, and Don Caswell finds how well Russell Moccasin custom-made boots fit as he goes hunting in gorge country.

Don Caswell maps out a hunter’s strategy for the pursuit of wild dogs and puts some of the steps into motion on a sheep farm. Leon Wright shares some hints for carrying small game such as ducks, quail and rabbits as the hunt goes on. Robert Griffiths heads to Bullo River Station in the Northern Territory in search of mighty water-buffaloes and along the way, his party also finds time to nab an enormous wild boar and catch some barramundi on a fishing interlude. Our experts look at Joker knives, big blades, and knives for food preparation, while there are reviews on the CZ 550 American Safari Magnum rifle, MaXbox magnetic rifle rest, Pulsar Digisight N550 nightvision riflescope and the Korr Lighting Platinum Camp Kit.

Matt Fowles explains how he developed the idea of the world’s first wines to match specific wild game dishes. The chief executive of Fowles Wine, based in Victoria’s Strathbogie Ranges region, came up with his own Ladies who Shoot their Lunch label. John Pond navigates his way around the OZtopo V4 GPS mapping update as he searches for the ultimate navigation tool for hunting trips. Steve Dunn does his bit with rabbits, firstly detailing the tricky task of field-dressing the animals, yet still finishing with clean hands. Steve then crosses to the kitchen to give us his recipe for smoke-roasted barbecued rabbit. Senior correspondent John Dunn reviews Ruger’s M77 Hawkeye African rifle, John McDougall field-tests Browning’s B725 Hunter shotgun and Don Caswell hits the bush in a Polaris Sportsman 550 X2 EFI quad. Out in the field, we go for goats in gorges, red deer in the High Country, small game during autumn, and chamois in alpine New Zealand.

Retired librarian Valmai Hankel talks about her love for books, horses, good food and wine that sustain her during her constant travels around the Australian outback. Self-confessed ‘bookworm’ Valmai plans her trips and organises accommodation from Adelaide, but revels in the camping experience. An outing on a partridge preserve in Victoria gives Con Kapralos a feeling of how the experience must pan out in the English countryside, with many hunters donning traditional tweed attire. Mick Chapman’s taxing chase for Cape eland in Namibia highlights the other end of the hunting spectrum, while Paul Adams savours a bumper boar bonanza in a trip to the Gulf Country. Reviews include SOG bush knives, the Savage Trophy Hunter XP rifle and scope combo, plus Winchester’s new Blind Side Waterfowl shotshells.