Water Valley in SA - anyone been?

[TassieTiger]

Anyone been to Water Valley in SA hunting?
A couple of well off friends have booked in to go - I was surprised at the prices, but these experiences are getting harder to come by so...just wondering if anyone has been ? If so, how did you rate it ? WhAt did you shoot / cost ?
Friend has advised $800 for a chittal and up to $2k if you shoot at a red...plus $495 pp for guiding with a minimum number of days...

[Stix]

Haha...nope...not me...

But if they would like to take me along, ill be sure & give them my honest opinion of the place...hell, id probably even carry the kill, bring the beer & cook for them too...!!...


Got a link...?

[TassieTiger]

It’s primary advertising is on FB which I’m not a member...but this is it.
http://www.magnumhunts.com.au/hunting_locations.html
And

https://m.facebook.com/HuntAustraliaSaf ... 09/?type=3

[Bill]

a mate of mine does a yearly cull on a nearby property, doesnt pay a cent

[Stix]

Gees Bill...

Its hard to hear that when ive got no immediate access to those hoofed tasties at the moment...

If only we were good shooting pen pal friends...
Maybe...just maybe...

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[TassieTiger]

Cmon Stix - “everyone’s” got a mate of mate that digs gold for a living lol

[Bill]

s**t stix I thought deer were easily accessible in SA, my old Rugby Coach when i played for Southern Suburbs in Adelaide use to bring massive Red deer steak in every thursday night after training, had a farm up Gawler way I think.

Looks like SA's got heaps of fallow

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-08/ ... a/10980494

[bigpete]

There's frigging heaps of deer in SA....problem is getting property access.
Bugger paying that amount to Brinkworth.

[Stix]

Great numbers of deer running around a state that doesn't allow its civilians who lack private access to hunt in its parks, has no relevance to people having lawful access to deer infested land...

But we all know that you know that, & like a little stir.. .



Or are you saying ive got access to your mates land to shoot deer... YAY...!!... ...just pm me the signed permission slip with address & contact details mate...

I operate with integrity so wont take more than i can eat, or that im granted permission to,. ....unless im specifically asked to tip more over of course...
Happy to process whole carcass too, so even the dogs get a win...

[Stix]

There's frigging heaps of deer in SA....problem is getting property access.
Bugger paying that amount to Brinkworth.

Here bloody here Pete...
If i had that sort of wealth id find a way to share the access that would keep the dikheads out, without charging that...but then we're all different i suppose...

The amount of deer that get knocked over & left to rot by a select few in the click this state is abhorrent...
Did you ever see the figures of what got tipped over a couple of years ago...

Anyway...I wouldnt have thought you'd have a problem with easy regular access to them living where you do though...

[Stix]

Hell...!!...Id even consider pimping myself out for a tick in the Red box on polling day for you Bill ol'mate...

[TassieTiger]

I’m a little surprised - ole mates have chosen this particular hunt - but going from photos...bloody heck - some huge drags there.
I’m sure they have their reasons regardless....4 ppl going for 4 days adds up significantly. Includes all meals, drinks, accomodation and caping of Any game (not mounting)...so on top of their guiding costs of $1600/2k a day - they have to pay for airfAres, transfers, getting their firearms sent over, between $1-2k to pull trigger - even if they wound an animal, that’s financially regarded as a hit, then they need to ship any trophy’s back and Then have mounted....sheesh - They will be $8k in each if they are successful...guess Theres money in Trades these days (in the right location that is)...

[Stix]

If you can afford it, go for it...
Good luck to em i say...

Its just a shame so many people dont & wont ever have such an opportunity...

[Die Judicii]

They are (sort of) farmed in a way.
The doctor I had when living down there owns property very close by, and knows the people that own it.
I'd be b*ggered if I'd pay there prices though.
Genuine free range is a better option in my views.

[bigpete]

There's frigging heaps of deer in SA....problem is getting property access.
Bugger paying that amount to Brinkworth.

Here bloody here Pete...
If i had that sort of wealth id find a way to share the access that would keep the dikheads out, without charging that...but then we're all different i suppose...

The amount of deer that get knocked over & left to rot by a select few in the click this state is abhorrent...
Did you ever see the figures of what got tipped over a couple of years ago...

Anyway...I wouldnt have thought you'd have a problem with easy regular access to them living where you do though...

I don't have too much of an issue lol.
Except when it's wet like now and I'm not allowed out on the block I hunt Dammit

[bigpete]

I’m a little surprised - ole mates have chosen this particular hunt - but going from photos...bloody heck - some huge drags there.
I’m sure they have their reasons regardless....4 ppl going for 4 days adds up significantly. Includes all meals, drinks, accomodation and caping of Any game (not mounting)...so on top of their guiding costs of $1600/2k a day - they have to pay for airfAres, transfers, getting their firearms sent over, between $1-2k to pull trigger - even if they wound an animal, that’s financially regarded as a hit, then they need to ship any trophy’s back and Then have mounted....sheesh - They will be $8k in each if they are successful...guess Theres money in Trades these days (in the right location that is)...

Would rather spend that sort of money on a trip to Africa,but each to their own

[bigpete]

They are (sort of) farmed in a way.
The doctor I had when living down there owns property very close by, and knows the people that own it.
I'd be b*ggered if I'd pay there prices though.
Genuine free range is a better option in my views.

They're pretty well farmed.

[TassieTiger]

Interesting theory - farmed ? To my knowledge the property is so large, that it’s not fenced and many tracked / tagged herds never leave the property boundaries due to size - so How is that farmed ?
Same question to you DJ - what is free range in today’s environment, when pockets of state forest or similar are often smaller than some legitimate farms ?

[Die Judicii]

Interesting theory - farmed ? To my knowledge the property is so large, that it’s not fenced and many tracked / tagged herds never leave the property boundaries due to size - so How is that farmed ?
Same question to you DJ - what is free range in today’s environment, when pockets of state forest or similar are often smaller than some legitimate farms ?

Depending on the person in a way,,,,, Some people that might own a block with a house on it and some trees might consider that large,, with said block being 7 acres.

Whereas another person might own land that is measured in square miles,,,,, and feel cramped.

However, my personal definition of "free range" means deer that are literally free roaming / breeding etc with no one or entity tracking or controlling
them in any way.

[bigpete]

Because he buys stock in to supplement numbers....hence why he has chital and stuff there....

[TassieTiger]

Interesting- wasn’t aware of that.

[Stix]

The definition of farmed, is just to keep animals for business....

Its not like they're a unique genetically & selectively bred by man species kept in pens & fed grain through a feeder & rounded up & guided through to the slaughter cage...

They are still wild free ranging animals--if they weren't wild & free ranging, they couldn't charge those prices for a traditional hunt...

[Die Judicii]

Hardly what ANYONE could call a hunt,,,,,,,,,, but I know of a place in Sth Aust that has various different breeds in paddocks (approx 5 acres each) that are bought from the farms that harvest the velvet.
When they reach the age where the velvet quality diminishes this guy buys em and brings them back to these small holding paddocks.
Then his "clients" pay a handsome fee to go out and shoot a stag.

The fences are the typical deer farm type and height.
There are only a couple of scattered trees in the paddocks.
You can easily see the fences on all four sides.
And the concentration of urine in such small paddocks is pretty strong.

After paying a handsome fee to shoot a stag,,,, they literally walk up to the fence,,, stick the barrel through,,,, and shoot their "trophy"

Fair dinkum,,, if I had to do something like that to hang a so called trophy on the wall,,,,,,,, I'd quit shooting altogether.

[TassieTiger]

DJ - ya reckon the guide is going to lead em in circles for 4 days lol. The fact is - it’s becoming a blurred event...how is a hunt like happening at WV on 400,000 open acres different to a farmer who has his crops raided nightly by Deer that have to stay in 10,000 acres because of deforestation ? The farmer - inadvertently ends up “baiting” the deer for shooters...hardly a hunt either...?

[Bill]

Funny stuff Stix's but years ago I helped out a South Aussie bloke who was keen as mustard to shoot his 1st Pig before he moved on from this planet. So I tapped the Western NSW bush telegraph and came up with a property that held limited pigs numbers but a genuine chance dues to a recent harvest and remnants of an open grain dump.

He drove 9hrs and I drove 7hrs, we scouted all the water holes with little too no sign on the first day. After sleeping a few hours and a solid plan to creep in a grain dump in the wee hrs, I flicked the headlights on and 1/2 dozen immature boars froze and then slowly trotted along a new fence line looking for hole.

I pulled up the Jeep and old mate had an easy 30m shot, Click.... poor fella had short stroked his Howa 308 and all the pigs took off like Ben Johnson at the Seoul Olympics

[Die Judicii]

I pulled up the Jeep and old mate had an easy 30m shot, Click.... poor fella had short stroked his Howa 308 and all the pigs took off like Ben Johnson at the Seoul Olympics

Don't ya just hate that when it happens ?
It's happened to me 3 times now.

[Bill]

Funny thing is he did during the afternoon when he had a crack at a fox also, didnt think much of it at the time and gave him the benefit of the doubt

[Oldbloke]

I didnt think it was possible to short stroke a rifle.

But then, i didnt think it was possible to leave a rifle bolt in the safe at home either till recently.

[Stix]

Lol...

Ive been off for a camping fishing & clay busting session & left the bag with all the ropes & swag/tent/shelter poles & 12 G at home...

And ive driven 2.5 hrs for a spotlighting overnighter...
...without the spotlight or the spare light...

It burns hey...

[Barnard]

Yes I've been there (Watervalley) for a guided Hunt.
My father and myself have taken many people out on many hunts and decided that it was time for someone else to guide 'us' on a hunt.

Watervalley has some absolute terrific deer there,....at certain times of the year,....in certain locations of the property.
Watervalley is host to several P.H's (professional hunters) or hunting guides in other words and a hunting trip can be made to be either fantastic or a disappointment, all depending on who you book your hunt with.
there are a couple of hunting businesses that use watervalley that I would not use as others who have used them have been let down.

however,...our guide that we hired was absolute professional in all manners and he knew his stuff.
over the three days we were there we had an absolutely fantastic time and came home with the following;
a large trophy grade 14 point red deer stag that the fussiest of hunters would foam over, that I shot at 190 meters.
a large fallow buck with a full and equal sided palm rack, that was shot at around 170 meters.
a fallow doe that we shot for meat that was shot at around 140 meters.

over the three days there we had the chance to stalk up to various species of deer on many occasion, to get a good look at them through bino's etc to see if they were trophy worthy etc.
long story short,...we had one of the best experiences one could ever have, and we plan on going again next april to get a rusa or a chital.

TassieTiger.
apart from the guide fees and accommodation fees, we paid $1700 just for the red stag alone, and I can't remember what we paid for the fallow buck.
was it worth it?
Absolutely.
Both the 'red', and the fallow, have been professionally taxidermized and are mounted in my fathers lounge room wall.(next to the Sambar and the Rusa heads )