I know the road you mentioned. Mate, I hunt all over. I've got a few good red deer blocks at Crows Nest that are also riddled with dogs but my Western QLD blocks (Charliville, Morven, Wyandra) have been good the last couple of years. I've been getting some good pigs around Goondiwindi and Moonie just of late.

I wonder if we could start "Roofari" down here and get them in the SCI record books.

...Only problem we would have is the fact the the greenies would jump up and down big time and the roos are protected.

Crows Nest...good red deer country. Never had the opportunity to hunt red deer. My eldest daughter lives in Toolgoolawah, but all of the properties out there are "spoken for". I've put feelers out, but it very difficult to get on these days. The ADA is also tying up a number of properties and property owners are happy with the way they operate.

Do you shoot the dogs at Crows Nest, or leave them so as to not alert the deer that you are there?

Haven't been down around Goondi or Moonie. Used to hunt between Wallangara and Tenterfield. Quite a few good roos and wallabies and bunnies, few pigs there too, but they were fairly small. Texas used to be the pig "capitol" of the Granite Belt, but not sure what its like there now. Fallow deer are starting to spread a bit now...which is good for the hunters but not the property owners.

Cheers, Vince

There's only so much of the year you can chase deer so yeah the dogs are endangered. In the last couple of years I've been introduced to the art of "howln' 'em in", very exciting stuff and somtimes a little nerve racking.

Howlin' them in...sounds like a lot of fun. Do you use a commercially made Howler or a homemade one? Might give that a try down around Stanthorpe...no shortage of dogs coming out of the State Forest down that way.

Cheers, Vince

No products here mate, just my own two lungs. Listen to the howls the dogs make and try to copy them. This will work better when they are breeding around May/June but it works all year round. Younger dogs are easier to call in than the older ones but you can be lucky. I also use a Scotch predator call with good results. Use it the same way you would a fox whistle. If you get a dog to come in stop calling and "squeak". Sort of like the noise a rubber ducky or a dog toy makes, purse your lips like for a kiss then suck in (bloody hard to explain in writing). This will hopefully keep him interested.

One tip- DON'T MISS! You won't call the same dog twice.

How did we get here from roo shooting??

I put a photo in my gallery of a big old dog I shot last year.

Nice dingo mate....where did you get him?

Was going out this week, but the weather is looking very nasty this week around Stanthorpe, so we are going next weekend. Need some 'roo meat for pet food badly.

Cheers, Vince

Don't let the weather scare you off Vince. I love hunting in the rain, the tracks are fresh and your scent goes straight to ground. You must be getting old mate!! Just kidding, let me know how you go.

That dog came from North of Crows Nest. He was known to the property owner as a calf killer. I was very popular after that hunt let me tell you.

The rain doesn't worry me mate...I spent 26 years as an Infantry soldier in the aussie Army...its the guy I go with who doesn't like it. He says he would much rather be out there in the dry and enjoy what the hunting rather than being cold, wet and miserable. I can understand that.

Having said that, I am just thankful to be out there, enjoying the bush and hunting...rain, hail, snow or shine. Damn, I sound like a Postman.

We were leaving today to go hunting, but the mate checked the long range forecast and it tells him that there are thunderstorms forecast for Stanthorpe this week. He lived in Stanthorpe for a number of years, so he knows the area pretty well. Next weekend and the first few days of next week are good, so we are going then.

If he decides not to go for whatever reason, then I suppose I won't be able to go. I don't have a 4WD, and I drive a Volvo 960 sedan and there is no way I can get back out of the campsite if there is any moisture on the ground. Getting in is ok...its all downhill, but getting back out...well that is another thing altogether. My car will get up the hill ok...if its bone dry, but the slightest bit of moisture and I'll be in trouble.

Cheers, Vince

OntheLasGallinas wrote:

I think they need to export them to the US and let them live inside one of those high-fenced hunting ranches. There, they will live a happy life, as long as they live, or until hunting season, which ever comes first. I hear that they are a challenging target. By the way, are they edible or are they like other marsupials, like possums--sort of greasy and unappealing

I had some in Australia last Feb......could have been the way it was cooked but I wouldn't go out of my way for any more.
Very dry, some what tough and bland.
It was prepared in a restaurant but I think the cook may have been at fault in how it was cooked.
Just my 2 cents

Took you long enough to post...I mean 7 days to get up the nerve to hit the submit key...

And you are very welcome to this fine site. Pull up a stump next to the fire and get one of Vince's beers and chat a bit...Your hunting likes and equipment and the like...

Gremlin wrote:

could have been the way it was cooked but I wouldn't go out of my way for any more. Very dry, some what tough and bland.

Cooked? Per my family I eat my meat raw, never a dry bite.

Actually I eat it all rare, but my family is so used to eating meat well done, the thought of eating meat rare makes their insides turn and they claim I may as well eat it raw.

Dimitri

I'm with you I like it raw,..... blue actually. Anything cooked beyond medium rare might as well be used to sole your huntin boots.
As for taking 7 days to hit the submit button I just was taking a gander at the site lookin for info on 300 WSM when I saw this post on Roos.
Best to wade in slowly .....make sure the water isn't too deep
As for the gear...I'm spoiled ...Love my Sako 7 mil but just had to have the new Bennelli R1 in 300WSM.
Finally worked up a couple of loads with Nosler and Barnes bullets not as tight as the Sako but whatta ya expect from an auto loader and thanks for the welcome

Oshawa huh? Interesting. Go to Gagnon much?

Dimitri

Yes I do .....I practically paid the mortgage on the place .....Well according to the wife anyway!!!!