Wallaby trip

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  • Last Post 01 April 2019
JeffinNZ posted this 12 April 2017

Last week my very good friend Glenn (of Montana) came hunting wallabies with me to the usual destination of Thompson's Hut. Another friend, Mark, was good enough to lend us one of his 4X4s for the trip without which it would not have been possible to access the area. Glenn last visited in 2008 so it was great to see him again and take him chasing the Southern High Country Gigantic Mouse again.

The weather forecast was not great with drizzle and then rain forecast. The track to the hut is historically a bit dodgy when wet as certain parts are clay and there can be lots of ruts. Booked to stay two nights we drove in on Monday and bailed on Tuesday afternoon when the rain began to set in. The last zig zag corner at the top of the track exiting the hut area was rutted and slick clay and had I not loaded the ice breaker chains we might still be there. The mud tyres clagged up super quick and it took no small amount of manoeuvring to get past this area.

To our happy surprise we saw quite a few wallabies on the way in as the track nears its peak. This was a good sign as I had been warned hunting might be lean. Getting to the hut we unloaded and I hit the hill with my .310 Cadet. Again to my surprise I was into game within sight of the hut. The first two shots I missed offhand and began to doubt my skills then one of the wallabies I missed stopped on the opposite side of the gully where I clocked it at 130m. Sliding the sight on the Cadet up to 100 yard setting as I know the load shoots high I hunkered down and landed a round on the wallaby. Not a perfect shot but I recovered the animal. The CBE 323-125 bullet I had hollow pointed over 5gr of Unique did the job. Venturing further on another animal presented at 80m uphill. Took me three shots to level it but the little Cadet flattened the 'mouse' on the spot. Stone dead by way of a chest shot. Before the conditions became too dim for the iron sights I downed two more 'roos and a probably 5th. I returned the hut delighted with how the little rifle had done on it's first wallaby trip.

The following morning I elected to carry my .40cal caplock Wesson. Loaded with 30gr 3Fg Swiss and a 98gr paper patched baby Minie ball departing at 1500fps I was sure this was a wallaby load. Taking the same route again it was not long before I sighted game though it was all beyond the range of the Wesson. Of the 15 projectiles I carried 12 I had HPed in my mini lathe but had not shot then assuming they would shoot fine. After numerous misses on shots I knew I was holding hard on I began to doubt the load. Finally two close shots of less then 20m allowed for clean kills but beyond this was no go. This aside I had a great time and was thrilled to finally take game with the little hollow based bullet the mould for which Glen Fryxell sent me many years ago. The last round I loaded was an unaltered bullet and upon returning the hut I sent it at a 12 inch gong 125m away striking the gone solidly. HHHHMMM. Best I don't HP those bullets again.

Glenn using Kiera's Hornet bagged a hare on the first afternoon and 4 'roos the following morning prior to use bugging out.

All in all a great trip away albeit a little shorter than planned. We stayed a night with my 'adopted parents' on the farm they manage which is en route to the wallaby property and Glenn learned a lot about the dairying business. Great times.

 

 

Cheers from New Zealand

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beagle6 posted this 01 April 2019

Jeff

The pictures were great; the countryside looks rugged and the bridge downright scary. A good story too.

Thanks for sharing it.

Beagle

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jchiggins posted this 31 March 2019

Sounds like fun.

But wouldn't it be easier to print the targets upside down for us in the USA?  

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delmarskid posted this 31 March 2019

That looks like a lot of fun.

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max503 posted this 31 March 2019

I would use my Winchester 30-30 for those giant mice.

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Notlwonk posted this 31 March 2019

Wallaby targets for the calm days and Coyote for the windy days.

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JeffinNZ posted this 31 March 2019

Ross: they’ll be upside down.

Cheers from New Zealand

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 31 March 2019

wallaby shoot !! ... i love it !! .... would we arctic dwellers have to hang the targets upside down ?? 

how about 

"  Great Last Annual Wallaby Walk-About and Shoot " .... ??

hey, i'm in !! 

ken

 

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Ross Smith posted this 30 March 2019

How about some wallaby targets for a fun postal shoot?

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 30 March 2019

thanks ... makes me want to go out back of the house and see if there are any giant mice here in farmersville, iowa ....

ken

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Robert35 posted this 30 March 2019

great!!!!

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JeffinNZ posted this 13 April 2017

Pure pest control this time David.  Kangaroo is OK eating so I suspect wallaby would be also but they can be pretty nasty to clean.

Cheers from New Zealand

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David Reiss posted this 13 April 2017

Jeff,

Do you eat them or are you one of the “snowflakes". I've read that their pinkish meat is like sweet pork.

 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
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JeffinNZ posted this 13 April 2017

That is the Hunter Hills.  South side. 

Cheers from New Zealand

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Tooweels posted this 13 April 2017

Great write up Jeff and awesome pic`s, its lovely country up there, Chased the same critters but in the Hunter hills a wee bit further south

 

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David Reiss posted this 13 April 2017

Duh, I'm blind.

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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shake posted this 12 April 2017

Good job,very interesting.

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JeffinNZ posted this 12 April 2017

The Wesson is the third photo from the bottom.

Cheers from New Zealand

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David Reiss posted this 12 April 2017

Great little story Jeff. It is always good to hear about hunting from other parts of the world. Would like to see a photo of the Wesson added. Still need you to bring that rifle when you come, I am warming a place for it.

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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