by Ferrisweil » 31 Oct 2020, 4:13 pm
Hey mate. I do a lot of shooting in avo orchards and also a number of nurseries, both having Reasonably close proximity to other blocks.
I’m all thermal now and since going down this path a number of years ago now, the numbers we cull have skyrocketed.
Having said that, there is one orchard I shoot on where the numbers have steadily declined due to regular shooting.
One thing I’ve noticed about pigs eating avos is their size comparable to say pigs in western Qld. They bulk up alright and in my opinion, shotties are tough work in an orchard as you’ve gotta get pretty close to drop these bigger pigs and you also don’t wanna start hitting the avo trunks in a commercial orchard...
My shooting buddy and I have also just started using a thermal drone. Very effective in finding them and would be an awesome way to flush them off your block if you didn’t want to shoot them....
Another alternative is the blank shots that some farmers use on grain crops that can be automated to go off every hour to scare away ferals. Some places even use sounds recordings these days.
What I like about thermal though, is the precision you can use. You’re not rushing your shot by spooking the pigs with a spotlight, so you can be a lot more conscious of what’s behind your shot, and pick your line.
The main probs I’ve found is that in an orchard, the wind swirls a lot, so you’ve gotta be pretty sorted on not getting winded...
If you’re anywhere in SE Qld, shoot me a message mate and I’d be happy to come along with the thermal gear and have a look around your block with you. I’m more than happy not to shoot, that’s not my intention, as I’ve got access to more places to shoot on than I have time.
The avo blocks I shoot on are around 400 acres and we’re selective with our shots there as well, using 308’s, creeds and 22 mags on the hares that smash the saplings...
Happy to even have a yarn on the phone if that helps....
Just shoot me a message if ya want