How does one go from indoor ranges into hunting?

[DigaumSpider]

Good day, mates.

I'm an middle-age bloke who got into shooting late in life (38 yo when I started, been at it for 3 years).

As such, I never really had the opportunity to explore hunting and, to be quite frank, I don't feel the urge to go shooting a blank immovable piece of paper in an indoor range anymore.

I would like to know, living in Sydney, what would be the natural step to go from boring indoor shooting to varmint or hunting?

No, unfortunately, I don't own a property nor do I know anyone who does

Apart from varmint or game hunting, are there any dynamic activities you can do with a rifle or shotgun here in NSW (such as what they do in the US with multiple steel self-resetting targets you get to shoot and move?)?

Quite frankly, going into an indoor shooting range and firing at a piece of paper is something I only do to keep my license these days, but I have 0 pleasure or interest in it anymore, due to the enclosed and static nature of the thing.

Any and all advice will be welcome.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read and help a mate out.

[bigpete]

Never not hunted so don't know. Obviously need land and then just get amongst it

[Oldbloke]

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
This is my understanding regarding hunting in NSW could be corrected tho.

Farms are the main go. You will need to get permission to hunt on private property. Try asking mates, they may have a relative that has a farm. Next time your away camping try knocking on a few farm doors be polite and dress neat,,no cammo.

Public land hunting is available but you need an R lic. My understanding is pretty easy to get. Not expensive. There is a couple of additional requirements such as booking a "block" when you hunt public land.

Perhaps ask at your indoor range for more info.
Or do the Google for nsw r licence etc.

Someone here will soon chime in with more info.

Good luck sure beats shooting paper.

[Peterwho]

Great question digaumspider

I would join the Australian Deerhunting Association (ADA). It has branches in Sydney, hunter valley and starting another one down the south coast. Go to some of their meetings as a guest. ADA also runs hunting courses a couple of times a year.

What gun clubs are you a member of? St Mary’s serves an important part of the shooting community but check out some other ranges and get to know other shooters. They will be a mine of information.

As OB has already said an R license is essential.

Enjoy the journey

Best wishes

Peter

[DigaumSpider]

Great question digaumspider

I would join the Australian Deerhunting Association (ADA). It has branches in Sydney, hunter valley and starting another one down the south coast. Go to some of their meetings as a guest. ADA also runs hunting courses a couple of times a year.

What gun clubs are you a member of? St Mary’s serves an important part of the shooting community but check out some other ranges and get to know other shooters. They will be a mine of information.

As OB has already said an R license is essential.

Enjoy the journey

Best wishes

Peter

Good day, mate. I'm an SSAA member and St. Mary's indoor is my go-to, but as I said, I just don't feel the excitement of going in there just to shoot a piece of paper in an indoor enclosed space

I'll have a look at the ADA and also the R license.
The thing, I reckon, is even if I had the license, I wouldn't even know what to do, so I'd need someone with experience to show me the ropes first. ADA might just fit that bill, it seems...

Thanks.

[Oldbloke]

SSAA should be able to provide you with all the info you need. They also have sub clubs for hunting, including deer.

ADA is only interested in deer, nothing else.

IMHO try chasing easier game first, rabbits, fox, goats, pigs etc. Learn the basics. After a few years consider deer.

[Oldbloke]

https://ssaa.org.au/stories/stories-home.html

[yoshie]

R licence. 2 Million hectares

[bladeracer]

Good day, mates.

I'm an middle-age bloke who got into shooting late in life (38 yo when I started, been at it for 3 years).

As such, I never really had the opportunity to explore hunting and, to be quite frank, I don't feel the urge to go shooting a blank immovable piece of paper in an indoor range anymore.

I would like to know, living in Sydney, what would be the natural step to go from boring indoor shooting to varmint or hunting?

No, unfortunately, I don't own a property nor do I know anyone who does

Apart from varmint or game hunting, are there any dynamic activities you can do with a rifle or shotgun here in NSW (such as what they do in the US with multiple steel self-resetting targets you get to shoot and move?)?

Quite frankly, going into an indoor shooting range and firing at a piece of paper is something I only do to keep my license these days, but I have 0 pleasure or interest in it anymore, due to the enclosed and static nature of the thing.

Any and all advice will be welcome.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read and help a mate out.

In NSW you apply for your R-Licence then get out exploring the state forests open to hunting. Or simply make a trip down to Victoria and explore our state forests open to hunting without requiring any additional hunting licences.

If you want a bit more enjoyment out of target shooting you could look at Military Competition, using milsurp rifles and roughly shooting similar courses of fire to how troops trained with their rifles back in the day. ANZAC Range in Sydney would be worth having a look.

[Oldbloke]

Good day, mates.

I'm an middle-age bloke who got into shooting late in life (38 yo when I started, been at it for 3 years).

As such, I never really had the opportunity to explore hunting and, to be quite frank, I don't feel the urge to go shooting a blank immovable piece of paper in an indoor range anymore.

I would like to know, living in Sydney, what would be the natural step to go from boring indoor shooting to varmint or hunting?

No, unfortunately, I don't own a property nor do I know anyone who does

Apart from varmint or game hunting, are there any dynamic activities you can do with a rifle or shotgun here in NSW (such as what they do in the US with multiple steel self-resetting targets you get to shoot and move?)?

Quite frankly, going into an indoor shooting range and firing at a piece of paper is something I only do to keep my license these days, but I have 0 pleasure or interest in it anymore, due to the enclosed and static nature of the thing.

Any and all advice will be welcome.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read and help a mate out.

In NSW you apply for your R-Licence then get out exploring the state forests open to hunting. Or simply make a trip down to Victoria and explore our state forests open to hunting without requiring any additional hunting licences.

If you want a bit more enjoyment out of target shooting you could look at Military Competition, using milsurp rifles and roughly shooting similar courses of fire to how troops trained with their rifles back in the day. ANZAC Range in Sydney would be worth having a look.

Hey don't tell him that. He's from Sh1tly. Tell him to piss off.

Jokes aside, in Vic you do need a Game Licence for Deer to hunt deer. Um...$50PA if IIRC

[DigaumSpider]

Good day, mates.

I'm an middle-age bloke who got into shooting late in life (38 yo when I started, been at it for 3 years).

As such, I never really had the opportunity to explore hunting and, to be quite frank, I don't feel the urge to go shooting a blank immovable piece of paper in an indoor range anymore.

I would like to know, living in Sydney, what would be the natural step to go from boring indoor shooting to varmint or hunting?

No, unfortunately, I don't own a property nor do I know anyone who does

Apart from varmint or game hunting, are there any dynamic activities you can do with a rifle or shotgun here in NSW (such as what they do in the US with multiple steel self-resetting targets you get to shoot and move?)?

Quite frankly, going into an indoor shooting range and firing at a piece of paper is something I only do to keep my license these days, but I have 0 pleasure or interest in it anymore, due to the enclosed and static nature of the thing.

Any and all advice will be welcome.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read and help a mate out.

In NSW you apply for your R-Licence then get out exploring the state forests open to hunting. Or simply make a trip down to Victoria and explore our state forests open to hunting without requiring any additional hunting licences.

If you want a bit more enjoyment out of target shooting you could look at Military Competition, using milsurp rifles and roughly shooting similar courses of fire to how troops trained with their rifles back in the day. ANZAC Range in Sydney would be worth having a look.

Hey don't tell him that. He's from Sh1tly. Tell him to piss off.

Jokes aside, in Vic you do need a Game Licence for Deer to hunt deer. Um...$50PA if IIRC

Oi!

[DigaumSpider]

SSAA should be able to provide you with all the info you need. They also have sub clubs for hunting, including deer.

ADA is only interested in deer, nothing else.

IMHO try chasing easier game first, rabbits, fox, goats, pigs etc. Learn the basics. After a few years consider deer.

Your last comment aligns perfectly with what I was after, anyway. Start small, with the "varmint" types, then later move on to the hard (tracking and hard work to place the shot exactly where you need) deer.

I have a hunting and target practice license already, just not the "R" type, so I'll have a look at what SSAA has to offer me. Happy to pay for services and training as needed, but wanted to get some practice with someone who knows the drills first (and risks to avoid, especially) if that makes sense.
I have the proper sense of respect for nature and the dangers one faces, as well as need to understand what I need to be aware of when hunting in an area where other hunters can be present (getting shot is not on my bucket list of things to do before I move on from this world...).

Thanks!

[bladeracer]

Your last comment aligns perfectly with what I was after, anyway. Start small, with the "varmint" types, then later move on to the hard (tracking and hard work to place the shot exactly where you need) deer.

I have a hunting and target practice license already, just not the "R" type, so I'll have a look at what SSAA has to offer me. Happy to pay for services and training as needed, but wanted to get some practice with someone who knows the drills first (and risks to avoid, especially) if that makes sense.
I have the proper sense of respect for nature and the dangers one faces, as well as need to understand what I need to be aware of when hunting in an area where other hunters can be present (getting shot is not on my bucket list of things to do before I move on from this world...).

Thanks!

Although ADA only focus on deer hunting, they do hold fairly regular courses on hunting them, as well as what to do with the animal after you have it down. It could be a useful education toward hunting generally even if you are not yet ready to chase the larger beasts.

In NSW they strictly limit how many people can be actively hunting in any specific forest so the chance of getting shot is probably very remote, but always there. In Victoria we have no such restriction so it's possible there might be dozens of other people hunting around you, also very unlikely though, we have a great deal of public land here for hunting, and the more remote you go the better your chances of finding game I think. Still a whole lot safer than lots of other recreational activities you could opt for instead

[Oldbloke]

SSAA should be able to provide you with all the info you need. They also have sub clubs for hunting, including deer.

ADA is only interested in deer, nothing else.

IMHO try chasing easier game first, rabbits, fox, goats, pigs etc. Learn the basics. After a few years consider deer.

Your last comment aligns perfectly with what I was after, anyway. Start small, with the "varmint" types, then later move on to the hard (tracking and hard work to place the shot exactly where you need) deer.

I have a hunting and target practice license already, just not the "R" type, so I'll have a look at what SSAA has to offer me. Happy to pay for services and training as needed, but wanted to get some practice with someone who knows the drills first (and risks to avoid, especially) if that makes sense.
I have the proper sense of respect for nature and the dangers one faces, as well as need to understand what I need to be aware of when hunting in an area where other hunters can be present (getting shot is not on my bucket list of things to do before I move on from this world...).


Thanks!

I just wear a red cap or beanie on public land, especially on weekends. Orange is very popular.

Blue is another good option but most animals are switched onto blue.

[Blr243]

This takes me back 30 plus years. When I was in the kimberlies I was invited to go donkey shooting . It’s not really hunting it’s more like roo shooting from vehicles The stations are huge. There’s a lot of kilometres to cover. Then when I moved to brisbane I was invited to go pig shooting. I liked it. So I knew if I wanted to keep doing it regularly I needed to find my own access instead of relying on invitations that don’t come along much if at all .. there’s lots of stuff to learn long before you get your feet on the ground. Studying animal behaviour is pretty important…. Then try some IHP … you will learn a lot doing that even if you don’t see anything. Respecting the land and the stock and the owners is massively important. They want 10/10 behaviour and if they don’t get it you will be booted. Respect is not enough if if you are super careful and respectful. The most diligent responsible hunter can still stuff up because of lack of knowledge. We are city slickers remember. We are not grazier or farmers. We don’t know jack about the land but we learn from experience and with common sense. Eg super care when moving around stock so they don’t get a fright and start crashing thru fences. U must remember that cattle are a prey animal. They are nervous about wild dogs attacking their calves. So when they are relaxed and all of a sudden they see a human unexpectedly they get an adrenaline rush and they can react and spook and start a stampede simply as a result of an emotional reaction to something knew. Once they have created a safe distance between themselves and the potential threat they will settle , but it’s too late after they have crashed thru a gate and now the land owner is not happy at all. So if u can move super carefully around them do so , and as soon as they see me I instantly pull up. I give them a chance to see me stationary so they have a chance to think clearly about what I am and that I’m no threat to them. That’s just an example.

[Oldbloke]

This takes me back 30 plus years. When I was in the kimberlies I was invited to go donkey shooting . It’s not really hunting it’s more like roo shooting from vehicles The stations are huge. There’s a lot of kilometres to cover. Then when I moved to brisbane I was invited to go pig shooting. I liked it. So I knew if I wanted to keep doing it regularly I needed to find my own access instead of relying on invitations that don’t come along much if at all .. there’s lots of stuff to learn long before you get your feet on the ground. Studying animal behaviour is pretty important…. Then try some IHP … you will learn a lot doing that even if you don’t see anything. Respecting the land and the stock and the owners is massively important. They want 10/10 behaviour and if they don’t get it you will be booted. Respect is not enough if if you are super careful and respectful. The most diligent responsible hunter can still stuff up because of lack of knowledge. We are city slickers remember. We are not grazier or farmers. We don’t know jack about the land but we learn from experience and with common sense. Eg super care when moving around stock so they don’t get a fright and start crashing thru fences. U must remember that cattle are a prey animal. They are nervous about wild dogs attacking their calves. So when they are relaxed and all of a sudden they see a human unexpectedly they get an adrenaline rush and they can react and spook and start a stampede simply as a result of an emotional reaction to something knew. Once they have created a safe distance between themselves and the potential threat they will settle , but it’s too late after they have crashed thru a gate and now the land owner is not happy at all. So if u can move super carefully around them do so , and as soon as they see me I instantly pull up. I give them a chance to see me stationary so they have a chance to think clearly about what I am and that I’m no threat to them. That’s just an example.

We definitely need a like button.

[Blr243]

Ok. Let’s make our own like button …..LIKE …… Done

[Blr243]

The spooky cattle remind me of some cattle that were the opposite. In 2019 I was regularly hunting a big farm ( crops only ). I had access to the small neighbours block that had about 3 dozen head of mixed cattle on it. I only visited the paddock at night to thermal shoot pigs and foxes ( mostly real dumb young foxes). The cattle got used to me and they got to know me real well. They knew exactly what I was doin there too .. as soon as they located me walking into the wind most of them would move around behind me and walk slowly behind me during my stalk. If I stopped they stopped. And as soon as I started moving forward they followed slowly and quietly . Eventually I was close enough so I laid down prone and took the shot . At the sound of the shot , no reaction from the cattle. They were just so cool and never startled . As I got up and walked over to take a photo of the game the cattle would walk over as well to see what I had shot. I doubt if I will ever encounter cattle like that again

[Blr243]

Ok. Let’s make our own like button …..LIKE …… Done

[DigaumSpider]

Thank you very much for those insights. I've spent some time on a farm when I was young, but back then (not in Australia) guns were (and still are) illegal, so hunting was never a part of my life, although the experience with the animals was something I'll never forget.

One of the reasons why I made this post was to find more information - respect for the land, landowners and the animals always - and make sure I'm not stuffing up, as my goal is always to be that 10/10 in everything I do. When firearms are involved, this needs to be 11/10, even.

Again, I appreciate the information you all have provided so far. A lot of useful stuff, some I'm even actioning already (taking the R license course and learning before I can get one) but I'll still appreciate it if you all can add more information here, as I'm always open to learning more.

Thanks again.

[Oldbloke]

Mmm, perhaps this will help. Not my work.

Bush stalking for dummies.PDF

(52.53 KiB) Downloaded 174 times

[Jackaroo]

If you're sick of paper.-
Join a club that shoots IPSC
Join a club that shoots Western Action
Try clay target shooting

[isaacfm]

Great question digaumspider

I would join the Australian Deerhunting Association (ADA). It has branches in Sydney, hunter valley and starting another one down the south coast. Go to some of their meetings as a guest. ADA also runs hunting courses a couple of times a year.

What gun clubs are you a member of? St Mary’s serves an important part of the shooting community but check out some other ranges and get to know other shooters. They will be a mine of information.

As OB has already said an R license is essential.

Enjoy the journey

Best wishes

Peter

Good day, mate. I'm an SSAA member and St. Mary's indoor is my go-to, but as I said, I just don't feel the excitement of going in there just to shoot a piece of paper in an indoor enclosed space

I'll have a look at the ADA and also the R license.
The thing, I reckon, is even if I had the license, I wouldn't even know what to do, so I'd need someone with experience to show me the ropes first. ADA might just fit that bill, it seems...

Thanks.

Definitely grab your R-license. There's a few decent resources online to read up/watch. Aussie Bush Harvest has some good videos on youtube for hunting NSW state forests, particularly one titled "How to Hunt State Forests" funnily enough.

I was in a similar situation, currently just going for armed bushwalks and trying to pick up bits of knowledge from where I can.

[Blr243]

There’s an old phrase. Instead of walk a lot looking little , walk a little and look alot … It’s crucial because u can’t see properly when u are walking. You only see the obvious big things like movement and colour. So what I do apart from slow my pace is count my steps then stop and look. It could be with eyes or it could be with Binos. It could be ten steps or 100 steps depending on terrain and situation….. if u are not looking properly you are just flushing game everywhere you go …. For me if I were to define the word hunt it’s not shooting and killing. A hunt is a search

[Flyonline]

Hell if I can do it, anyone can. I had no background in firearms so you're well ahead of me there. I picked the bow for a few years before getting my firearms license, but again no background in hunting before that either (fished though).

Honestly, just get out there and have a go. You don't need a license to go for a bushwalk (sans gun/bow) and look for sign or animals. Practice stalking anything, roos/wallabies, sheep in a paddock, the dog having a nap in the sun - it's all good practice. Pick a spot that you think might work and get to know it. Each time you go, you'll be adding knowledge and before you know it you'll start seeing animals, even if it is the north end of a south bound deer exiting at full speed. Yes going with someone or a club will expedite the learning curve, but I'm proof you can do it completely by yourself with no more help than reading books or watching yewtube.

You're lucky that you can search the forests and see what has been harvested in NSW, here in Vic, it's word of mouth or get out there yourself and have a look (for the most part). If you can find goats, they'd be my pick to learn on as they're more stupid than deer, are easier to find being white (often), smelly and call to each other and you can shoot them with just about any caliber. If you get busted they'll run away for 5min then forget about you and go back to feeding so you may get another chance at them.

Personally, I find sitting still boring as heck, so I'll often break it up and stalk into an area and then sit and wait the last couple of hours til dark. No arguments that it's probably the best way to get close to game, particularly deer. Gully junctions are a good place to start, as are open flats with surrounding bush.

Get used to taking shots in awkward positions, there isn't always a nice easy rest just in the perfect spot. Taking a crack at a rock on an opposite face of a gully is a good way to keep your eye in.

99% of the time you'll be wanting to walk into the wind or expecting the animals to come downwind to you when hunting as any game that smells you will bugger off quick smart. You can get away with noise and a little bit of movement sometimes, but you can't hide your scent. Get to learn how the winds change through the day which is usually downhill in the cooler morning/evening and uphill in the warmer middle part of the day. The local weather will influence this a lot, so a moderate East wind can over-ride the rising warm air on a West face (for example). Then you have the effect of topogrophy, clouds, true thermals etc. which can make the wind switch directions more times than a swinging voter at election time..

Be aware if you end up in Vic that you need minimum calibers and projectile weights for deer (.270 and bigger with 130gr projectile for sambar, rusa and reds, .243 and 80gr fallow, chital and hog).

For the R license side, check out

Good luck and have fun, it's addictive though!!

Steve