AUSTRALIA: Back Country Hunt - NT Australia

[264]

R license can be RPL for the back country accreditation.
Accreditation and membership of a shooting association are required for the back country hunting access.

Davin at the north block gate

Bulldust advertising

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Great adventure mate, it's fantastic country. Keep it coming!

For the readers, I think it should be made clear that most of those licensing/firearm accreditation requirements are only to be a part of the public land Backcountry Hunting program. For those travelling here for a hunt with a licensed safari outfitter, it's much less onerous.

PS, edit to add, Mick just beat me to it

 

[264]

Hunt also requires to hunt with a local / Nt resident.

 

[deewayne2003]

@deewayne2003 Glad you had a great trip to the Top End, quite an adventure for you.

I'm a bit confused about some of your requirements. Why did you need an R-Licence and SSAA membership & insurance? Were you headed down to NSW for another hunt afterward?

ps While I doubt there's a requirement for liability insurance in the NT, it's undoubtedly a good idea.

Yes it’s confusing….

The NT BCH testing is only given in the classroom and there was no way the schedule could work for me to be there for it.

However the BCH will accept an R license from NSW; and the insurance and membership in a club with insurance was a requirement for BCH & NSW as well I believe.

The R license is available online so that was the only option that worked.

As 264 pointed out about RPL - it’s a drawn out task since hunting with local and not a safari outfit.

Hunting with a safari outfit cuts all this red tape.

Guiding whitetail deer hunts this weekend and will post second weeks events when I’m done.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[Ridgewalker]

WOW! I am so envious! I am regretting never doing a trip like this while young enough to survive it. Thanks so much for sharing such a grand adventure!

 

[deewayne2003]

Day 5:

My Apologies for being out of order on this; pics are not uploading from my computer so I am having to post and then edit on my phone to get the pics to come up.

Mitch starts the day off with a Nice boar and we continue covering the beds with Mick and I taking the east bank and Mitch taking the west; and shortly thereafter we hear multiple shots from Mitch's .300Win and cross the creek to see that Mitch has downed his best buff to date.

Such a peaceful waterhole…. What could be lurking under the surface?

 

[deewayne2003]

Day 7:

Locate the last cow buff of the small herd we ran into previously and as Mick as shown we put a backstrap on the fire with some season salt; another 350gr RNSP is recovered.

Day 8:

Hot Day with storm clouds building, No game sighted.

 

[deewayne2003]

Day 9:

We start the day earlier than planned because Mitch's phone is set for different time zone so we are an hour early in our departure of camp to stock on a buff carcass we found. Standing in the darkness for an hour we can hear pigs fighting at the carcass at sun up we make the approach.

We had a standing rule of not shooting others animals unless they were escaping; I knew Mitch had connected with his .300Win, however as the boar ran off I couldn't help but slow his departure by hitting him in the backside with a 404J.

Shortly after taking this pic we are back on the hunt, side hilling a creek and the rock I'm standing on gives way, I try to protect the rifle slung over my shoulder and end up falling knee first onto a rock and keep myself from sliding over the edge my catching a tree with my right hand.

After the midday rest we make our way back to camp and Mick & Mitch come to the conclusion that we should pack up and call it a hunt because of the heat and building storm clouds; this is welcomed news as I saves me the embarrassment of telling them I will not be hunting tomorrow because of my banged up knee.

 

[deewayne2003]

Day 10:

We pack things up first thing in the morning and head back to Adelaide River and get a pub meal and room.

At this point it’s apparent my knee is a little swollen…..

I begin liquid pain therapy and enjoy a hot shower.

Day 11:

We drive back to Darwin and secure Tintin buff skull and eat some Thai food before hitting the road south again.

As we drive across the vast desert of the NT I notice a sign “next emergency phone 74km” while I prep my phone to video the Kangaroos bounding across the highway.

This works a little too well and I capture a roo jumping infront of the Hilux and subsequently disappearing under it.

We pull over and see fluid pouring out from underneath the vehicle- thankfully it’s only the windshield washer fluid reservoir that’s been damaged.

 

[PCC600]

Day 10:

We pack things up first thing in the morning and head back to Adelaide River and get a pub meal and room.

At this point it’s apparent my knee is a little swollen…..
View attachment 564091

I begin liquid pain therapy and enjoy a hot shower.
View attachment 564092

Day 11:

We drive back to Darwin and secure Tintin buff skull and eat some Thai food before hitting the road south again.
View attachment 564094

As we drive across the vast desert of the NT I notice a sign “next emergency phone 74km” while I prep my phone to video the Kangaroos bounding across the highway.

This works a little too well and I capture a roo jumping infront of the Hilux and subsequently disappearing under it.

We pull over and see fluid pouring out from underneath the vehicle- thankfully it’s only the windshield washer fluid reservoir that’s been damaged.
View attachment 564095

Loving this story . I am a regular hunter in the area you visited around the Adelaide River . Never disappoints . Delighted to see the Bundaberg ( Bundie ) Rum and Coke providing pain relief !

 

[PCC600]

And it does get stinking hot in September which is early Spring . In the Northern Territory I only hunt from June through August ( our winter in OZ) . Pleasant warm days but up around Katherine it can get really cold at night .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Day 10:

We pack things up first thing in the morning and head back to Adelaide River and get a pub meal and room.

At this point it’s apparent my knee is a little swollen…..
View attachment 564091

I begin liquid pain therapy and enjoy a hot shower.
View attachment 564092

Day 11:

We drive back to Darwin and secure Tintin buff skull and eat some Thai food before hitting the road south again.
View attachment 564094

As we drive across the vast desert of the NT I notice a sign “next emergency phone 74km” while I prep my phone to video the Kangaroos bounding across the highway.

This works a little too well and I capture a roo jumping infront of the Hilux and subsequently disappearing under it.

We pull over and see fluid pouring out from underneath the vehicle- thankfully it’s only the windshield washer fluid reservoir that’s been damaged.
View attachment 564095

@deewayne2003
That Bundy sure cure or aid a multitude of ills from pain to cold.
To much can cause more pain tho.
Those big grasshoppers can just come out of nowhere.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Loving this story . I am a regular hunter in the area you visited around the Adelaide River . Never disappoints . Delighted to see the Bundaberg ( Bundie ) Rum and Coke providing pain relief !

@PCC600
Coke gives you a massive hang over.
I mix my Bundy with lemon ice tea and have not been hung over since.
Even @CBH Australia has sampled that at 9am and found it quite nice.
Chris thought it was a bit early but it was 5 o'clock somewhere.
Bob

 

[Shootist43]

Deewayne203, "THAT" sir was one fantastic hunting report. I'd never seen a" Road Train" before. Five trailers??? I've seen trucks with three trailers, but they are limited to traveling on the Interstate Hwys.

 

[Eddie_GE]

Thanks for sharing

 

[deewayne2003]

Deewayne203, "THAT" sir was one fantastic hunting report. I'd never seen a" Road Train" before. Five trailers??? I've seen trucks with three trailers, but they are limited to traveling on the Interstate Hwys.

Thank you, it was certainly different and inspiring the way equipment and goods are moved; although I’m sure accidents happen I do not recall seeing any wreckers at work or broken down trucks.

On the road between the remote towns/servos I can recall seeing road trains of…

5 containers of diesel fuel
A single complete CAT D11
3 cargo trailers with “Explosives” placards

Each of the trucks had the most effective “Roo guards” I’ve ever seen and I suspect they are built to cattle standards.

 

[deewayne2003]

A few random photos…

Bush tucker: Water Buffalo tenderloin on bamboo skewer.

Resting away the heat after a good feed.

My best gear list, Courteney boots, merino wool socks, battery pack with folding Solar panel, rechargeable head lamp and orthotics with blister prevention pads.

 

[264]

here's a few more pics-
Win 338-06 160TTSX

404J 350 PPSN

Mitch with long running shot 300WM 180 TTSX

top view of bower birds bower

early morning boar

London guns 500J 535 RNSP

didn't go far

 

[Tintin]

London guns 500J 535 RNSP
View attachment 564408
didn't go far
View attachment 564411

Nice Mick.

Always use enough gun