Does anyone have reports on this operation? Please.

Interesting.

Its a great location but can't add any more.


You might want to try asking on NitroExpress.com

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Sorry mate I've never heard of them before. If no one here knows of them you could ask on Australian Hunting net as well.

Matt Kelman is a good operator. He's hunted with me in NZ and did the hard yards. He's also one of the few that have a legal harvesting permit for Croc's.

quote:

Originally posted by TrackersNZ:
He's also one of the few that have a legal harvesting permit for Croc's.

I'd hope so considering the photos on his web site !!!


That area he is in would be awesome for all of the animals he hunts.

Years ago, those flood plans used to be wall to wall Buffalo and none of this high grass, it was all eaten / trampled / Buffalo channels.

Anyway, good to know he is a good operator.

.
.

quote:

Originally posted by TrackersNZ:
He's also one of the few that have a legal harvesting permit for Croc's.

Hunting or live capture?

You cannot 'hunt' crocodiles in the Australia in any way, shape or form. Matt Kelman has a trappers permit and he traps crocodiles and can sell them to anyone. As it states on his website the permit holder is the only person allowed to dispatch the trapped crocodile.

I have booked a Buffalo hunt with Matt Kelman. Dec 16 - Dec 20. Hope to take some wild boars as well.

You'll enjoy it. Expect hot and humid although they are close to the coast which might make it
more bearable !

Drink plenty of water !!!
.

I hear you, i have been warned about the heat and the humidity. Got 4 months to get into shape...

Matt reckons December/January is the best time for him personally as the wet ground will allow us to stalk to within 30 yards...

Can't wait.....

Hope you have a good hunt mate. It will be VERY humid around that time, no amount of warning's will get you prepared .

Maybe i will loose a bit of weight out there...

quote:

Originally posted by Bakes:
no amount of warning's will get you prepared .

Agree.

In shape or not, you will still sweat profusely,
hence drink water all the time during the day in small amounts.

I've taken fit people up there (Arhnemland)
and through lack of water, performance degraded.

If you get heat stroke, it is a day of
hunting wasted until you recover or at a minimum, a day not enjoyed as much.
.

Thanks for the advice. I normally carry water with me when i hunt and will be doing the same up there.

Charl

What I am saying is start drinking water from sunup to sun down whether you are hunting or not.
At 80 - 100% humidity, you will sweat profusely anyway.


I'll give you an example - I got off the plane in Darwin, nice, relaxed, cool. Picked up bags / guns, 2 minutes after walking out of the air conditioned airport into the car park and 80% humidity, sweating non stop.

It was one of those days that everyone said was
the type that made people go "troppo", hence why it is called the suicide season.

Anyway, have a good trip.

matt runs an excelent setup there, you will be comfortable at night but yes warm through the day, i have hunted there myself and its a great part of the world. you will be very well looked after.

'warm'

Warm!!! Bit of an understatement that one . I remember taking my SGT hunting once in Katherine in the build up. It was 43 degrees and about 90% humidity. Walking in the creeks and my SGT's expensive kiwi made hiking boots stated to melt. The sole was melting like cheese

Was helping put a 3km fence across a flood plain
just near where Australia Wide Safaris land is.

Even at 7.00am it was unbelievably hot in Nov / December and by 10 - 11am, it had got to 50 degrees, clear blue sky so so shade and almost 100% humidity.

Oh, and paper wasp nests by the hand full every 50 yards on the old fence !!! LOL

.

I am use to the humidity, also have humidity ranging from 80-100 at home but gets to about 36 degrees. I've already purchased electrolyte mixture to add to my water to help with dehydration.

I worked in the middle east with temp close to 50 and high humidity and coped ok.

I guess I will find out when I am there....

9 weeks and counting....

quote:

Originally posted by Charl:
9 weeks and counting....

If you can wade your way passed the ticks and snakes and the flies don't don't eat you alive or carry you away (hold on to your gun tight) you'll have a great time

No just kidding but I'm surprised Matt suggests December/January as that is the wet season in the top end of Aussie and usually difficult to get around. Worked in Nth Western Aussie and everything off the main track shut down for a few weeks when the rains came and our contact when we were up in the Northern Territory hunting buffs preferred us coming before October because of the likely hood of the rain season starting after September. We were there in October and the rains were close to coming.

Climate may have change since our time and I'm sure Matt will know what it's about.

As everyone here is saying, it is not so much the heat, Nth Western Oz is extremely hot but deserty dry whereas the Northern Territory buffalo areas are hot and extremely humid, basically sauna type conditions.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
Climate may have change since our time

Climate hasn't changed at all, it's the luck of the draw in Dec / Jan.

You can go and have 3 weeks without any rain or just a few showers or you if you are unlucky, you can get dumped on at some point of time which raises the creek levels and ground water to levels where no movement is possible for days on end (or weeks). I think we had 9 inches of rain in 2 days.

And then if you are really unlucky, you get a full monsoon come in which although the clouds look spectacular as it moves in, you end up very wet.

And then if you are really really unlucky like I was last year, you cop a cyclone which piss farted around for 2 - 3 days before deciding to come over top of you !!! While it is deciding what to do it makes it hard to do any travel !

And as you say, it is like a Sauna most of the time as well.

But all is good fun and I wouldn't not go at that time as long as you are prepared for what might be.

I think MattK accesses some country from waterside.

Thanks for the replies guys.

On his website Matt says best time is April to November but in an e-mail to me he says he prefers Dec/Jan as the wet ground makes stalking up close a breeze. Unfortunately i can't go any other time of the year, i'm visiting my in laws for Dec/Jan so the hunt is an extra bonus for me.

Matt does mention getting to game all year round is not a problem, guess he uses a boat but reckon that won't be possible during a storm. I have seen some footage on TV of croc hunters getting caught in storms, scary stuff.

I'm hoping the weather will play along, it's a bucket load of money for me if i don't get my trophy...

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
'warm'

Compared to where i come from it is, but you new what i meant, its hot yep......but not unbearable. He will be with one of the 2 best guides he could hope to be with and on some of the most beautiful country up there.
All the best to you mate

Yeah I knew what you meant!!

3 weeks...

TODAY!! Bye, safe and sane trip.

Back from hunting, spending next 3 weeks in Kalgoorlie and Fraser Island before heading back to South Africa. Had a great hunt. Shot 1 buffalo, 9 pigs and 3 wild dogs. Once i am back in SA i will do hunt report and post pics.

Bloody flat land hunter.

Well done anyway, be good to hear all about it.

Very nice animals Charl!!! congrats!!

How was Fraser Island?? 5000 fisherman on the beach I bet!!

Nice Buff & Boar mate, well done!

Thanks guys...

Matt, haven't been to Fraser Island yet. Going in the new year, plan on doing some fishing.

quote:

Originally posted by Charl:
Thanks guys...

Matt, haven't been to Fraser Island yet. Going in the new year, plan on doing some fishing.

Prepare yourself for an overload of Australian 'Cultcha' ... a bit like an Aussie going to Loftus Versfeld.

Thanks for the heads up.....

Nice buff, proper K pig, but why the hell do you look so friggen happy. A question, what the hell do you know about fishing ????