Hi all,

I used to do a lot of hunting of wild goats and pigs SW of Blaney in NSW. Unfortunately the property was sold without our knowledge (we could have bought it ) so I haven't been out there for years. Although we went out there in dry years, we never really went out there in frought years.
I was just wondering how much more damage, or have you noticed more, because of the drought.
I remember seeing acres upon acres of turned over soil (all beautiful fertille riverbank stuff) by mobs of wild pigs, that would subsequently be washed into the river that ran through the property. The presence of goats also meant that there was nothing growing below my shoulder level (close to six foot).
So how do you deal with these ferals? I'd be interested to know.

:cheers: Will

Blue Mountains Photography

Hi bigwilly

I can't speak on any personal experiences of damage by feral pigs or goats as this area of Aus is to cleared to support anything other than foxes.
Poisoning with 1080 in this regard is at present the preferred control but I am not convinced as yet that this is the right way to go because of doubts I have that other forms of wildlife are being taken out as well.

However, in that light & with other feral animals I would like to see an approach of directly targeting control by shooting.
I believe the Shooters Assoc could well be called apon to provide experienced & capable people to do this.

I have long thought that the National Parks & Wildlife Service could be taking an active role in this area by augmenting a program that under their guidance & control the Shooters Assoc are invited to carry out this necessary work in our National Parks. I would imagine they would be only to happy to pay for the privelege.

Everyone should be happy !

I am not a member of the NSW Shooters Assoc

Happy trails

Pigs should be shot, they are horrible savage things. There's a plague of them around the ACT too, people around Pialligo have seen them! (over the river from Fyshwick). I was surprised not to see any around here (Carwoola), but the other day we found the jawbone of one hanging on the fence, complete with all teeth, and those horrible curly tusk things. It is HUGE.
And I saw one on the King's hwy coming into Qbn, propped up on its stomach, must have been hit by a truck and some joker arranged it. It was bloody big too.
I see holes dug, but assume it's rabbits, as pigs tend to plough up the ground. Ground here is very hard so they'd have their work cut out.

G'day Goody
Yeah I'm not a fan of either 1080 or NPWS. After a heap of 1080 was used on this property, suddenly there were a lot less wedgies flying around and a whole lot more lying around.
NPWS have never been fond of us hunters/shooters. We thought they may have had some brains and followed Victoria and the US, allowing hunters to hunt in the NP after paying a fee. But noooo they are a bunch of bureaucratic little nazis who won't let anyone use "their" land.
And we all know what happens when Parks get behind a machine gun to erradicate pests. Probably about 200 cases of animal cruelty per flight.
I don't know how accurate this is, but it did come from a Parks employee, apparently after the fires down in Kosziusco, they thought that'd be a prime time to bomb up pigs from a chopper. Anyway they flew around shooting at pig shaped animals. Just before leaving the area they found somewhere to land to check the pigs, and they turned out to mostly be wombats. As usual it was covered up by those at the top and never talked of again, officially that is.

Hi Ant,
Geez pigs are getting into the burbs of Canberra? That is pretty serious as these things could easily bite through a childs body just about and an adults leg, never mind the damage the tusks do (I've seen what they do to themselves and I wouldn't want to experience it)
Have you heard about the Samabar Elk up in the Brindabellas? They moved up through the Snowies out of Victoria quite a few years ago. But as usual hunters are banned from there.

By the way Goody, looks like I might be moving down to Junee in July for 6 months for work.

:cheers: Will

Blue Mountains Photography

Hi all,
as you say Bigwilly, here in victoria the DSE have allowed some sporting shooters association members access to hunt feral animals in some National Parks. I understand that this is still on a trial basis and I haven't heard how successful this has been.
I have hunted feral pigs up on the Darling River, and I would have to say that if given several good seasons to breed up they can cause some damage, but given the recent conditions numbers are well down. (At least where I go.) Hunting of wild goats on any station property is now a big no-no as Heather could well confirm. The other problem is gaining access to shoot on many properties can be extremly difficult, mainly due to yahoos who have been before you and also mentioned in some cases public liability.

Cheers :cheers:

Skip

Hi Skip
How true your words are.
We do allow some people on here to shoot feral animals.
But NEVER EVER our wild goats as they are our pay cheque at the moment.
Where do you go hunting on the Darling???

Hey Will this place is for sale if you are interested in a country retreat
Heather :cheers:

Hi WW,
Little place called Tilpa which has one of the best pubs around. I belive it is not that far away from you? More and more though, our vists are becoming fishing trips rather than shooting trips. Not that there is much water in the river at the moment. Still it is always good to get away for a bit.
:cheers:

Skip

Hi guys,
I've been down the Vic alps a few times after Sambar (never got one though). I can understand how you would be going after the goats for money. Do you guys (well Heather) have any pigs on your place? I know the chillers used to nuy them off hunters dead.
How much are you selling for Heather?

:cheers: Will

Blue Mountains Photography

Hi Skip
Tilpa is just up the road from us,couple of hrs drive.I think if you check out the walls on the Pub you will find my signature on there somewhere
It is a great pub & we go over there fishing a bit but as you say not to much water there atm.

Will we do have pigs & they are the only animal that I don't mind being hunted,nasty things.

Heather :cheers:

I know this post has been quiet for a while ,and to admit it, the last time i had any thing to do with ferals was late last year on a small property down near glenlyon dam (Texas) unfortunately the property in question has been sold recently but the only decent green pasture on the place is down on the creek flats below the dam overflow, and it must have been acting as a magnet for every pig within miles..the creek banks were torn up and the shallows were muddied from wallows..and then there was the fence damage and I'm sure the pigs were not the only culprit (there was a cast antler tangled in the wire).
we got a fair few pigs on that last trip and also 3 feral cats and a fox...meen to say...in dry times where all the wildlife(and ferals-introduced predators) are concentrated in a small area the damage can be much worse then normal to river banks and creek shallows.

OH I thought this thread was about ferals(as in B&S) and the damage they do!!! Far bit of native grass was churned up at the local B&S on the weekend!

those ferals..lol....nuffin like a HQ Holden Ute with a bulldozer blade for a front bumper and more lights and aerials then a road train for ripping up a cricket oval.. ...that scotch out of the drenching gun tasted funny...

A lot of guys here trap pigs in specially made heavy duty traps . Most traps are made from 4-5 mm/60mm mesh . The size of the cage depends on the sizes of pigs , but mostly 1m high, 1.2m wide by 2m long . 5 of the 6 sides are closed , the remaining side has a trapgate that swings into the trap and is stopped by mesh turned in . A catch is connected to a piece of string that runs across the cage that the pig will trip when he/she goes in after the bait .

Some pigs go for feedlot grain , some after vege scraps , some after rotten fruit . Free feed them for 4-5 days to allow them to get used to the trap and going inside , set the trapgate , a sensative latch on the trap gate works well , might take a little finesse .

The most pigs we`ve caught in a trap like this is 7 , a 60 kg sow with 6 5-10kg piglets . Dispatch them as necessary , or can be sold/given to hunters who have licences to kill for the export trade .

We've been working with some landholders in the Capertee Valley on exterminating pests (mainly wild dogs and pigs) and most have given up on traps. The first couple of times they worked great, bagging 3-5 pigs, but the rest soon wised up and some traps have sat idle for months at a time.

You also have to watch what you do with the pigs after you've caught them. At least in NSW you do as it is an offence to transport live wild pigs. So any pigs destined for the chillers have to be dead.

The wild dogs are really bad atm. Just about every farmer we spoke to in the Valley had to destock sheep because of losses due to wild dogs.

One farmer lost over 150 lambs in a week to a pack of dogs and half his ewes. Unsurprisingly it looks as though the dogs rest up in the nearby National Park and move out over the farms during the night. :rolleyes:

:cheers: Will

I heard on the radio yesterday that NSW DPI had released a specialised pig bait that contained 1080 that somehow doesn't attract other animals. Good news there.

I was involved with two shooting eradication programs in WA that was arranged between a Federal Dept and CALM. The first was to shoot feral cats/foxes/dogs out of a tortise (rare and endangered and only found in one swamp in the world - it was in the Swan Valley) reserve as it was finished being fenced, cat proofed etc.

The second was for the removal of feral goats,donkeys and camels from an area in the far north of WA.

Both times it was done without any fuss, no publicity and no damage to anything apart from what was supposed to be shot. The damage in the Tortose enclosure that a single cat could have been fatal if not controlled by shooting.

The second one could have been done by rounding up and trapping the animals but would have taken months, cost a zillion dollars and not being totally successful.

Removal of ferals, be they horses, pigs, goats, domestic ducks and geese donkeys camels needs to be done on a regular basis. In a methodical manner, humanley and to budget.

The difference in pasture/native bushland where ferals have been remnoved and kept out is nothing short of spectacular with the regrowth of native grasses, trees and fauna.

You're not wrong Wobbly. The life abounds in areas with limited impact from ferals. In other places you'd swear the local council had been out slashing every hillside such was the total removal of all vegetation.

:cheers: Will

Over south of Carnavon they have been allowing feral goats to breed an build up their numbers,boy the country is chewed from just about tree tops to the ground.Just in certain areas .We use muster goats out on the stations i worked,some years we would be sending out up to around 20,000 out on trucks.CALM have started 1080 baiting out on crown land now as before they wouldnt let baits be dropped out there an the Dingos were breeding out there an then coming on to the stations in big numbers.They have a new bait with 1080 in it now,looks like a little white sausage.Totally useless,dogs dont seem to like them at all.Makes it hard when you have neighbours who dont beleive that a Dingo can pull down a calf and wont bait.

That's exactly right. Any effort will be thwarted unless it a holistic one. That's the fight we're having at the moment; we're running a pest management program in the Capertee Valley to deal with foxes, dogs and pigs (and roo culling on a few properties).

Anyway to date we have removed about 200 pigs but they just keep on coming in from the adjacent National Park. Of course Park's response is they're moving in from the farmland :rolleyes:

:cheers: Will

That would be the typical answer from a Gov department BW,they like to think they are doing everything right and we are all wrong.My mum does more baiting than anyone in the district,its a all year baiting program with her place,but the neighbours hardly do a thing an wait for the Gov aerial baiting program .Mum trys to stay on top of things by baiting all year.Then you have the prospectors who bring their town dogs out when theres signs every where saying "No Dogs" and then they get all upset when the dog gets lost or worse Dies from a bait..Then the mongrels that do survive breed with the Dingo .My mum went down to one of her windmills the other day an found 7 big boomers dead due to a mighty big dog having fun in one night.

Dogs sure like roos. When we were building my house, one of the dogs dragged up a horrible thing, a roo-arm! There must have been a dead roo around the place and the dog had the arm.

And my boy loves to chase the roos as they're the only thing that will run. The geese chase him, the cows chase him, even the local hare only canters if chased. but the roos go flying with him after them.

My dogs are chihuahuas.

Haha roo v. chihuahua... Not quite what you'd called a fair match up!

I'm about to head off to one of the properties to do a pig drive. Should be there before sun-up which is when they are most active so hopefully we'll get a few.

:cheers: Will

"Ferals how much damage do they cause".

They cause considerably less damage than us humans.

Yes, but unfortunately there's no open season on fore-mentioned game... :rolleyes:

By the way took out a couple of pigs, 8 goats and a couple of foxes.

:cheers: Will

Hey Wobbly, is that Bullsbrook (I think thats the name) Have driven past that swamp (fenced off spot) and its hardly a big area. Had relatives that lived "almost" next door and they told me the story of the place. Its been a few years how is it going now?

In Our own northern ranges the difference between the Arkaroola sanctuary where goats have been controlled (regular shoots IOW) for years and the "national park" next door is visible down the fencelines almost. Although again its been a few years since I have been up there (its what kids and mortgages do LOL) it may be better as I know a few people who are involved in more regular (and quietly done) shoots in the park now.

In my own area up my road I am the only one who shoots the rabbits keeping the populations to a dull roar. Its a losing battle, they just move back in from next door :rolleyes:

Your last sentence Pepsi highlights the largest hurdle to overcome when dealing with pest management and eradication in Australia.

And interestingly the trend now to subdivide properties into 'lifestyle' blocks of 50 or less acres has compounded the effect. Where once a group of hunters or shooters had to only deal with one landholder and in turn would have access to a large area of land often now we have to deal with 4 or 5 times the number of landowners to access the same area and have the same effect. Of course not all land owners believe in shooting ferals and so their property often turns into the safehaven and breeding ground for ferals.

I have observed the same with noxious weeds in a few areas around the central west of NSW.

:cheers: Will

Well the mine I work at treats the areas not on the mine path (excluding areas for camp soil stockpiles, workshops, roads etc) as national parks... sort of. Vehicles are not to go off tracks as they are supposed to ruin the place yet there are goats everywhere and they have eaten the place out to the ground. Now they are getting stuck into the trees and they are so quiet you can have one walk within meters of you and not be bothered by you at all. It really annoys me that they go on and on about environmental damage yet they let goats eat the place out like they are native and supposed to be there. I reckon that they should have a goat roundup every few months and the money made from selling them should be used for improving the camp but aparently our environmental "expert" reckons that the damage caused by motor bike would be too bad... :rolleyes:

hmmm....lets see, ravenous hard hoofed feral pest v's carefully ridden bike's effects..i still think the bike would do a lot less damage..really only hunters on foot would have less impact!

Goats not bad eating, last one i took was admittedly an escaped nanny that had been living amongst a small flock of sheep on a property a little west of stanthorpe, the land holder actual asked me to keep an eye out for it and remove it due to wool contamination concerns..

sadly that farms just fallen into the hands of a "tree changer" that doesn't believe in culling ferals...all i can see is a newly established haven for pigs and foxes amongst other pests to range from...

so im now back to square one, looking for somewhere to hunt..anyone got some feral infested land they want looked after?

ah yes shane the idealist tree changer who wishes to be closer to nature but has no idea that in oder to have "nature", one must manage the land which involves removing pests both flora and fauna. Thankfully for us, our area is not as pretty as others and there are no "hobby farm" size properties up here so all we have to put up with are lazy neighbours who don't care if you shoot thier rabbits/foxes etc. I have just found a great timber not far from me that has not been hunted for ages so got myself a great little patch to give my new .17HMR a work out!

mmmm .17HMR!..they shoot nice and flat eh?

i did take my old Stirling .22 out to the brothers place at rathdowney a few weeks back and cleaned up a few rabbits that were harassing his vege patch...the .22 is still good medicine and cheap at $5.20 for 50x hollow point sub sonics (50 rounds of subs takes me months to go through!)..

ive gotta keep the noise down on his 100 acres...i don't wanna upset the yuppies in the bed and breakfast nextdoor!

not as satisfying as dispatching certain Game (feral) animals with my 93 year old 6.5 Swede, but a walk in the hills at dusk is a walk in the hills never the less!

Is the kimberley too far Shayne? there is no shortage of camels, goats, pigs, wild dogs... though most of the time i see them i only have a camera to shoot them with, i do need to dust off the .243 Ruger single shot one day...

Shayne I might be able to help you out.
I've got 6000 acres of farm plus 4000 acres state forest lease on NSW side of Texas.
One of the locals has a licence to cull the roos but there is still pigs and goats on the place

Shayne, you need to get lobbying! QLD should follow NSW and open up state forests.

Last weekend we were doing a bit of a drive through a fairly small patch of steep country that is surrounded by cropping and grazing country. We were spread out about 20m apart and this little cotton tail comes barrelling down the hillside towards us. I have my .284 which was total overkill - and we were after bigger things ie pigs and roos - so I left him alone only to see him implode as he was hit by a bloke with a 9.3 :lmao:

:cheers: Will

Put it this way mate, I will never use a .22 for hunting small-medium game again! out to 180m will drop anything from a large fox and smaller. Heard reports of them taking roos and goats out to 150m. My best so far is 158m on a rabbit with a cross wind......head shot! You don't hear that thud sound like when a .22 hits home. It's more like a pop!

Would not be much use if you have trouble with neighbours when shootong .22 LR rounds though. .17 HMRs are about half way between a .22 LR and a .222. Quite a bit louder. But oooooh it's good!

If a job's worth doing, its worth doing well :rofl:

a fellow i know demonstrated .330 Dakota on a hare for me once....pink mist anyone?

when you have a job thats just gotta get done...i swear by sierra 140 grn HPBT's in .264, my little swede thumps them out at a none too shabby 2650fps (with acceptable pressures for a 93 year old rifle)with 13mm groups at 100yards from the bench..and thats with a scout mounted 2x LER scope...

even though the HPBT's are a target projectile im yet to see a Feral get up again, let alone kick once hit soundly..explosive expansion and full thickness penetration on even pigs up to 80kg, smaller and softer skinned ferals however don't fare so well, and have exit wounds that you can fit both fists in..

Adon, i had a L461 Sako .22 hornet that was re-barreled to .17 K hornet with a stubby 20 inch heavy barrel that was a great little varmint rifle, it was deadly accurate on rabbits and foxes well out to about 250m, sadly i sold it to a fella that waved a fat wad of cash in my face with a permit to acquire about the same time we were scratching the deposit for this house together..i should have kept that one...

Chris, that little Ruger .243 you have, is that a number 1? that would be a nice lightweight stalking rifle up that way in summer.. :p

Farmer, is it OK if i PM you about your contact details in relation to your property?

Yeah that is OK Shayne

Shane I was wondering about the hornet but was talked into the .17 HMR by a mate who works at the mine. Not regreting it! I am yet to strike good weather(no wind) for testing out the range limit of it but in my little patch, I have neighours close to where I shoot so having somthing with the potential to ricocet a fair distance is not too appealing. From my experience, the HMR doesn't seem to have a problem with that as most projectiles seem to splat or pull up pretty quick if I miss.

Still intend one day to get a centrefire rifle for longer distance stuff but I am happy as with my new toy, can't say the same for the rabbits!

I've heard great things about the .204 Seems like its the new calibre to have with plenty of people raving about its flat trajectory and long range abilities.

I'm keen to get down to Vic next year to blood the 9.3 on a nice sambar stag

Meanwhile, two poachers have received a total of $3500 in fines plus court costs and have been banned from holding a game licence for 10 years after they shot a fallow without the landholders permission, out of season and without the appropriate licence near Bungendore.

:cheers: Will

Yeah its the Number 1, I love it as it has a light, crisp trigger, but with the scope etc she lugs in at about 5kg so its no lightweight, probably still lighter than yours though.

believe it or not...4kg unloaded but with scope and bolt for the M38 swede..

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h15/frontera264/oldswede.jpg

and its still in its full length hardwood military stock!

lots lighter then my full wood SMLE, and thats still got its open sights...

Long time no read so apologies for not answering. Yes it is at Bullbrook and as far as i no all the little tortises are still safe and happy. That little job was done in 1993 from memeory.

Guys the great pigeon masscare of 77 was conducted at the grain termal at Freo was also one of the little jobs we did. 30 to 40 blokes with 12G shottys lined up on the ocean side of the grain wharf and free range to blow anything pigeon like out of the sky. (Bloody rats with wings where contaiminating the stored grain) Natures clean up crews stepped in very quickly - Sharks, as the birds hit the water they disappeared.

This allowed them time to reguaze the breather ports in the top of the silos to exclude the pigeons. Didn't make a dent in the population for long though.