Innehållsförteckning för Edition 71 från Australian Hunter

Often a hunting rifle will require some customisation to transform it to what you want. It’s not always the case that ‘enhancements’ are to improve accuracy or aesthetics. The following are some of the changes I’ve done to my hunting rifles. On new rifles some modifications may void the warranty and if that is a major concern to you, then perhaps wait until any such period is over. Bedding job A proper bedding job, which may include floating the barrel and sometimes using aluminium pillars, often improves the shotto-shot consistency of a rifle. On my .270 after it was pillar bedded, groups virtually halved in size. On the other hand, a Ruger .338 RCM already shot well and after floating and bedding, it still performed the same. There are different…

Born out of turbulent times in Bayreuth, Germany after World War Two, Steiner-Optik has forged a reputation as a global optics leader over the past 70 years. I’d read so much about Steiner riflescopes and everyone who either owned or reviewed them was impressed. While not totally unexposed to a Steiner-Optik product previously, I’ll admit I’d never used a Steiner scope. Steiner-Optik have been making optical equipment for some of the world’s defence forces, including Australia’s, and about 10 years ago while on deployment in East Timor our platoon was equipped with a set of Steiner RF (range finding) Mil Spec binoculars. They were an impressive piece of kit, with crystal clear optics that took measurements across mountainous terrain out to extended distances. So when Beretta Australia offered the latest…

August 2008 was somewhat of a watershed month for me. I was about to embark on my first trip to the Dark Continent. Years of reading other hunting exploits, on this land time had forgotten, helped augment my dream hunts into reality. All the planning and organising of airline tickets, booking outfitters, firearm export and import permits was behind me as our team of five men walked into Brisbane domestic airport. As with most hunters who venture to Africa, the ‘grey ghosts of the veldt’ or kudu was my primary objective. Though, to this hunter, not just any bull would do. It had to be special, more than 50 inches long with three twists to each ivory-tipped horn, plus a better-than-good cape. I was prepared to go without, if my…

Experimenting with various types of food and the manner that it is prepared can be a tasty culinary pastime. Hunters in Australia have the opportunity to harvest a wide range of game, taking the time to properly dress the assets in the field and returning home with a car fridge loaded with meat can lead to some interesting dishes. The humble rabbit is one example that has found its way onto many Australian tables at meal time, dating back from when they were introduced a century or two back. Being fortunate to have access to a couple of properties that have fluctuating rabbit populations, it’s generally not too difficult to shoot a few to bring home for the table. Having an increasing interest in preparing Asian-style foods and on returning…

The Cuddeback E2 and E3 model trail cameras are two similar items with comparable software. However, in the hardware equipment stakes, the E3 has Black Flash and a 15m range, whereas the E2 Long Range IR has infrared flash and a 30m flash range. Each option has its strengths. As intuition suggests, the long-range version will pick up critters further away. But at night this long-range camera will also fire a more powerful flash burst in order to reach out to the end of the detection zone. The result is that when an animal is close to the long-range game camera, there is the potential of too much flash bouncing off the critter and this can result in a white-out of the near-ground sector of the image. This can eradicate…

Our official shirts, proudly emblazoned with ‘Australian Hunter Magazine’ and ‘Always the Hunter’, are designed with the total purpose of hunting and fishing. These exclusive shirts are made by Columbia Sportswear Company in the US, who are industry leaders in outdoor apparel after being owned and operated by the same family of passionate hunters and fishers for more than 70 years. Decades of hands-on experience has culminated in this lightweight and quickdrying shirt that’s built tough to keep you enjoying the Aussie outdoors for longer. Their cutting-edge Omni-Shade UPF 30 technology has earned the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of recommendation. The tight weave construction with UV absorbent yarns and ceramic reflectors block the full spectrum of harmful UV rays and will keep you protected from the harsh Australian sun for…

Wild dogs are never easy. That is especially so for the black jungle dogs of far north Queensland. These wary predators emerge from their lairs in dense tropical forest to raid bordering farmland. Rarely seen in daylight, they are truly ninja dogs of the dark humid night. Mostly, sometimes completely, black in colour, they are similar in appearance to Doberman dogs. Slipping in and out of the great national park foliage, they vanish as soon as they enter the curtained gloom of the rainforest. The only opportunity to hunt them is by ambush as they transit to or from their home in the jungle, or by calling them out. Either way, hunting these dogs is a twilight exercise. Trail cameras are most useful in determining how many, what type and…

The Buck Model 105, sometimes referred to by its name ‘Pathfinder’, is a simple 5" fixed blade knife with a modified clip point. It’s a knife which has been around for a long time. The Buck Company was incorporated by Al Buck in 1961. This was the year that the company began factory production of knives in California. The knife which was to become the Model 105 was certainly in production at the handmade level prior to that and was almost definitely available from the late 1930s. Since 1961 it has undergone a few slight cosmetic changes but the basic shape and style has remained the same. Knives made from 1961 until the end of 1966 were stamped simply with ‘Buck’ on the blade. From 1967 until 1971 ‘Buck USA’…

The Nextorch TA40 is a compact, well-made light-emitting diode (LED) torch with a look and feel that certainly aligns with its tactical pedigree. At just under 150mm in total length, with a 25mm diameter main barrel and a slightly larger lens unit of 33mm, it fits neatly into your hand and facilitates what I would call a natural grip. This grasp is further enhanced by a rear-mounted thumb-operated power/function button, something Nextorch refers to as its patented duo switch. Up front the Nextorch TA40 lens unit makes use of Cree XM-L2 U2 LED with the output being described as Ultra Bright. Power is supplied from either a single, rechargeable 18650 Lithium-ion battery or two supplied CR123A non-rechargeable batteries. As these batteries are slightly different in diameter, you also gain an…

Australian Hunter magazine was provided with a Van Diemen’s Land Pig Sticker by the Max Force Tactical store in Brisbane. Along with the pink, colour options include yellow, orange, glow in the dark (halo), blue, purple/violet, lime and zombie. RRP is $100 but you will find them discounted down to about $85. Incidentally, the sheath by itself is available for $25 to $30. Made from polypropylene with a stippled pebble finish for better grip, the brightly coloured handles make the knives easy to find if misplaced. There is a blood groove on each side of the 8"/198mm 440 stainless steel blade, which has a full-length cutting edge on one side and a 40mm long edge on the other side at the tip. Overall the knife is 337mm long and the…

My CZ in .22 Mag, warmly referred to as the ‘Sleazy’ (as in the American pronunciation of Z = ‘Zee’) has only ever had average accuracy. I know most CZs have a well-deserved reputation for accuracy way beyond their price tag, but for whatever reason mine has struggled to group consistently. As part of ‘Project Sleazy’, I’ve done all the usual things - a thorough clean with Sweets 7.62 solvent, checked and retorqued all the screws with my FAT wrench, changed scopes, had the bore inspected and tried virtually every brand of ammo on the market without any significant success. It will group well for maybe four/five shot groups, then the fifth group has fliers and is frankly horrible. Being a stubborn so-and-so, I resolved to try one more thing…

For most of the year we are fortunate to have a good quantity of venison in the freezer in various cuts - fillet, rump and backstrap being our favourites. Over time we have prepared and cooked venison in what may be described as traditional ways with pleasing results. Our recent interest in Asian-style cooking has us enjoying the experience of trying the vast selection of spices and cuisine methods that go into this form of tasty food presentation. On a number of occasions we had enjoyed Szechuan beef and chicken at local Chinese restaurants, so why not try Szechuan venison at home? The kitchen pantry is well stocked with an ever-increasing range of Asian spices and sauces and the refrigerator crisper with a good selection of vegetables, so assembling and…

The one thing I have learnt after being a duck hunter for more than 50 years is that you have to be prepared to adapt and change your hunting ways to be continually successful. We all have our special methods to hunt ducks. While many hunters attend big shoots on the numerous swamps that abound in our country, you have to be ready to share the waterways with plenty of like-minded hunters. In my younger days I attended shoots on places like Mansfield Swamp, Greens Lake, Dowdle Swamp and Barren Box Swamp. These are just a few of the locations I have hunted over. These days I steer clear of the big swamps, much preferring the solitude of a backwater where I am happy to set out a block of…

I vividly recall the late 1980s when my interest in hunting and shooting was just starting. An uncle had introduced me to the shooting sports and I remember many winter evenings sitting in his back shed chatting about shotguns, rifles and many more shooting- and hunting-related topics. We would enter his reloading room where he would show me all the different calibres and makes of ammunition he had for his impressive firearms collection. For a newcomer to the sport, I was keen to absorb as much knowledge and information as I could. I recollect he had a brand of ammunition in his cabinet which comprised of both rimfire, shotshell and centrefire, with a creamcoloured carton and a brown logo on the box - Browning by Fabrique Nationale (FN), Herstal, Belgium.…

As we drove into our deer hunting property in the late afternoon, it was obvious that the rut hadn’t yet begun but the start was imminent, with a large amount of fresh deer sign throughout the area. Small saplings had been thrashed around the edge of every track and clearing, with some ‘not so small’ trees also given the once over by the resident buck population. We also checked some of the regular scrapes that are used each year by the dominant bucks. Most had been ‘cleaned out’, with fresh dirt and dust covering the surrounding foliage. Some even sported fresh damp urine-soaked patches in the middle. Things were looking good. Up before dawn the next morning, we headed out from camp on foot. There was a brisk freshness to…

Most shooters consider handloading their own ammunition at some stage. Many go ahead and do so. Competitive benchrest and long-range shooters pretty much have to roll their own, as the saying goes. For hunters, what incentive is there to take up handloading? Folks handload for one or more of the following reasons – better accuracy, preferred projectile, reduced cost, or simply fun. Modern handloading with smokeless powders, for the calibres we still use, began in the 1920s. Developers created their own wildcat cartridges, seeking to gain better velocity and accuracy than could be achieved with the limited choices then available to recreational shooters. Most of the drive behind handloading has been, and remains, in the US. Many calibres that are standard chamberings today began as wildcats back in the day.…

Geoffrey Chaucer is credited with coining the phrase: “All good things must come to an end.” So, to get my Shakespeare on: “Ne’er hath a truer word been spoke,” especially when it came to accessing my ‘jewel in the crown’ deer hunting property. This place had a bit everything - rabbits, foxes, deer, comfortable quarters, plus a super-friendly and amenable owner with whom I became firm friends. After more than a decade of great memories coupled with successful trips - I think we only ever missed out on deer twice: once after a sanctioned chopper shoot and once more this trip - I heard from the owner that the property had been sold. This was to be our last outing. It was with more than a hint of sadness my…

A few hours work removed years of built-up cooking residue while the metalwork looked quite respectable given its age. Asian food has been a long-time favourite in our household. Rarely a week would pass that would not find me and my wife at one of our local Chinese restaurants. Being within easy walking distance from home, we could enjoy a glass of wine with our meal. Unfortunately over a period, the restaurants either closed or changed owners and the food quality went downhill compared to what we had become accustomed to. After sampling the cuisine at various other restaurants, all of which we had to drive to, it was decided that we should try our hand at home prepared Asian food. After a qualifying number of attempts with mixed results,…

Striker LED driving lights are one of the few kits in Australia that are supplied with an electrical relay kit and harness ready for owner installation. This saves quite a lot of money as auto-electricians can charge the price of the lights again in labour and parts. Due to their light weight and smaller footprint they can be installed on nudge bars or even number plate mounting brackets. The kit also comes with the necessary parts to combine with your high beam lights so you can activate the on switch and have high beam and the Striker lights on simultaneously. This is handy when you need to turn them off quickly such as when you see the lights of oncoming vehicles. At $599 per pair they are more compact than…

For your chance to win one of these competitions, write your name, address and phone number on a piece of paper and place it inside an envelope, and write the name of the competition on the front of the envelope, and send it to: Australian Hunter 71 PO Box 2520, Unley SA 5061 Or enter online at ssaa.org.au/win Competitions close February 29, 2020 Enter online at ssaa.org.au/win Nextorch MyStar Headlamp Valued at $119 Kindly donated by Beretta Australia berettaaustralia.com.au One of two handgun cleaning kits Valued at $79 each Kindly donated by Ozzie Straight Shooter ozzistraightshooter.com SSAA Outdoors Bag Valued at $74 Kindly donated by SSAA Online Shop onlineshop.ssaa.org.au…