Well the young bloke and I got back a week ago from a do it yourself camel hunt on the edge of the Simpson Desert in far west Queensland.

We lived out of the back of my twin cab.


First camel with my 7x57 and Woodleigh 175 PPSN's.


TYB's Bull with the 8x57 over open sights.


My largest bull with a .264WM Remington 700 ADL and 140 Woodleigh PPSN's


Camping Out


Camel shot in the top of the neck with a .243 and 100 Sierra SptBt's. Exit hole visible.


Another Camel with the 8x57 after a 450 yard stalk.


Craping On
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgNDIY1DK9Q

Last one for the trip.


Ballistic Analysis:
No rounds were recovered. I would need a small chain saw, a hack saw and a few hours to recover any. The 7x57 hit above its weight and only the very first 'front on' shot was not a pass through. The musterers could hear the 'Thwock' of it impacting from over 1km away. The .264WM was the most useful due to its flat trajectory. Cameron made sure he was close enough to use the 8x57 and it had no problems with the larger bulls.

To get DRT results with body shots, IMHO 338WM as a minimum or otherwise spinal shots are needed. I'll take the 9.3x62 next time and the .264WM.

The .243 was the 'go to rifle' for most shooting and really is versatile out there with 100 grainers.

We shot 22 camels in 4 days and can hardly wait to get back.

Like I told ya on AH, Code, damn fine hunt! I've got to find a way to get this one done for me. looks too fun not to!

Great hunt with the son. Thanks for sharing.

If you can live rough, what are you doing August 2012 ?

Very nice! Thanks for sharing!

Nicely done Code4, looks like you and the lad had a great time and did some good shooting!

YOu've got me sat here wondering how my 30.06 would fare as a camel rifle...

quote:

Originally posted by Code4:
If you can live rough, what are you doing August 2012 ?

Sounds like I may be camel hunting!!

I'll get in touch with ya via PM. Thanks, Code!

What do you do with a camel once you've killed it? Is it good to eat? Is there a bounty on them? Is it that it is just a large animal that is fun to shoot?

I don't know why, but I have always wanted to do a camel hunt. Seems like they would make for an interesting shoulder mount to have in the house.

Anyway, congrats on a great hunt Code4! You Australians sure are blessed with some awesome hunting opportunities.

Here is the full report:

http://forums.nitroexpress.com...=0&page=0#Post184434

Camels are vermin, introduced pests so apart from an ethical kill, no rules apply for hunting them. The locals (cattlemen) believe the meat is as good as beef and it certainly looks like beef.

At this time there is no ability to commercially process camel meat however due to the plague numbers this may change. The govt is thinking of awarding carbon credits for a camel bounty or useage. Until camels start walking down the main streets of our metropolitan citys though, I doubt they will grasp the extent of the problem.

Our refrigeration was a 40 litre engel fridge/freezer which was full to capacity with supplys so we had no means to utilise the meat.

Hunting camels is very costly and difficult due to the distances involved and their current locations. It is very much a 'walk out into the bush for a shit and wipe your own arse' type of hunt.

They certainly are big. Edit: This is a mature post adolescent male about to be kicked out of a breeding herd. Compare him to the truck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIFgX9G3K8g

Very Cool! Thanks for sharing.

Code4,
Dammit man, this makes me just want to get in touch with a bloke I met who son is in the army over there, he was talking about being involved in regular camel culls.
Too bad I would'nt be able to get my 338 Lapua into OZ, or can I ?
I think it would be the perfect calibre for them, I hear they use them in deserts abit

Good read

Regards RUNAS

Cool pics Code4.

Camels are on my "to do' list , hopefully in the next year or two.

Thanks for the great report.

Enjoyed the footage, too! Cheers!

nice pictures - Congratulation to your camels...!

Well done - looks like a dream hunt! Did you see any other vermin - dogs or boar?

We saw feral pigs and there are dingo on the place. Running out of ammo was a real pain.

A third party has informed us that we are more than welcome to go back.

I am going back in November with my son again and his best mate as that is what they want for a High School graduation present. Usually the Australian high school graduates all go to the Gold Coast for 'schoolies', get drunk, take drugs and shag endlessly. I guess these blokes are getting plenty at home

Temperatures then will be 21 C at night to 39 C during the day. We will set up two portable camps so we can get out earlier and stay out later without the need to set up camp. The ferals will be concentrated on the water then and our chances of pig and dingo will increase.

We saw a few Red Kangaroos out there. They are absolutely MASSIVE compared to the eastern grey kangaroos we have locally.

I've had a few enquiries from International hunters interested in thuis type of back to basics adventure and I may have to 'make a plan'. Commercially though it would not be viable as the costs are obscene and the visitors would have to do all their own dirty work

There is 1,200 squ km of wilderness in the middle of the property. No roads or water, but plenty of camels who come out to the watering points. The ideal hunt would be to get the owner to chopper us in and then walk out.

Well done mate .

Long time no talk too, we will have to catch up for a yak sometime!!

Paz

Awesome! I'm insanely jealous. Looks like something you'll remember forever. Thanks for sharing.