Trad Gang

Trad Gang Highlights => Highlights 2008 => Topic started by: Benny Nganabbarru on February 19, 2008, 05:36:00 AM

Title: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on February 19, 2008, 05:36:00 AM
January's Gascoyne Region (Western Australia) feral goat hunt:

Tony Jensen, using a 55lb Hoyt Gamemaster
 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/1.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/2.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/11-1.jpg)

Matt Wright, using a 70lb Black Widow PLX "Zebrawood"
 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/5-1.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/7.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on February 19, 2008, 05:37:00 AM
Me, using a 70lb Howard Hill Redman
 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/3.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/4-1.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/13.jpg)

Me, with a 68lb Black Widow SAIII
 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/6-1.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/8.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/9.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/WA%20Goat%20Trip%202008/10.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: just_a_hunter on February 19, 2008, 05:48:00 AM
What a great hunt. You fellers almost have too much fun over there.

Todd
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: madness522 on February 19, 2008, 06:54:00 AM
Very cool pics and thanks for sharing.  How do you guys cook a goat?  We been known to barbecue one like a pig over here.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: LEOPARD on February 19, 2008, 06:23:00 PM
Excellant kills Ben! Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to get over there and hunt some of those critters!  ;)  Well done mate!  :thumbsup:   :clapper:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Arwin on February 20, 2008, 05:09:00 PM
Great pics, hopefully I'll make it there someday.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: carparcher on February 27, 2008, 08:59:00 PM
What a neat animal.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: tradtusker on March 14, 2008, 07:15:00 AM
awesome Ben congrats! those Goats are just awesome to hunt with the bow, Nige and i are gonna be out there September next year we should try meet up   :campfire:  

that Silvertip of your's cant be far of arriving in the land down under
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: BowHuntingFool on March 14, 2008, 10:27:00 AM
Hey Ben those are some great pictures, looks like you had an awesome hunt! Congrats!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Eastern fisher on March 15, 2008, 10:48:00 PM
Ben.  There is a snowstorm going on as I speak here in Nova Scotia.  Man I envy you.  Awesome pics and awesome goats for you and your friend.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on March 16, 2008, 03:42:00 AM
Thanks, lads!

Andy - the Silvertip should be getting closer! I'm stoked, because I've tracked down some wooden arrows to use! We should definitely meet-up when you and Nige are over (we'll see what the pigs are doing, eh?).

Cheers,

Ben
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Kingwouldbe on March 18, 2008, 11:58:00 PM
Goat fest 2008    :goldtooth:

That my friends it to cool
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Berube on March 19, 2008, 09:15:00 AM
nice pics thanks
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: GrayRhino on March 28, 2008, 04:24:00 PM
Hi Ben, great pictures and thanks for sharing. That looks like heaps of fun.  Were all those taken on the same hunt?  

Do you ever have confrontations with any of the deadly snakes and spiders that abound on your big island?
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: tradtusker on March 28, 2008, 05:27:00 PM
Sounds like a plan Ben ill give you a shout closser to the time and we'l sort something out, i really be up for that. You got any free time off in september   :)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: huntertrapper on March 28, 2008, 06:17:00 PM
you got sights on that bow?  :scared:  thats different lookin. lots of kills... neat
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on March 28, 2008, 06:38:00 PM
G'day Lads!

These goats were taken during the same hunt, Ryan. We do encounter snakes and spiders, but the most bothersome creatures on this hunt were the ants.

Yeah, Andy, we'll sort something out for sure, but my school break is a week in October. But there're still weekends.

Tony had a sight on his Hoyt recurve to start with. It was his first hunt with a recurve. So he shot those first two goats of his with sights. But, after hanging out with bad company during the evening target practice sessions, he decided to take his sights off and have a go, which he did with excellence, nailing that last big goat of his.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: huntertrapper on March 29, 2008, 04:11:00 PM
glad ta hear he took the sights off and shot trad.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on May 10, 2008, 11:02:00 PM
A couple of weeks ago, Matt Wright snuck in and shot this 75kg boar at 5m range. The 820-grain Goldtip/Ribtek arrow zipped right through, and the pig made 10m only before going down. His bow's a 66", 70lb @ 29" Black Widow PLX "Zebrawood".

  (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/Matts17thBowkill.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on May 10, 2008, 11:08:00 PM
Today we headed out real early to a swamp that still has a fair bit of water in it. It had no ferals on it, so we began walking cross-country to another swamp. Along the way, we found a mob of eight pigs rooting around in the damp, soft sand. Off with the boots, a perfect stalk, two warning shots over her back, and finally a double-lung shot (all at 10m) put this sow down after a 60m dash. I was using 704-grain CX350 Heritage arrows and Tusker Delta broadheads. The bow is my 64", 78lb @ 29" Black Widow PLX "Bocote".

  (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/35.jpg)

Later on, Matt did an amazing bit of stump-shooting with his judo-tipped arrow, hitting this termite mound perfectly with a 45m shot.

  (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/BensKingRiverJunctionSow013.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Ybuck on May 11, 2008, 12:05:00 AM
Congratulations guys! Terrific pics, thanks for sharing.  :clapper:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Ray Hammond on May 11, 2008, 10:54:00 AM
Ben,
Ive had goat before, and other than 'cabrito' which is very young goat, I've found it tough and chewy no matter how its prepared.

Then the other night I saw "Battle: Goat" on Iron Chef America and got the hankering to try some of those recipes..that stuff looked good!

I don't think you eat your pigs...do you consume the goats? What recipes do you like.

I have a hunting spot that is close to a goat farm, and the guy's animals are constantly getting out of the fence and I am thinking of taking one if I get a chance, as long as it doesnt have a pink ribbon around its neck.  :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: fatman on May 11, 2008, 01:28:00 PM
Ray, it would be my semi-educated guess that a farm-raised goat would be better eating than something "free range"...so you should be in good shape.
As a youth in western Kansas, barbequed goat figured prominently in our after-harvest blow-out.
We would wrap the quartered goats in damp cheesecloth, and bury them in a pit, between layers of corrugated metal, for 24 hrs.  Kansas doesn't have mesquite, so we used old "hedge" posts (osage).  Coals on the bottom and top, covered with dirt, and some old pipe stuck through the dirt to allow some O2 to keep things smoldering.....  :bigsmyl:  

It would be good if CK could possibly chime in on this, as he seems to have experience with the free-range goats in Tejas....  :campfire:  
By the way, cabrito is a real treat....

Kevin
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on May 11, 2008, 04:20:00 PM
G'day Ray! You're right, I don't eat pigs for reasons of my upbringing (but neither do most Aussie hunters eat the pigs they shoot). As for the billy goats, we're too hot and bothered, and they're just too tough, for us to dress 'em and eat 'em. Younger ones are much better, and we have shot one for the frying pan. As for recipes, I recall that it was just marinated in tomato sauce, with lots of salt and pepper, and then fried up with rice. It was very nice, and everyone enjoyed it, even though mine had a bit of sand in it, sadly! The station manager gets some beautiful goat and sheep sausages (the sort you eat with crackers) made up - they're delicious! Sometimes there might even be a bit of Skippy thrown into the mixture.

Kevin, I think that the kinds of arid shrubbery that our feral goats eat (and decimate) adds a nice flavour to the meat.

And Ray, if the escapee has 40" horns, and is wearing a ribbon, remember that you can always snip the ribbon off for the photo!   :goldtooth:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Ben Maher on May 12, 2008, 12:48:00 AM
The eating of pigs and goats varies greatly on their geographic living as in Aussie outback the food sources vary greatly.Pigs taken in forested areas are fine tablefare. from the snow bound forets of the Victorian High country to the Hills of Texas QLD i have, and will continue to eat pork and wild goat. As much as I hate to leave any game wasted, i enjoy trying new cooking techniques with all wild game.
however, the feral pigs of the western states of Oz can be worm/disease riddled and as such, extra care must always be taken with the cooking. they can be eaten....just extra care should be taken with preparation.
the only time i ever eat pork is when taken from the wild.
slow roasted or stewed goat/pig round the fire is one of the wilds great pleasures.

nice hog there Ben!!!!

cheers

ben
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: tradtusker on May 13, 2008, 10:15:00 AM
good on ya, Matt and Ben.
looking forward to see how that Silvertip goes on the pigs when it finally gets there.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on May 13, 2008, 04:48:00 PM
Andy, Friday's the big day, hopefully! I'll be putting pictures up for sure! It's already a long week!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: SERBIANSHARK on May 28, 2008, 10:36:00 AM
great pics.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Terry Green on May 29, 2008, 11:40:00 AM
Looks like ya'll had a boat load of fun!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: JC on May 29, 2008, 01:20:00 PM
Wow, looks like you guys would get worn out with target opportunities like that...it's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Hope we can find that many critters when Whip and I visit cobber Al next summer, sure am looking forward to seeing your country.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: John3 on June 16, 2008, 10:01:00 PM
Ben,
Great hunting.. Thank for sharing the pics and the story. Love the country in the pics.

Also thank you for PM'ing me the pics of your donkey hunts.. Way too cool. I have one saved on my screen saver.

John III
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on August 07, 2008, 06:21:00 AM
The weekend adventure that still has me on a natural high! A sow taken near the Daly River, by wading into a safe swamp. An 80lb Silvertip, with a STOS broadhead on Douglas Fir did the the trick.

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/38.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Hamish on August 07, 2008, 10:09:00 AM
Great effort Ben as always.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Toklat1 on August 07, 2008, 04:33:00 PM
Those goats look like a lot of fun to hunt!!  They are nice looking also especially those horns. I have a couple of goats here on my place but they don't look like that. What kind of goats are they?  Mine are here to keep the grass short!  Great photos Ben.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on August 07, 2008, 04:58:00 PM
Hi Mark, the goats are a ragtag mixture of breeds. They were initially brought to the Outback by merchants following goldrushes. The land and climate suited them well, and they went feral and bred-up into quite a devestating environmental problem.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: JEFF B on August 07, 2008, 11:37:00 PM
good going guys!!!looks like ya had fun
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on August 09, 2008, 11:47:00 AM
Here's a photo of a young brumby I stalked and took the day before I got the pig. The trophy photo isn't that great, so I'll just share the live version, and a picture of me near where the brumby crashed.

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/DSCF0024.jpg)

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/DSCF0040.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: J-dog on August 09, 2008, 01:27:00 PM
Dont know if I would wanna be wadin aound in Australia or not! Yall got some big mean lizards down there.

J
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on August 09, 2008, 08:44:00 PM
We evaluated this swamp (and the other one) pretty carefully. Based on all the wildlife out in it, the shallow depth, the distance from the river, the lack of deep, dark parts, the lack of reeds, and the lack of tracks or slides, we decided there was very little chance of a lizard being there.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: J-dog on August 09, 2008, 09:06:00 PM
LOL! This southern boy still be so nervous if a bream jumped in the water behind me i'd have a coronary! LOL!

Great pics

J
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Hamish on August 09, 2008, 09:13:00 PM
Nice pic's Ben, How many leaches did you get suckin on you?
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on August 09, 2008, 09:22:00 PM
No leaches up here. Well, I haven't found any yet. I think the crocodiles and king browns eat them all!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Hamish on August 09, 2008, 09:53:00 PM
I got one on me when i was out at Howard springs when i lived in Darwin.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: wayoutwest on August 10, 2008, 09:39:00 PM
Someone give hamish a cup of concrete to harden him up  :banghead:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Hamish on August 10, 2008, 10:46:00 PM
:coffee:  arrrr that's better   :D
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Ian johnson on August 10, 2008, 10:59:00 PM
are there snakes in that water
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on August 10, 2008, 11:36:00 PM
Hey! G'day Luke! Good to hear that you're at least frightening some pigs! Is your new Black Widow on the way yet?

Ian, I s'pose there might be the odd snake in the water. Tony nearly trod on a 1.5m king brown at the edge, and I tapped it gently on its tail with my bow tip to make it scoot away.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: AnointedArcher on August 13, 2008, 03:18:00 PM
Awesome pictures, sure looks like a blast!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: TomMcDonald on August 22, 2008, 05:45:00 PM
Ben,
Where abouts are you in the NT?
The first pics look quite South but the last ones are obviously in the tropics!
I spent a couple of years in Alice but did NO hunting.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on August 22, 2008, 08:03:00 PM
G'day Tom!

Mate, good to see a Tolstoy reader! I'm halfway through W&P, and loving it!

I'm in Katherine, but those goats were in WA.

Cheers,

Ben
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: TomMcDonald on August 23, 2008, 02:33:00 AM
Ben, yes he was a genius!!
I see, I thought there were too a few too many eucalypts to be in the Central Desert.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on September 16, 2008, 05:54:00 AM
Just the chap from yesterday's yesterday, already on PowWow:
 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/Schafer%20Silvertip/MatarankaStationBoar004.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Spotted Quoll on September 17, 2008, 04:27:00 AM
Ah there Ben!
It just sucks to be you hey mate?
I had plans for a camel hunt this winter but I still may get out there before it gets too hot.

Lovely bows and great pics!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Ben Maher on September 17, 2008, 11:16:00 AM
as always Ben, done yourself proud! But Tolstoy ? W & P ? Probably a recurve shooters thing. Longbow shooters prefer Dostoyevsky ....and  compound shooters...if they could read...it'd be mills and boon .....
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on September 17, 2008, 04:16:00 PM
Mate, one of my other favourites is "The Brothers Karamazov", by Dostoevsky! But then, I do have a couple of longbows lurking about...

Adam, all the best with those camels!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: gundy on September 18, 2008, 07:47:00 AM
Great stuff mate!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: kibok&ko on September 18, 2008, 01:46:00 PM
well done, beautiful  place !
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: TomMcDonald on September 19, 2008, 09:28:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Ben Kleinig:
Mate, one of my other favourites is "The Brothers Karamazov", by Dostoevsky! But then, I do have a couple of longbows lurking about...

Adam, all the best with those camels!
Best book ever written, hands down.
The crescendo in the courtroom at the end was INTENSE!

Anyway, nice shooting.
How long can you spend shooting a target with that thing?
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on September 19, 2008, 05:25:00 PM
About thirty arrows before I start getting tired.

Tolstoy and Dostoevsky certainly cover all the angles on the big questions.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on October 27, 2008, 05:06:00 AM
Matt Wright knocked this young boar over yesterday; Black Widow PLX "Zebrawood", 70lbs @ 29" / GoldTip arrows with Zwickey / Ribtek broadheads.

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/Matts18thBowkill.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Jesse Minish on October 27, 2008, 07:18:00 PM
That's great Ben. You guys look like you have some fun over there.
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on November 15, 2008, 12:32:00 AM
A small success enjoyed today:
 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/Schafer%20Silvertip/40.jpg)
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: bowhunterfrompast on November 15, 2008, 06:14:00 PM
Congrats  :thumbsup:  to all
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: bill langer on November 17, 2008, 07:32:00 PM
Hey Ben, Congrats! Looks like you fellas have a blast on the other side of the world. How does a yankee from the U.S. get in on that fun? Keep the pics coming, Bill
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on November 18, 2008, 05:40:00 AM
Thanks, Bill! PM sent, mate. If you come over, just make sure you bring those funny teeth that you had in one film, as it'll help you enjoy and appreciate good old Chad Morgan singing the world's finest country music on the loooooooooong drives!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: medic77 on November 22, 2008, 05:11:00 PM
Man I would love to do that.  I am jealous.  Congrats and it looks like a blast
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: tradtusker on November 22, 2008, 08:38:00 PM
nice job mate   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Ryan Sanpei on November 24, 2008, 12:23:00 AM
Awesome Ben!
Man you are one killing machine!  Keep it up!

Aloha Ryan!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Losie on November 24, 2008, 05:30:00 AM
Good on ya Ben, What's the lightest poundage you would consider for Hogs and Goats?
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on November 24, 2008, 05:47:00 AM
G'day Carl, and welcome to TradGang. I'm only guessing, but I'd say 40lbs would do the job on most goats, as well as small pigs. But really, I think an Aussie bowhunter is best suited with something between 55lbs and 65lbs, for all game except buffalo (and maybe camel). Arrows should be at least 600 grains, and 2-bladers only, if big boars might be a target. What do you currently shoot?
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Chris Surtees on November 24, 2008, 07:48:00 AM
Looks like some great hunts Ben   :thumbsup:   Good friends and lots of game what better way is there to spend a couple days!
Title: Re: Outback Australia
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on December 06, 2008, 04:08:00 AM
Matt Wright got this fellow a couple of weekends ago:

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/DSCF0346.jpg)