- Joined
- Jan 29, 2010
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……. in the west of NSW. You know, nominally hunting however if I am being honest with myself, it was just to get the hell away from the world for a little. Prior to heading off I had been watching the weather pretty closely as we in the eastern states of Aus have been getting beaten up by constant weather events on and most of this year! I saw the area I was heading had received about 3inches of rain up until the weekend before I was heading out (with a number of the western river systems already in flood or with flood warnings in place. The property (been heading there since 1987) is NOT on a river, but once you get off sealed road after good rain it can get sporty. Good was the that the whole week before I left was dry bad was waking up last Friday to leave I see that a half inch had fallen bang on the place overnight. I was happy that most of Friday was warm and windy, that red dirt country dries out pretty quick. After about 7hrs on the road (going through areas where the main highway had been closed over the preceding days due to water), I got to where the black top ended and the dirt started, I was pretty happy that I was kicking up dust on that road in with only a few patches wet.
This is where the property starts….
…… and while the track on the place was sloppy it was passible.
Happy to unpack at the old homestead ….
Seeing as it is daylight saving time here, I went for a hunt in the late afternoon. Realised just how much rain there had been as once well worn track were wet and overgrown, the grass/weeds were waist deep in many places. On that first afternoon I could hear some hogs but with the grass not a chance of seeing them.
Strolled back watching the sun go…
I would like to say I bounded out of bed the following day and hunted before light but….well no…. that drive and work over the last few months meant that the quiet and solitude had the effect of me sleeping the sleep of the dead. It was glorious !!!!! Going by the note at the house no one else had been out there at all in the past month and I can happily report now I didn’t see or speak with a soul while I was these !!
I had packed more than my usual Sako .308 for the trip and I wanted to finally get my SSG properly zeroed and across the chronograph as well as zero the Marlin 45/70. As Saturday was already looking pretty last I thought I will drive to the makeshift range and get those jobs done. A whole 50m from the house the track was sodden
And on closer inspect the water was actually running
….never have I seen that there before !!!
Not to be deterred I made several shuttle trips walking down and back till I got set up. Elected to do the 45/70 as I really wanted to hunt with it this trip…..
….good and bad here, I discovered I needed a lower front sight and I ran out of elevation at the back and was still not on at 50yds. I would be able to hunt with it (knowing the hold) but still needs work.
Back to the house for a lazy lunch !
Oh so this big chook and her chick have obviously been living in and around the house yard over the last few weeks and she was not at all impressed by my presence !!
….over the week I saw them every day and at no point did she warm to the idea I was there.
This is where the property starts….
…… and while the track on the place was sloppy it was passible.
Happy to unpack at the old homestead ….
Seeing as it is daylight saving time here, I went for a hunt in the late afternoon. Realised just how much rain there had been as once well worn track were wet and overgrown, the grass/weeds were waist deep in many places. On that first afternoon I could hear some hogs but with the grass not a chance of seeing them.
Strolled back watching the sun go…
I would like to say I bounded out of bed the following day and hunted before light but….well no…. that drive and work over the last few months meant that the quiet and solitude had the effect of me sleeping the sleep of the dead. It was glorious !!!!! Going by the note at the house no one else had been out there at all in the past month and I can happily report now I didn’t see or speak with a soul while I was these !!
I had packed more than my usual Sako .308 for the trip and I wanted to finally get my SSG properly zeroed and across the chronograph as well as zero the Marlin 45/70. As Saturday was already looking pretty last I thought I will drive to the makeshift range and get those jobs done. A whole 50m from the house the track was sodden
And on closer inspect the water was actually running
….never have I seen that there before !!!
Not to be deterred I made several shuttle trips walking down and back till I got set up. Elected to do the 45/70 as I really wanted to hunt with it this trip…..
….good and bad here, I discovered I needed a lower front sight and I ran out of elevation at the back and was still not on at 50yds. I would be able to hunt with it (knowing the hold) but still needs work.
Back to the house for a lazy lunch !
Oh so this big chook and her chick have obviously been living in and around the house yard over the last few weeks and she was not at all impressed by my presence !!
….over the week I saw them every day and at no point did she warm to the idea I was there.
