I've been a bit neglectful over the last few weeks. It's not like me to be honest as I generally have a solid work-ethic however it's been a few weeks since I went to the farm and did some culling...A role the owner of the land relies upon me to do. It's not through lack of opportunity, just that I've been more interested in devoting my time elsewhere.
I went tonight though figuring if I didn't the farmer might get annoyed and replace me as the official culling-shooter, something he can do on a moment's notice. So shooting I went. You can see me below on arrival just after 1730H, the sun was falling rapidly to the horizon so I hiked my way to where I'd operate fairly quickly to get set up. The animals tend to get more active at sundown so I wanted to be in-place, set and ready to operate.
I've got my culling rifle on my shoulder above and there it is below with me hand-modelling it. This was taken last night when I was getting my load-out sorted.
I built this rifle specifically for culling, based on a Tikka CTR .243 calibre stainless rifle. I've mounded it in a custom-made carbon fibre stock, bedded of course, fitted an APA GEN 3 Little Bastard muzzle brake, changed the bolt handle to carbon fibre for further weight-reduction, and fitted the Kahles 624i(6-24x56) scope with the SKMR3 reticle in first focal plane (MRAD). It's a fairly lightweight scope, but tough as hell, and the optics are amazing. Add to that the Atlas bi-pod, an Accuracy First scope level and it's complete; A decent culling rig, hard-hitting and accurate to 1000 metres plus.
Overall the rifle weighs in at only four kilograms so is relatively easy to carry around when moving, a good thing considering the size and terrain of the farm, and I've shot it accurately to great distance. I have to make head shots on kangaroos and so having a reliable and repeatable rifle is essential. Of course I need the skills as well, which I have.
I was settling down into position to await the setting of the sun and as usual tend to take in my surroundings. I ranged the field of fire and did all the shooting-related things but also listened to the birds, crickets, frogs, breeze in the trees and grass and generally felt pretty content to be away from people and closer to nature.
I'm fortunate to have sole-access to this property so running into someone is never going to happen and having that solitude gives me a lot of enjoyment...There's something beautiful and relaxing about sitting there as nature winds down for another day and the night creatures emerge. I find a lot of peace in it.
Of course the kookaburras herald the setting of the sun with their laughing call and then as the sun goes down which is when things get lively...Meaning I have to get my game face on and start shooting. Just before that happened I found a cool feather though, I think it may be from a kookaburra. Worth a snap I reckon. The blue colour on it was awesome but doesn't show well in the photo I'm afraid. You'll have to imagine it.
As the sun dipped the colours changed and I grabbed a few snaps to try and show it but I guess my phone photos don't really do it justice; You need to be there. Let me know if you want to, I'd be happy to have you along sometime.
Around 1930H the sun was gone and as the last colour drained from the sky I went to work. It was a productive evening in that regard although around 2030 I took the time to sit in the dark and watch the full moon rise which started off reddish-orange before making its way through to gold, yellow then off-white...It was a nice few minutes and then I decided it was time to call it a night. My headlight had died by then so I hiked back under moonlight only using my gun-mounted spotlight in the more difficult sections so I didn't fall off and die. Never a good thing as it's so much paperwork for the farmer. I don't mind being out there alone in the dark although it can feel a little spooky. I'm used to it and to be honest I'm the most dangerous thing out there, so I'm not worried.
I reported in to the farmer on the way home, gave him the numbers so he could add them to the annual tally; He has to keep records as his property is only allowed to cull a certain amount of kangaroos per year. He was happy with the count and I was happy knowing they will stay away for a few days after being shot at a little; That's actually the aim of it, not eradication.
Something I did notice tonight was rabbits, loads of rabbits, which is a problem. I don't normally shoot them, or see that many to be honest, so I have a suspicion he'll be on my back about doing so in the coming weeks. I'm not a fan of shooting rabbits, Especially around Easter as I like chocolate Easter eggs! Anyway, we'll see how that goes.
So, the farmer is happy, I've met my side-gig obligation and learned a valuable lesson...Two is one and one is none as far as certain equipment goes...Batteries for my head light I mean. I wasn't pleased I made that error, which is unusual for me, but I'll not do it again.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
How epic was the moon tonight! It was huge to. At least it was in Vic. Enjoyed watching that sunset and with it. Gone is summer :(
Sure was...I played it down in the post but yeah, I watched it crest the horizon and wow pretty much covers it.
By the time I arrived to where I was going to take a pic I missed it. But the moon was still full and bright. Lil Miss loved it
See one of your tags is "meatproduction" I take it the farmer utilizes the meat in some way..
The farm is beef cattle for the food market. I don't shoot cows though, just the kangaroos to help reduce their numbers and impact upon the farm, fences etc. They lay where they fall. When I shoot deer I take the meet. #meatproduction refers to the csttlefarm, not the kangaroos.
Always great to be out in the wild and away from folks, really helps me recharge. Interesting on the lights, certainly nice to have for the walk back. Back in the day when I used to hunt, it was often very early mornings. I used to go out extra early at like 3am just so I could hike into my spot in the dark. As long as there is a bit of moonlight, it's surprising how our eyes adjust and if one moves very slowly, as if stalking game, it's quite navigable even in fairly thick tree cover. Of course, I knew the area extremely well and no dangerous steep drop offs in the area. That's a lovely area, and will take you up on that visit if I can convince the wife to fly out. She not very enamored with all the dangerous creepy crawlies out there!
I usually use no lights to move about but I was in a dangerous section and with no phone service there it's not worth the risk. I won't forget my spare batteries even again though.
Yeah, so many things want to kill you out here but it's generally safe. Usually. Mostly. Sometimes. 😉
Yes, well I always use lights on the way out. (When I have them, dig dig lol). Imho it actually helps condition the critters and others that ah, there's a light, no loud noise, no threat, and the humans are leaving the area, we can just ignore that from now on and go about our business....
Yep, that's a definite strategy...When one has batteries! Lol.
So it turns out that rabbits don't bring chocolate eggs after all...
Lol...Damn it! Had I known I would have shot them all. Not really. They are so cute, all 500,000,000 of them messing up the country.
Hey, you live and learn, if you survive the learning experience 😎 I've been looking at a Tikka in 6.5 Creedmoor for a bit now, working up to pulling the trigger on buying it, how's your Tikka treated you?
In case you need a little extra motivation for shooting rabbits, here's a tune that might help
Speaking of rabbits, do you have any suggestions for making the meat less stringy?
I've had many Tikka rifles and still own a few. Never once has one let me down. Not once. I endorse them completely. Good value and great rifles. I'd be very doubtful that you would regret the decision. And 6.5CM is an awesome calibre. Have one, shoots like a laser.
Haha! Wabbits. Yeah this track helps, pass the 22LR. Sorry though, rabbit is rabbit...No cooking method improves it. 🙂
Amen.
A good friend of mine is dealing with a rabbit problem as well and was asking me about cooking them. I've tried rabbit every way I could think of and have yet to find one that I actually like, so I didn't have any helpful advice aside from don't.
Lol...Don't is probably the best rabbit recipe ever!
What a nice run down of your evening. I wasn't sure what you were culling for the first section of your post. I am pro hunting, especially when it's to keep population numbers in check for carrying capacity. The rabbits are worrying though. There was a rabbit population explosion on an island not far from where I used to live and they DECIMATED the vegetation to the point that there was actually not enough green food to sustain their numbers and they started dying off from starvation. The bunny huggers went ballistic when they found out but they were also the ones who blocked the application for problem animal management to capture/shoot to reduce the numbers 🙄
I love the colour of that feather, isn't there a bird that collects blue things for their nests? That might be in a different part of the world.
Have a great day and thanks for a good read 🙂
Hey there, thanks for your comment.
Yeah, I cull kangaroos, deer, foxes, hares and rabbits but generally only the first three.
So many don't understand the need for it, but still want reasonably priced meat at the supermarket. They prefer to rant at people like me, let me know how cruel I am, whilst eating their steak or bacon and eggs. I let them. No point arguing with stupid.
Good to see you understand the need...And yes rabbits are a huge problem here in Australia. Introduced species and all. Same with foxes.
Thanks for you comment. 😉
I have a minimum of two headlamps in my tank bag on the MC. One is just normal old headlamp but the other has the switch duct taped into the OFF position. The theory being that I'll always have one. I have spare batteries a little deeper in the bags...
Yes, this is legit. Using one's spare AA's and not replacing them is not. :)
If the rabbit population is growing you may want to talk to the farmer about maybe not culling so many roo's so that the natural predators of the rabbits need to hunt them instead of going after the carrion.
It is the small things we forget that can cause us the most harm, like batteries. I wonder what the percentage is of people being killed by wild life verse being killed by misstep when no one knows where they are.
Rabbits are introduced here, not native and the damage they do is immense. It's a massive problem really...They have no natural predator although the fox will look for them. The fox is also an introduced pest species and is shot on sight because they won't go after rabbits or carrion when there's chickens and sheep around. They attack the lambs, eat them from their soft parts then move on leaving the lamb to die...A farmer, or cull-operator like myself will always shoot a fox before anything else. Rabbits are baited generally. There's about 200 million of them in the country - Massive problem.
One of the kangaroos I shot last night was almost 6'5" well taller than myself and as they come through fences they destroy them. I reported one such fence last night. When the cattle get out and away it means additional cost which carries forward all the way to the consumer. At at around $1800 per head or so they farmers need to wring every bit of profit from it as the wholesaler doesn't pay more for them - Farming is becoming increasingly difficult with floods, drought, wildfire, rising costs, declining prices and so on. That's why I take a few kangaroos. When one gets shot at one tends to steer clear of the area for a while at least. Kangaroos are the same. It's an Australian issue I guess, and one that some don't understand but with 60-70 million kangaroos in the country it's a problem that will never end. Of course, it's a human problem, not a kangaroo problem. We put our farms in their territory after all, on their land.
The batteries thing...That was just dumb. I normally have spares for everything but used the AA's and never replaced them in my kit. A stupid mistake I got away with this time, but may not the next...But there won't be a next.
You should take one or both of your gun trainees out and give them the .22 and tell them rabbits only, have a bang up rabbit bashing weekend. range practice is fun, but it would let them put their practice to practicable use.
!ENGAGE 20
There's nothing like putting shooting skills into practice in the field and the .22LR is a great rifle to do it with. Bunny busting can be fun too...Hmm, you've given me an idea!
ENGAGEtokens.Oh, Such a nice headshot! :)
Have you been Cubbing?
Given the topic of the post, maybe best to use a different term than headshot, it could be misinterpreted...
LoL
Well, most believe my head is indeed a pumpkin, and not a very legit one, so pumpkin-shot could be supplanted for head shot?
Thank you for your ongoing support, it is greatly appreciated.
Agree! I was messing with the comment:)
Cubbing? I'm not altogether sure what that actually is to be honest.
Sorry about using that made up word! Taraz and I was discussing about our investment in CUB finance.
Lol...I've be wracking my brain for hours...Cubbing...Cubbing, WTF is cubbing.
He got me set up recently and we're going through some more this weekend. I don't know much mate, but he's been a big help.
Yeah, I figured. Both Taraz, Ash and I are all deep into this Liquidity Pool thing. They call it distributed finance, and it is the flavor of the month in crypto :)
We will chat in detail some other time, but it is fun! And may I say, very lucrative! Now I sound like a salesman!! Damn!
I had no idea how lucrative it was until I saw some figures with my own eyes and was pretty interested. Still, I'm clueless so didn't do anything until Taraz prompted. We had issues though and so I sent him my seed phrase and he set it up at his end. He also got a reasonable amount of his own funds in there and working for me. We'll work out the details later. Pretty good brother huh?
He is an excellent one! He was on it since the 1st evening of the launch... I started about 16 hours later..
I see some others have already mentioned it now, but in reading the last I had wondered if folks around there ate the rabbits.
A family friend would bring one every Christmas to my Grandmother and she would cook it and serve it up with all the other Christmas fare. To be honest, I'm not sure how she cooked it initially, but she would sprinkle a little thin BBQ sauce over it and I always liked it. Although I'm sure multiple generations back ate more of them, I never saw or ate them anywhere else in my time.
Some do yes, but it's not very common. It's sold in supermarkets though. after WW2 rabbits helped feed peoole In a country where there's wasn't a lot to go around. It's not so prevalent these days.
My operations out on that farm aren't hunting though, it's culling, and none of what I shoot leaves the farm unless it's a deer. It's actually illigal to shoot kangaroos and take the meat without government issued tags. Of course, that doesn't go for rabbits which are an intruduced pest species that government would dearly love to totally eradicate.
I've eaten rabbit now and then although it's not something I'd want to live on if there were other options.
Bunnies are adorable! But, when they start eating my flowers...not so much. Well, there goes that mystery with the chocolate eggs.
Nice side shuffle. Culling sounds so much... nicer. I didn't realize that they kept track of those they culled, I thought they only kept track of those they could count. (did that make sense?) How often do you have to go out there? Not spooked? Australia has some of the oddest things on their animal list - some that will even eat humans.
Thanks for sharing the adventure with us. Nice set of culling equipment.
Well, I purposely saved the rabbits last night so the world could enjoy chocolate eggs this weekend...Although, I guess the supermarket will fill that void!
With the kangaroos the land owner needs to apply for permission to control them and if granted a permit is granted with a number on it. This farm has 300 annually. I shoot and report them and it's up to the farmer to tally correctly, which none ever do. Say I shoot five, he might report three. Nothing else needs to be tracked in that way.
I can go whenever I like but generally I go weekly, but have been slack over the last few. I work for a big property group at executive level although would prefer to be able to shoot more out there...Work gets in way sometimes I guess.
I'm lucky to have the access to this property. Most shooters would never gain it and so I donthe right thing, report damaged fences, downed trees, troughs not working etc. And I get to go there and enjoy the benefits of seclusion and solitude.
That is really kind of cool. It reminds me of the present-day cowboys here that are hired to cull the coyote population when they start taking cattle down on the ranges. Sometimes even bobcats, but, usually they run them further up into the mountains.
I am familiar with tags, they usually give for hunting or nuisance and usually, they are deer or bear.
I am sure there are tons of people behind you just waiting for you to tire of it. :)) Thanks for the explanation. I saw in another comment that you don't like rabbits. My mom used to put rabbit (sometimes) in her pasta sauce and I loved it. I also had my fair share living in France. It sweetens the pot, to me. Although, if they are of the jackrabbit variety, they are not good.
Yep, that's pretty much it. I don't get paid for it, the reward for me is access to the land which is pretty much mine when I want it. It's a great privilege that I would never compromise. I've taken deer there too. I GPS it and my mate, a farmer, comes along and dresses it, hangs it for a months and then, venison. It's a good deal, but I don't shoot deer all the time.
The rabbit...It's not terrible, just not really my thing. I'll eat it though. I used to hunt boar, wild pigs a lot and we'd always take one for the pot...So good. Carrots, potatoes, onions, some herbs, garlic, salt and pepper...A legit meal when one is 500 kilometres away from anywhere. How long were you in France? I love France.
I love France. I was there for nine months. It was amazing, every single minute of it. I have never eaten a wild pig, most of the time, they run off snorting. LOL I think I would like one. We have made bear sausage and it is the best I have ever tasted! Of course, I couldn't eat it if I thought about it. You know, BEAR! Rabbit is a sweet meat and most people that weren't raised on it avoid having to use it. :))
Bear sausage? Hmm, I'm not sure I could do it...I guess meat is meat though. I've eaten crocodile, emu, camel, buffalo and so on...Reasonably common-place in the Top End of Australia...All pretty good to be honest. Also, there's lots of feral goats in Australia so invariably one ends up in the pot on a hunting trip. Not to bad, but not my favourite.
France is so nice...Great food in the main, although I find it a little fussy if you know what I mean. I'm a rather basic, simple sort of guy. Not uncouth or ill-mannered, just simple. So...bear sausages? Lol...Now I want to try some. I wonder what koala bears taste like.
It was a black bear and I'm telling you, if I had known what it was, I probably would have hurled. I had never heard of it, although now that I have, everyone claims it is the best sausage they ever had. I will say that they can carry "things" so you must make sure you cook it thoroughly... as with any wild game. I still can't eat it if I know what it is. It's psychological, I know....
France can be fussy, but, my mother was French, so I am used to that temperament. She is not fussy, but her relatives can be. But you are spot on. :))
Rabbits is a good problem to have. I could eat rabbit everyday its one of my favorites! haha
I've had a little in my day and have to say it wasn't too bad...It's not my favourite though. Have you had kangaroo? Needs to be cooked fairly carefully, not too much, but it's very lean and not too bad but again, not my favourite. I'm not fussy though, when I'm hungry I'd eat almost anything.
Rabits are way too cute , and they are awfully fast I think it is a tough target
The blue feather looked awesome
Hey Galen, Sounds like fun and looks beautiful. Really like your rifle.
It's a great spot and a privilege to have access. That rifle is a pleasure to shoot too, a really great all-rounder and I've worked up a great load for it. 86gr VMAX getting 2913fps at the muzzle.
Man reading this post made me feel like I'm down there with you lol great post!
I'm lucky to have the property and ability to shoot at whatever range I like, of course with culling work I typically won't shoot at over 500m as I need to make head shots. It's good though, and keeps me sharp for when I compete in practical long range comps around the country.
I'd take you shooting any day Jaynie; It'd be my total pleasure to do so.
And yeah, falling to ones' death tends to be a fairly permanent thing so...Best not do it often.
Thanks for commenting. x