Bakes
I think it was back in march you were interested in hunting Reds in Queensland. Well I can tell you, that if you join RIDGE you can most likely do it every year and have a good chance of getting one. For the last 4 years I have been hunting with RIDGE and had ample oppurtunity to get a Red every year except this year, as I arrived they had stopped roaring. I still came close to getting one I was within 20 metres of one in bloody lantana. I could smell him hear him but couldn't see him. The bloke who runs this show is Clark McGhie, one of the finest fellows you could ever meet. I never thought about hunting for reds in Aussie until RIDGE came along, all the hunters feel the same way, also. This club needs new members, as there are heaps of country available. Unless we get new members, this operation might go under. Next the government will declare the deer feral, and the chillers will clean them up. We have a nucleus of dedicated Red deer hunters, but that number needs to be expanded to keep this operation going. You don't have to go to NZ to get a Red. I have got two nice stags, but I have had a lot more than that in the experience of being in this great deer hunting country.
Any Americans or others outside of Aussie can be catered for. I remember on my first hunt there was an American lady who got a 6X6. I got a5X5 in my 1st year.
Anyhow this is a bargain hunt for Aussies, unguided, or guided if you want for a day or so. Clark is planning a hunt up in New Caledonia for members, for Rusa, they have big antlers 36" +. That is one hunt I want to go on. I'll be hunting Reds in Queensland until I'm dead, its an annual hunt for me and a lot of others, but we need more hunters as we have plenty of country. I have never written about this hunt before because I thought it was limited, it isn't.

Sounds like you still had a good hunt, good on you. I think I'll look into this group.

Macawber,
What's the chances of posting some contact details? I'm in SE QLD and I'm interested in hunting reds.
Thanks

Try this thread

http://www.accuratereloading.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=558787&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

Richard
This is RIDGE's website http://www.ridgegroup.org/, and clarkanddebbie@hotmail.com is how you can contact Clark. The Hunting is in March and April during the Roar, people come from all over Australia to hunt. If you get a good head there is a trophy fee of $500.00, culls are about $150.00. I checked out the other thread, and its true that they like you to shoot culls and Stags over 6 and a half. In the ballot you choose a time you'd like to hunt, and roll up at a meeting point. Clark goes over the minor details with the hunters, and your assigned your block. As I said in my first post, there is plenty of hunting areas, more than there are RIDGE hunters. My hunting partner has been going for 7 years now, and hes got some fantastic trophys. two years ago he got a 6X7. This year he had an easy shot at a 5X5 and passed it over, which he regretted later.
I think this is the best thing going as far as access to Red's in Australia go, also by being a member and going for the hunt each year, members are insuring that this hunting remains into the future.

Thanks fellas