School me on Hunting

Varminting and vertebrate pest control. Small game, hunting feral goats, foxes, dogs, cats, rabbits etc.

School me on Hunting

Post by TheFirearmEnthusiast » 26 Jul 2020, 8:11 pm

Hey guys

I hope that everyone is well

I have spent approximately 9months doing target shooting work now, refining my “marksman skills”, understanding the fundamentals of shooting and rifles etc
And now that I am an “okay shot” (just okay)
I would like to get into hunting very soon
However,
I don't know the 1st thing about hunting
I have never gone hunting before
So please school me on hunting

How does it work exactly?

#1
Is it just a matter of driving up to a state forest?

#2
Are there designated tracks there in state forests that you can just drive on once you get there?

#3
If you are driving on a designated track in a state forest and you see an area that looks promising, is it then just a matter of parking your car near the track and then getting out of your car to explore the area? Looking for game? Is that how it works?

#4
Do I need a four-wheel drive to drive on the tracks of the state forests?
Do I need a four-wheel drive to gain access into state forests?
(I’m guessing I do)

#5
The “More to Explore” app recommended by Game Management Authority, is it 100% accurate in terms showing you exactly where hunting is definitely 100% permissible? Is it 100% reliable? Or is there some other sort of web site or list that tells you exactly which state forests definitely allow hunting?
Or is it just a given that ALL state forests allow hunting?

#6
Where else can we actually hunt other than state forests?
Is there a difference between "State Forests" and "Crown Land"?
And what about "State Game Reserves" ?
Is that right that we can hunt there if we're licensed for duck hunting during open duck season?

Please note;
- I do not have access to private property yet
(Hence why I'm looking at State Forests)
- Sorry about sounding ignorant
(I've been gone hunting before)

Thanks guys

I hope someone can help me with my questions

I can't wait to get into hunting!
:drinks:
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Blr243 » 26 Jul 2020, 9:09 pm

For me a hunt is a primitive Focused search , and has nothing to do with shooting or killing....once the pin hits the primer , the hunt is over
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Ferrisweil » 26 Jul 2020, 9:13 pm

Find someone to take you out. If you’re that “fresh” to it, you’ll need to learn from someone else. Also, don’t go wondering around in the bush by yourself until you’re a bit more experienced.
There’s a few things you haven’t asked.
Are you a confident navigator? Are you confident in the Australian bush? Even 4x4ing is not just a case of buying the car and hitting the tracks.
There is a LOT more to it than just heading bush and judging by your questions, no offense, but try and tag along with some other people for a while. I’m sure there’s clubs etc you can join to learn from more experienced people...
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Oldbloke » 26 Jul 2020, 10:10 pm

#5
The “More to Explore” app recommended by Game Management Authority, is it 100% accurate in terms showing you exactly where hunting is definitely 100% permissible? Is it 100% reliable? Or is there some other sort of web site or list that tells you exactly which state forests definitely allow hunting?
Or is it just a given that ALL state forests allow hunting?


No, I have personnally contacted them to inform them of 2 very significant errors. At least 1 has been fixed now. In both instances if I hunted the area I could have been in strife for having a firearm in illegal locations.

I won't go into details but there are errors. They even tell u when you open the app.

EDIT.
Looks like they finally fixed the other issue. Took 2 requests.

It's a great app, but new and some of the data is obviously not accurate. I guess it's a work I in progress.
Last edited by Oldbloke on 29 Jul 2020, 10:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Blr243 » 27 Jul 2020, 7:42 am

Gaiters, for keeping everything out of your socks and protection against snakebite ....walk slow stop and look more frequently....use binoculars a lot , beware of wind direction, learn animal habits and behaviour in advance Learn / think about gun safety in the field instead of just the range safety precautions
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by JimTom » 27 Jul 2020, 7:50 am

All good advice so far mate, however, given your specific questions, I would endeavour to go along on a hunt or two with an experienced hunter just to get that bit of exposure prior to spearing off into the scrub by yourself. Whilst hunting is a lot of fun, of course it also has a serious side and there are plenty of things that can bring you unstuck if you are ill prepared.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Peter988 » 27 Jul 2020, 8:26 am

Go and do some walking. Leave the rifle at home and take a camera and binoculars. Get some experience at quietly wandering the bush and learning about nature.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Blr243 » 27 Jul 2020, 10:52 am

Beware of the importance of being able operate safely under exciting situations eg accidentally bumping the trigger if you have to run....or running into logs if you chaseing pigs on a motorbike , learn to read the softness of soil if there has been some rain because u don’t want to get bogged and once deep ruts on the track harden later they become very dangerous for the landowner If he is riding a motorbike ....checking soft soil is best done daytime ....carry plugs and a pump for tyre punctures ....if the grass is long beware of clogging up your radiator ...if you are travelling in a vehicle at night and the track is overgrown or starts to become vague stop immediately and seriously consider turning around. Or risk spendIng hours trying to find your way out and buggering up your car in the process ....always carry a hat and water in a car even at night because if u break down you may need them next day walking back to camp. Carry spare batteries for your gps. Carry a small torch even if u don’t plan walking home in the dark. Learn to navigate by the stars. I have had to do this once when my gps failed .. be very aware of the competency and experience of those u hunt with ....blaze clothing is a very good idea esp for beginners.....spotlighting with zero alcohol in your system is better than having a single light beer with your dinner ...if anything goes wrong it’s easier to deal with the problem if u are 100 per cent sober instead of 95 per cent sober
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Jul 2020, 11:29 am

Public library
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TheFirearmEnthusiast » 27 Jul 2020, 1:40 pm

Ferrisweil;
Yeah, I think I’ll just tag along with someone and just learn from them
That’s definitely a good idea
Am I a confident navigator?
Well I know how to read maps, I know how to use a compass but that’s about it so not really I guess
I’m very basic I guess is what you could say when it comes to navigating
Am I confident in the Australia bush?
Probably not at all, I’ve never been

Oldbloke;
If the “More to Explore” map isn’t 100% reliable, what do you use to double check to make sure that where you’re hunting is definitely 100% allowed?
What do you use?

Blr243;
- Gaiters (for protection)
- Walk slow
- Stop
- Look more frequently
- Use binoculars a lot
- Be aware of wind direction
- Learn animal habitats and behaviour
- Gun safety in the field
Thank you so much for all the advices man, that’s very helpful, thank you!
It all makes sense

JimTom;
Thank JimTom
Yeah, I think I’ll tag along with someone to learn
That’s probably the best way to learn (hands on)
I do know 1x or 2x lads who hunt, I will have to ask them if I can tag along with them

Peter988;
Thanks man
I will go do some walking wandering the bush learning about nature etc
I think that would be good
Testing the waters a bit and what not
It makes sense to do a bit of reconnaissance

Blr243;
Thanks man for your in-depth advices
That’s all so very handy
Thank you
It’s a bit tricker for me I guess as I don’t know anything about four-wheel driving in the Australian bush
It's definitely an unfortunate disadvantage for me
It looks like I have a lot to learn
Time to hit the books about four-wheel driving lol
Or watch from other people how they do it
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Ferrisweil » 27 Jul 2020, 5:46 pm

What state are you in TFE?? If you’re in Qld, I could maybe help out sometime.
Thing is, experience, especially hunting experience, is something you can only learn from years of time in the field. I’m far from a “Les Hiddins” but I’m still confident enough in myself to get out of trouble If need be; however, I still learn new things about the environments and properties I shoot on all the time.
Take your time and be patient and good things will come....
I keep a “record” of every hunt/shoot I go on that records time of year/weather/places I go/numbers I get etc etc. A great little tool to use into the future and know where and how you’ve been successful in the past.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by CrackThump » 27 Jul 2020, 7:24 pm

Have you ever killed an animal before.? I found it to be a bit of a mental shift when i took my first kill, its not that it upset me, but it made me think.

I dunno, maybe Im part greenie, but my first kill made me empathise with the animal and motivated me to achieve proper shot placement. Lol, the first time I had to walk up to a dying animal and deliver a follow-up shot to finish it off I made the mistake of looking it in the eye.. i felt like a right c"nt. It certainly motivated me to be a better shot first time
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by GQshayne » 27 Jul 2020, 7:37 pm

CrackThump wrote:Have you ever killed an animal before.? I found it to be a bit of a mental shift when i took my first kill, its not that it upset me, but it made me think.

I dunno, maybe Im part greenie, but my first kill made me empathise with the animal and motivated me to achieve proper shot placement. Lol, the first time I had to walk up to a dying animal and deliver a follow-up shot to finish it off I made the mistake of looking it in the eye.. i felt like a right c"nt. It certainly motivated me to be a better shot first time


Sounds about right to me mate. :thumbsup:
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Jul 2020, 7:47 pm

CrackThump wrote:Have you ever killed an animal before.? I found it to be a bit of a mental shift when i took my first kill, its not that it upset me, but it made me think.

I dunno, maybe Im part greenie, but my first kill made me empathise with the animal and motivated me to achieve proper shot placement. Lol, the first time I had to walk up to a dying animal and deliver a follow-up shot to finish it off I made the mistake of looking it in the eye.. i felt like a right c"nt. It certainly motivated me to be a better shot first time



You are a good person.
They are a living entity and deserve a good death.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by CrackThump » 27 Jul 2020, 8:07 pm

Thanks guys :) I always wondered if i might have been being a bit pussy about it lol..
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by marksman » 27 Jul 2020, 8:49 pm

CrackThump wrote:Thanks guys :) I always wondered if i might have been being a bit pussy about it lol..


not a pussy
ethical :thumbsup: :drinks:
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TheFirearmEnthusiast » 27 Jul 2020, 9:10 pm

Ferrisweil wrote:What state are you in TFE?? If you’re in Qld, I could maybe help out sometime.
Thing is, experience, especially hunting experience, is something you can only learn from years of time in the field. I’m far from a “Les Hiddins” but I’m still confident enough in myself to get out of trouble If need be; however, I still learn new things about the environments and properties I shoot on all the time.
Take your time and be patient and good things will come....
I keep a “record” of every hunt/shoot I go on that records time of year/weather/places I go/numbers I get etc etc. A great little tool to use into the future and know where and how you’ve been successful in the past.

Sorry Ferrisweil
I'm in Victoria
Thank you for offering to help out though
That's very kind of you
:thumbsup:
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TheFirearmEnthusiast » 27 Jul 2020, 9:14 pm

CrackThump wrote:Have you ever killed an animal before.? I found it to be a bit of a mental shift when i took my first kill, its not that it upset me, but it made me think.

I dunno, maybe Im part greenie, but my first kill made me empathise with the animal and motivated me to achieve proper shot placement. Lol, the first time I had to walk up to a dying animal and deliver a follow-up shot to finish it off I made the mistake of looking it in the eye.. i felt like a right c"nt. It certainly motivated me to be a better shot first time

100%
Once I start hunting
I hope that I'll never have to do follow-up shots
I really hope so
I'll try my very best to be as accurate and precise as possible
That's for sure
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Ferrisweil » 27 Jul 2020, 9:57 pm

I hate to say, but if you do it long enough, everyone needs to “finish off“ a target at some point. It’s just a fact.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TheFirearmEnthusiast » 27 Jul 2020, 10:10 pm

Ferrisweil wrote:I hate to say, but if you do it long enough, everyone needs to “finish off“ a target at some point. It’s just a fact.

Yeah
I hope it takes a long time before that day comes
I'll try my absolute best
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Jul 2020, 11:08 pm

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https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Blr243 » 28 Jul 2020, 12:16 am

Excellent ethics crack thump Great attitude
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TassieTiger » 28 Jul 2020, 5:54 am

Ferrisweil wrote:I hate to say, but if you do it long enough, everyone needs to “finish off“ a target at some point. It’s just a fact.


Unfortunately it’s a fact...and one day, if you do it enough, your going to hear the animal make some noises that will never leave you...Ive heard them scream (rabbits and wallaby), Ive heard them sound like crying babies (Fallow deer)...these days, unless I’m freezer desperate, if I can’t guarantee the shot (meaning for me - off hand shots are very Very limited), I’ll not take the shot.

I cannot go shooting with the people “that I used” to be....And I won’t shoot for the sake of hunting (Bit different in Tas in that respect due to no foxes, pigs, etc)...if I’m not going to use the animal for my own / dog food, it doesn’t die by my hand...
Although - the thought crossed my mind the other day when I spent days setting up a bedding sand base - perfectly level - for a water tank...and that night a wombat decided he wanted to do “wombat angels” in the sand lol.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Blr243 » 28 Jul 2020, 11:03 am

There are diagrams on the internet that show kill zones Eg heart lung brain on different game animals ...these are worth looking at as is considering where the vital organs are when the animal is viewed from different angles .......you may know where your bullets are landing at 50 , 100, 150 and 200 but occasionally a small target will pop up right in your face ...it’s worth knowing where your bullet is landing at 15 m esp on smaller targets and esp if your scope is mounted high.....learning about projectile suitably design and construction is important to do
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TassieTiger » 28 Jul 2020, 12:51 pm

Blr243 wrote:There are diagrams on the internet that show kill zones Eg heart lung brain on different game animals ...these are worth looking at as is considering where the vital organs are when the animal is viewed from different angles .......you may know where your bullets are landing at 50 , 100, 150 and 200 but occasionally a small target will pop up right in your face ...it’s worth knowing where your bullet is landing at 15 m esp on smaller targets and esp if your scope is mounted high.....learning about projectile suitably design and construction is important to do


Very good point Blr - how many times (me included) has something done exactly as you say...jumped up 10m and the stare competition begins...you slowly raise your rifle and shoot 4“ over his head lol. I reckon I’ve seen more rabbits missed at less than 15m than At 50m
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Blr243 » 28 Jul 2020, 2:13 pm

I have a Thermal video of a cat sitting down As I let fly with a 87 grain v max ....I thought I was shooting over the top of an earth mound between the cat and I. But the cat gets up and walks of at the shot ...and the earth mound is now dead because it copped the bullet as it was rising up to my line of sight
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TheFirearmEnthusiast » 28 Jul 2020, 3:07 pm

Do I need a four wheel drive to have access into state forests guys?

Do you guys know?

(For Victoria)
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by SCJ429 » 28 Jul 2020, 9:38 pm

TheFirearmEnthusiast wrote:Do I need a four wheel drive to have access into state forests guys?

Do you guys know?

(For Victoria)


No you don't, just be sensible where you go. Park the car if it gets too rough and go for a stroll. You will always see more if you are walking than sitting in your car.
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Jul 2020, 12:06 am

So, you haven't mentioned target species or what you intend using?
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Re: School me on Hunting

Post by TheFirearmEnthusiast » 29 Jul 2020, 7:27 am

Oldbloke wrote:So, you haven't mentioned target species or what you intend using?

I wanna start hunting rabbits & hares OldBloke
Then I want to work my way up to goats as well
But I wanna start with rabbits and hares
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