2021 Fallow Deer Rut - I've been keen as to get out hunting fallow bucks this year after the debacle that was 2020 and COVID lockdowns. Like most Hunter Valley NSW deer habitat, Feral pig numbers have certainly spiked recently with some big boars getting around in prime condition.

This is part #2 of a two part series on my late March adventures hunting these amazing animals. Feral and introduced game these critters may be. But as passionate hunters we cherish the opportunity in the rut for dynamic hunting.

On this trip I'm back shooting my 308 Winchester and the XQ50 Thermion scope. I had the ATV quadbike, all the thermal gear and night lights plus an ammo box full of Hornady 150 grain SST reloads. Unfortunately the feral pigs didn't come out to play but I managed to thin out two feral cats, a dozen foxes and a few other assorted feral critters. (I may have shot another mouse.....)

These feral invasive animals don't stand much of a sporting chance with this type of pest control / shooting / night hunting. But that's the idea......... Critters on the deck and not killing native animals is the aim of the game !!!

2021 Fallow Deer Rut - I've been keen as to get out hunting fallow bucks this year after the debacle that was 2020 and COVID lockdowns. Like most Hunter Valley NSW deer habitat, Feral pig numbers have certainly spiked recently with some big boars getting around in prime condition.

This is part #1 of a two part series on my late March adventures hunting these amazing animals. Feral and introduced game these critters may be. But as passionate hunters we cherish the opportunity in the rut for dynamic hunting.

Hunting predator species in Australia at night, AKA - Wild Dogs and Foxes. This is an activity I'm out doing a few nights a week with my thermal hunting equipment. Currently running both a thermal scanner and thermal scope. Wicked combo and it certainly changes the odds in the dark.

Shooting foxes is just something I action if the dog sign is minimal and no wild dog sightings have occurred on the properties.

There has been some local livestock loss in this area but the wild dogs have been very fickle for weeks. Activity is very sporadic and they are very brazen animals. Some kills have been house pets 40 meters from a home.

Rabbit hunting with my new custom Tikka T3 chambered in 6mm BR. This was a quick overnight zip up to a property I hunt in the New England of NSW, Australia. I had the ATV Quadbike in tow and a few tools to thin a few problem rabbits out. The rabbits have been doing a bit of damage to a freshly sown crop of oats and lucerne, This video like most of mine is purley pest control. I'm not shooting them for the pot.

As usual there are always a few troublesome foxes around to hammer as well.

You can probably tell but I'm very happy with how the new 6BR is working out. The carbon fibre stock is very comfortable to shoot in all field positions I encounter. And the carbon fibre wrapped barrel is fantastic so far. Zero complaints running either 75 or 87 grain V-Max's through it.

On this trip I was out hunting and shooting again on the ATV with thermal equipment. Great to get a few miles under the wheels on the quad, explore a new area and shoot some feral animals for the farmer.

Feral pig numbers are on the rise again with the rain and abundance of feed. Catch 22 trying to shoot them as it's extremely difficult to see them in the 1m + long grass. Even with thermal hunting equipment you can only achieve so much.

This little swift overnight hunt was into a new area for me. Well worth the effort and it will be a very rewarding location with a huge spectrum of target species.

With the NSW mouse plague still in full swing I was back into a few with the rifles and thermal. This time I was shooting the vermin with my 6BR and 204 Ruger fitted with a Pulsar Thermion XQ50 thermal rifle scope. The rabbits were also about but I've certainly put a dent in those in the last few months compared to what they were.

Mice shooting certainly makes for a challenging small target that is often not very static. The little buggers jump and scurry around like crazy.

A short little fallow deer hunt to fill my freezer with fresh venison. Was also the 1st deer down for my new custom 30-06 running 178 grain Hornady ELD-X projectiles.

Hunting Aussie predators, AKA - Wild Dogs and Foxes. This is the first use for my freshly customised Tikka T3 with a carbon fibre wrapped barrel and carbon fibre rifle stock. Cartridge choice I have gone with 6mm BR. Very happy with it so far.

This specific property has sustained some recent livestock losses to the wild dogs unfortunately. No they are NOT dingo's I'm hunting. As usual foxes are on the cards only once I've exhausted options on the wild dogs.

I didn't think a specific mouse hunt with thermal was on the cards for me, EVER. But as you will see I certainly thinned a few pests out with the little Lithgow LA101 22LR running the Thermion XQ50 thermal rifle scope. If anything it was excellent shooting practice and a great first official hunt for my new 22LR. Some of you guys thought it entertaining that I shot a mouse with my 308win recently. Well I can assure you the 22LR shooting CCI Stingers at 1620fps had a better result with much less noise and cost.

I gain a lot of my private property access to do specific pest control for the owners. If they call for a little hand, I'll do what I can. After talking to the 72yr old farmer he has only seen a mouse plague like this 3 times in all his years. Certainly something I have not experienced. And I can only imagine how annoying it must be living out there. It was an odd thing with that many mice about, they are quite vocal in the paddocks at night chirping and squeeking at one another as they scurry around.

I very nearly called this video mouse masacre but though it was rough enough without that fanfare.

This ATV hunting trip was off to a rough start with all the recent rain. The planned hunting property was cancelled mid route and I diverted to another (Fortunately). Unfortunately for all the rabbits I had packed gear for a pig and goat hunt. So the little pests copped it with the 308 Win running 130gr Speer Hollow Points. Massively over-gunned but at least it's ethical, If messy........

A regular weekly venture hunting predators AKA wilds dogs and foxes with Thermal. I don't often get caught unawares but I did on this hunt. The wild dogs are becoming an enormous issue in my local area. Hunting them with thermal optics at night time is probably the most efficient ground shooting method. It takes a lot of patience and just being plan stubborn some nights.