Innehållsförteckning för Edition 90 från Australian Hunter

We have been incredibly busy for the past few months, even welcoming a new CEO to SSAA Inc, Tom Kenyon, who has been an avid hunter since he was a kid. Starting out with small to medium game, it’s mainly deer in the Victorian High Country he now targets. Tom’s keen interest in hunting and the shooting sports, combined with over two decades of experience in parliament, has already led him to spearhead some fantastic initiatives aimed at making positive changes in both the political and public spheres. We’ve also launched our latest edition of Great Australian Outdoors magazine. Issue 5 is our biggest to date and highlights everything from 4WDing, fishing and hunting to desirable destinations, wildlife and top products for any outdoor adventure. Members can get their new-look,…

I did my original first aid course back in the mid-1960s when I worked for Mount Isa Mines, with regular courses since to keep up with the knowhow and new treatments. In the 1980s I was on the Ranger Mine emergency services team in Jabiru for occupational first aid. Luckily, I’ve had few accidents to deal with, apart from helping traffic victims, fishhook removal, burns and cuts in the bush. People have died from accidental self-inflicted gunshot wounds in the bush, like a case in the Gulf Country with a .303. There was nothing anyone could do for him. There was also a case on the Gregory River in 1969 when a young man, who was hunting pigs with a .22 rimfire, shot himself in the shoulder. He survived, thanks…

Of all the different types of rifles I’ve owned and used throughout the years, walkabout hunting options are without doubt my favourite. I’ve used various makes, styles and calibres over time, some good, some not so good, but sampling all of them has assisted in shaping my current opinions. As far as rifle actions go, I’m a ‘controlled round feed bolt-action’ fan and, subsequently, most (not all) of my favourite rifles have that Mauser 98 type of action. This is a personal preference but there are numerous great ‘push feed action’ hunting rifles out there, with many of those being inherently more accurate than my beloved 98s. I just have a thing for that broad Mauser extraction claw, which can remove the ‘stickiest’ of fired cases on a reload, which…

Well, for me, the year started out a lot better than most years, being able to hunt for red stags in the roar. I picked up an old hunting property that I hunted on years ago. The original property owner was there for over 50 years before passing away about a decade ago. Unfortunately, the new owners weren’t keen for continued hunting. However, a chance meeting recently with the new manager of that property saw me with permission to hunt there once again. Around the middle of March saw my first look around, and although that was a late start for me, I was lucky enough to take a big old stag who had only just picked up 11 does for himself. He was great eating indeed, with a hefty…

Even with the connectivity delivered by modern technology, loneliness is a common affliction for many Australians. Hunters can appreciate that being alone isn’t the same as feeling lonely. This is being written on a property that in early days housed the boss and his family, a team of stockmen, a Chinese cook and gardener and other handy staff. In recent times the owner and wife lived here after selling another property. Now it’s a ‘carbon farming enterprise’ with only a casual worker to keep an eye on things. On a 289km stretch of road between two Queensland country towns, only one family resides full time on the 30 properties spanning the land. The resulting impact on rural life is significant. Carbon farming offering ‘money for old rope’, as one landowner…

This is a simple recipe good for home or camping. It requires little preparation. The key is to use an oven bag and not over-cook the venison. Vacuum-aged venison, while not essential, certainly does add to the final product. Ingredients • Venison whole leg muscle, vacuum-aged for 2 weeks prior• Butter (enough to make a paste with garlic and Dijon)• Dijon mustard• A few cloves of garlic (more or less according to taste)• Handful of pistachio nuts• Handful of raisins• Sea salt flakes• Ground black pepper• Dash of extra virgin olive oil• Butchers twine, about 1m• Oven bag. Method 1. ‘Butterfly’ the venison. 2. Put butter in microwave for 12 seconds, if not already soft enough to spread. 3. Chop garlic finely and add to the soft butter. 4. Add…

Most hunting rifle cartridges originate from the United States. I doubt that anyone would argue that, so it follows that most of the innovations in new cartridge design would come from there. While it’s true that there have been some disasters - cartridges that were commercialised but never became popular enough to sustain manufacture of rifles and ammunition - there have been some resounding successes. The hunters in the US seem to have only recently discovered the value of the 6.5 calibre. For a very long time the only commercial loading that received much support was the .264 Winchester Magnum. There have been others, mostly aimed at driving a 6.5mm bullet at rapid velocities. Some of these were the 6.5 Remington Magnum, 6.5-06, .26 Nosler and 6.5 Weatherby Magnum. Of…

We live in an age of rapidly escalating prices coupled with, in many cases, a lack of component supply. None of which makes shooting and hunting any easier, and certainly not cheaper. However, there’s viable alternatives with considerably less cost. One relates to bore cleaning. Fired firearms have dirty bores from the residue of primer and powder combustion together with copper fouling. When cleaning bores, the first two patches down the barrel can be wet with carburettor or throttle cleaner from your local automotive store. A can will last the average reloader several years. It will not attack copper or ingrained combustion residue, but it will remove all loose residue within the bore. It evaporates and leaves the bore clean for the normal bore cleaning liquid to attack the accumulated…

I’ve always been partial to a rabbit meal, whether roasted or stewed with vegetables, crumbed and deep-fried, or slow-cooked cacciatore style. However, my favourite is marinated and pan-cooked, then end-fried, which takes just 30-40 minutes all up. Determined to find a simple and quick cooking method that could also be applied in camp, I experimented with simple ingredients before the dish eventuated. Ever since, family members, grand-children in particular, have been enjoying the tender meat and tasty soaked bread. It’s consumed with gusto and only the small bones remain. Ingredients • One or two rabbits (¼ grown preferably for tenderness)• 1 teaspoon rock salt• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn• 1 teaspoon oregano• 3 cloves garlic• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil• 3 tablespoons soy sauce• Handful chopped parsley. Method Firstly,…

Fashions in the world of riflescopes tend to ebb and flow as time goes by. Over the past two decades or so, the world has largely moved on from fixed-magnification scopes to variable-magnification scopes. Many riflescope manufacturers no longer even go to the trouble of making fixed-power scopes of any sort. If you are looking at a new scope these days, it will often be fitted with parallax adjustment and an illuminated reticle. A host of other enhancements include cross-hairs with hold-over marks and more magnification than most of us will ever need when hunting. Progress is, of course, something that cannot be ignored or denied but for hunting we are shooting at relatively moderate distances and here it’s quite often the more basic equipment that works best. For about…

Old Rambo dropped his head and drank from the crystal-clear mountain water before carefully negotiating his path across the pebbly riverbed towards the far embankment. The water level was not high enough to reach my Meindl boots in the stirrups. Leaning well forward in the saddle as we climbed the far embankment, it was not long before the trail was found through the spruce trees up into the hills. I was in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia in Canada hunting elks for 10 days. My guide was riding in front of me and every now and then we would hear the bugling of an elk. I had my Winchester Model 70 Super Grade in .338 Winchester Magnum, with the magazine loaded with 225gr Barnes TTSX bullets in the scabbard…

The latest offering from Hikmicro is the Condor. While Hikmicro are well established as a leader in thermal technology, the Condor builds on previous models to offer a laser range-finder (LRF). Out of the box the Condor comes with a cleaning cloth, velvet-type carry pouch, three rechargeable 18650 lithium-ion batteries, dual battery charger with a digital read-out and USB charging lead. Constructed of magnesium alloy and measuring 197mm x 60mm x 95mm, the redesigned Condor offers a more ergonomic and streamlined, water-resistant unit which comfortably fits left and right-handed users thanks to a gentle concave underside. With the Condor nestled in your hand, the four control buttons are easily accessed on the top of the unit. The front SDLC lens is protected by a magnetic cover attached to a lanyard.…

Simply write your full name, address and contact number on a piece of paper and place it inside an envelope and send to: (Name of competition) Australian Hunter 90 PO Box 2520, Unley, SA 5061 …or enter online at ssaa.org.au/win Competitions close November 30, 2024. Check out ssaa.org.au/win for competition winners. Vipertek CT1 Bipod Kindly donated by Hermanns Sporting Guns hermannsguns.com.au Ridgeline 10x42 Binos Kindly donated by Ridgeline ridgelineclothing.com.au Smith & Wesson Cap & Wallet Kindly donated by Grycol Australia grycol.com.au 1 of 2 Burris Prize Packs • Keychain • Can cooler • Pen • Lens pen • Cap Kindly donated by Beretta Australia berettaaustralia.com.au Dog & Gun Prize Pack • 1x 7 pack Sambar Coffee filters • 1x 7 pack Red Stag Coffee filters • 1 Hog Cho •…

Shop now for exclusive SSAA products, including clothing, camping, accessories, knives, books and more. See the complete range of products in our Online Shop SHOP NOW IT’S EASY! Great Australian Outdoors 5 Great Australian Outdoors is Australia’s first magazine of ‘destination, exploration and conservation’. We take an in-depth look at issues affecting our continent’s landscape, fauna and flora by uniquely consulting with academics, environmental experts and custodians of the land and seas, be it farmers, fishers or those charged with protecting it for future generations. Grab issues 3 and 4 before they run out! $12.95 - Members $14.95 - Non-members Top Gun Leisure Jacket Step out in style with the SSAA Top Gun Leisure Jacket made from wind and water-resistant breathable material and lined with cozy microfleece. Featuring a three-layer…