Just back from a week in Qld , attending a RIDGE-run hunter education course with my son Matt. it seemed like a good way for him to learn some hunting tips and skills , and have an adventure at the same time .

Heres a couple of pics of some cull red hinds we bagged on the last evening of the course . Not very exciting maybe , but it was a cull hunt , not a trophy hunt after all.

Matts deer was about 10 years old and mud fat . Mine was as grey around the face as me , and nearly as old - aged at in excess of 16 and probably 20 ......

Congratulations to Matt and you. Yup, it isn't buffalo hunting, but it's being out in the bush and hunting - both in short supply in some places.

Congrats on getting him interested. Wish my son showed any interest whatsoever ..... can lead a horse to water, but can't make him drink.

Young Man got the right start to his international hunting career.

His first red deer too.

That's great, hope he's got the bug now and can't wait til the next hunt.

Hey, just how old do you have to be to grow a gray beard??

THanks for sharing the fine pics and story with us.

my beard only went grey after Matt started outshooting me when he was about 9...

I hope Matt realises what a lucky little beggar he is, having a "greybeard" to show him the ropes.

Well done Matt !!

Don't let them give you a hard time about it not being a 'real hunt'.You're starting out and have lots to learn ,take the opportunity.That should also include how to butcher and cook the animal .
I'm at an age where it's more and more difficult to sit out in the cold waiting for deer so I do most of my hunting at a preserve.We cull 1.5 year old red deer ,yes in NY state !!
Good time to test bullet performance, new gun etc.

Nice one Muzza. Definitely look to have some age alright.

And the deer look old too.

Well done fellas!!

quote:

Not very exciting maybe , but it was a cull hunt , not a trophy hunt after all.

I'll disagree with you on that one Muzz, good times hunting with a son or daughter will always get the nod over horns or antlers for me any day.
Well done to the pair of you.

It was a fun week , from start to finish. The hunting course was the excuse to go to Oz in the first place , the other days were a bonus and an adventure in themselves.

The young fella has a few animals to his credit now - shot his first goat at 7 and his first fallow deer at 9 so he has had a bit of experience , but its always nice to go somewhere differant.I dont claim to be a trophy hunter but we do have a couple of nice heads on the wall , and hope to get a few more yet between us .

I'm hoping he gets a good job and takes his parents to Africa to hunt before they get too old and decrepit... ;-)

Oh what....you could even call while you were here? ........

yeah , coulda but didnt ... ;-) no cellphone reception where we were , and you didnt give me your phone number anyway

And nowhere near Toowoomba anyway , and relying on others for transport

Just too many toos.....

Ah well maybe next time

Yeah that's the way it always is: one excuse after another.
UNLESS you wait for days or hours on someone and have to leave for five minutes. Then you can count on 'em to show and be gone before you can get back. That's tne one that burns me most!

Good luck getting together before long.

yeah - Bakes could always come to NZ sometime .....

One day Muzza...one day I shall journey to the land of the funny talkers

why would you want to go to Victoria , mate ?

Nice.