Trapping central and North Queensland for wild dogs means you have to contend with everything that wants to wreck a trap-set, from wild pigs, to goannas, kangaroos and even the things you are there to protect, the cattle. You have to think outside the square.

I grew up looking up to those we now regard as legends of our youth. Now we have others who fit the same mould. One such man, lives on the south coast of NSW and in my mind, is a man amongst men.

Maybe it is time to look outside the square. The deer are the true "asset", we the hunters are secondary. Might be hard to accept for some but here are the basics of primary production.

Setting the traps is often the easy part, keeping them set and ready to catch a dog is usually the hardest thing, especially in wild pig and cattle country. Think outside the square and find the solutions.

When there are too many wild pigs on your trapline, you have to give up (never!) or fix the problem but remember to always maintain your routine.

When you are out trapping, never pick up a Wriggle Stick. Seriously, I prefer facing down a grizzly bear than a big brown snake or a Taipan. The real "snakes in the grass" are the ones that attached a political add to my last video. Green snakes are the ones you simply can't trust.

It had been a hard start to the trapline. Times like this you question technique and beat up on yourself. Often you just need to hold the faith and stick to your game-plan. Success is often not measured in numbers.

Twice we had tried and failed to get this big old red stag. This morning the wind had changed in our favour so we decided to use a direct approach through the old cultivation paddocks against the bush line. Gary had prepared for this moment a very long time.

Three good buddies from the Central West Branch of ADA decided to go on a Northern chital deer hunt. Clem had hunted with Clark the year before taking a great stag but was on a mission to find one just a size bigger. It was early in the season so would the stags be still soft or were they in Hard Velvet?

The fires caused such terrible damage to the area, then a flood compounded the problems. Countless thousands of native animals incinerated when they had nowhere to hide and most of the problems can be traced back to the unrealistic policies which do not allow landholders to burn at the right times. Then out of the hills come the wild dogs, dingoes and those crossed with domestic strains to make the issue even worse. Then along comes ol' Clark to try and level the issue and he is seen by some as the villain. Go figure

The first traps were in the ground but it was wet and the hills were green and lush. Not the best dog trapping conditions but we were feeling lucky.

The spirit to never give up even under the toughest conditions, to make the best of a bad situation and still crack a joke, has always been a true blue Aussie trait. Unfortunately, very few people still retain this virtue and that's what makes this guy so inspirational.

Here is a clip from a great hunt I guided about ten years ago. It turned about to be a classic example of what can be achieved when you adopt quality deer management principles and your efforts are supported by ethical free range recreational hunters. This was a hunt for the "Holy Grail" of red deer, the Imperial double seven.

With a great free range red stag under our belt, it was time to try for a fallow as well. Gary had his confidence back after some fine shooting the day before so we headed out on daybreak once again.

The Invasive Species Council has released the Feral Deer Strategy 2022/27 for public comment. This is your chance to have your say. The RIDGE group has asked me to produce a series of clips to explain this complex situation as best we can so that you, the hunter, landholder, outdoor enthusiast, homeowner in a suburb with newly arrived wild deer, concerned motorist etc, can better understand the whole situation. Please support this small group with their efforts.

The history of wild red deer in south eastern Queensland, Australia is quite amazing but something that has never been recognised used by Government. This Heritage herd of deer are still there, in the same rangeland they were introduced to but for how much longer? Follow their story by joining us for this series of videos.

If something has no value, is it worthless?

Unfortunately when anything, plant, animal or person, is given the label "Feral", it carries with it negative overtones. This has been done by design, it has been intentional and it has steered the narrative in the desired direction for those within Government who wish to have all wild deer removed. Once they are gone and once landholders are locked into a "Pest animal control" spiral, only licensed, accredited and fully scrutinised professional pest controllers will be allowed to own and use firearms. This issue (one of so many) is not about wild deer only, it is about your freedom and your hunting heritage. It is about total control.

If the Heritage Herd of red deer, running in the ranges of south eastern Queensland Australia, had the natural increase rate of other deer species around the globe, by now there would be millions of them but there simply isn't. In this clip, we look at the Limiting Factors keeping this great deer herd in a check.

I got the call from a mate down south who was loosing quite a few calves to a pack of wild dogs. Time to pack the Cruiser, load on Skunk and Dash, then hit the road.