off on an adventure **Success- Pic heavyish**

WhelanLad

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So the Annual Aushunt (.com) Members hunt is on in the Wonnangatta Valley, in the Alpine National Park.

I an a bunch of others, newbies to season Vets congress on the banks of the Wonnangatta River & Dry river junction for atleast a Week.

I myself will be doing two seperate Backpack tris over my 9 or so days away, which i look forward to stepping into that Game.

Packs in at 20kg with the Kimber loaded strapped to it, new items like the tent and exped 9 mattress .

Sambar deer are the target as is all the Valley holds, big packs of Dingos (wild dog) aswell, which are 'off limits' in the NP.


I hope to bring stories complimented with photos and video..

Its my Year for Antlers!!!

Cheers guys

WL
 
Well Gentlemen, I am back from the Wilderness of the alpine National Park and find myself in my usual spot sitting infront of the computer screen with the TV belting out nonsense .. would love to have the various imitations of the Lyre birds calling out through the wet junngle like gulleys we so often found ourselves in.


There is Storys, tales of hunts, Blood, sweat and tears , , lots of long winded yarns but plenty of photos.

Knowing there is no real relation to my tales and You, on the other end of the screen in Canada, I will keep this one short and sweet, but over time will add a few Yarns to accompany some photos..


I'm going to give CGN the first exclusive 'public' photos of my Scratched Four year Itch, that may of even come about many years before hand.


Theres a lot of mentions that should be mentioned, but what I will say is, If You are a legitimate, dedicated 'back country' or Big Country Hunter, who doesn't Gloat or show boat, makes minimal fuss and holds he's ethics high and has ever Penned or Padded a piece of Pictures and Yarn to any 'public' published media, Then , I Thank You for the Inspiration and motivation to Pursue Big Dreams and big goals which are Personal to a Hunter.

and on that Note.. Here is a handful of Photographs from my 10 days in the Famed, Wonnangatta Valley Station in the Alpine National Park.

I hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed the battle.. There will be a youtube video of the hunt coming soon.

IMG_3289conglomerate.jpg~original


IMG_3290congoWL.jpg~original


IMG_3310congocamp.jpg~original


logsurfgatta.jpg~original




WL
 
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IMG_3351GATTA16.27inchstag.jpg~original


IMG_3378CAMPstag.jpg~original


IMG_3381packing%20out.jpg~original


IMG_3383kimpackingout.jpg~original


IMG_3370TS.WL.aushunt%20gatta%20stag.jpg~original


As always, there is a thousand words behind every picture, I will let the video do the talking , an you can catch up on what ya will miss in between photos

Cheers
WhelanLad
 
Great photos, thanks for sharing, looks like you were in heaven on earth, well done. Congrats on the game taken!!!

p.s. send us lads a few shots of your gorgeous Aussie women mate :)
 
Very nice . congrats I would love to come along with you on one of your back country hunts. The landscapes are fantastic.
 
That's super! Nice that Kimberly kept up her end of the bargain!

A few Qs.... What were the temperatures? What's the altitude? What did you eat? My best pack was 29kg no rifle but I subscribe to "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it". Did you do all your backpacking and " spiking out" with your partner? Sorry I looked all over but can't find it... What scope is Kimberly wearing?

I have a couple spots that are easy to get a tag but it will take backpacking overnight to get the antlers, so this kind of report is good motivation.

Well done!

Willy
 
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That's super! Nice that Kimberly kept up her end of the bargain!

A few Qs.... What were the temperatures? What's the altitude? What did you eat? My best pack was 29kg no rifle but I subscribe to "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it". Did you do all your backpacking and " spiking out" with your partner? Sorry I looked all over but can't find it... What scope is Kimberly wearing?

I have a couple spots that are easy to get a tag but it will take backpacking overnight to get the antlers, so this kind of report is good motivation.

Well done!

Willy

Gday Wilbar!

A few Qs.... What were the temperatures? Temps ranged from good sunny days in the 14 degrees Celcius, with wet cold fronts blowing through an down to -1 Degrees Celcius while we were on the second pack hunt, we spent 16 hours in the tent from 3pm until 7am due to Rain and us becoming wet from waiste down as we were looking for my Friends Shot & lost Sambat Stag.

What's the altitude? the altititude we were at most of the week was 600m ASL on the Valley floor, the first Pack hunt we were in the 1000m ASL region and for the final trip we were on the "tops" an they go up to around 2000m ASL an we camped around 1700m

What did you eat? I took a few cheese sandwhiches, chip snacks, musieli bars/ rice bubble bars, Chicken Noodles, Soups, Tea bags, I took a Bag of nutri grain as my 'trail mix' , one time I packed a can of coke, Cans of V energy kicks.... some confectionary.
The biggest thing I learnt, by asking around as to what everyone else does, what Find what you can do. What you will eat after slogging around, what you will eat cold an whats easy to warm up. other lads took back country meals, meat cooked the night before to chew on cold.. Water is most important and when we were up in the Mids 900-1000m there isn't much Water.. A lot down Low and ended up being A lot up High.


My best pack was 29kg no rifle but I subscribe to "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it". Did you do all your backpacking and " spiking out" with your partner?

Unfamiliar with the term Spiking out, but I packed in 20-21KG with Kimber strapped on bag, 1/3rd of my body weight an I did ok, but the route was not like northern BC or New Zealand climbs, we picked a spot that I wanted to get into, been into years prior but never backpacked/camped so after a slow week I was able to talk a Tasmanian hunter into keeping hes pack laoded an grabbing a few Extra layers of Clothing, an make sure he had some food to go.
Over nighters are EASY as far as Food, Water goes... Of course you pack enough just incase an extra day or two out in emergency (high rivers, wild rain, dangerous winds)


Sorry I looked all over but can't find it... What scope is Kimberly wearing? older Leupold vari-x 2-7x33


I'm new to this Game too but if you have a bit of Will power, sense of adventure and love the bush.... this is the only way to do it from now on for me!!


Hope that helps mate

Cheers
WL
 
Thanks for the answers,

We've taken the backcountry dehydrated meals before, quick way to a belly full of warm food. I've been looking at Alpine park, it's stunning and huge. What we call spiking out or a spike camp is when you have a base camp set up with amenities trucks etc (or with an outfitter, the big tents and the horses) then you grab just a pack and a tent or tarp to get up high or further out for a night or two (basically what I think you're doing.)

I thought it was a Leupold and was thinking you've fallen completely for Kimberly and given her a "golden ring" ;-)

Good hunting,

Willy
 
Thanks for the answers,
I thought it was a Leupold and was thinking you've fallen completely for Kimberly and given her a "golden ring" ;-)

Good hunting,

Willy
hahahahahaha This just keeps getting better and Better!!

first the Folk name via interweb wires , Kimberly and now this, the Ring. hahaha Good schnitzels!

Yes mate, basically we are doin the later, leaving the vehicle, spending the night or two out :) loving it, it makes the most sense to me for hunting these animals! they are not your everyday deer an the country is quite epic up High.

WL
 
Thanks for sharing WL. Awesome scenery and terrain. I bet there are some challenges where it goues thick. The smile said it all, i think you will remember this one.
 
Thanks for sharing your adventure. That looks like a very tough trip. How did you get your animals and your packs out? Did you have to make several trips? Also, I'm curious about your gear. What tent did you use? What did you use for a sleeping bag, air mattress, pillow? What kind of pack did you use? What about clothing? Boots? Is there anything that you would do differently on your next trip? And of course what caliber and load were you shooting?

Looking forward to hearing back from you and congratulations on a great adventure.

Regards,

SS1
 
Thanks for sharing your adventure. That looks like a very tough trip. Did you have to make several trips? Also, I'm curious about your gear.
Looking forward to hearing back from you and congratulations on a great adventure.

Regards,

SS1

How did you get your animals and your packs out? I carted the 20kg Pack with rifle on board and had the Head on the pack/ my shoulders. we had a 3km walk back to the vehicle, mostly all down hill. WE do not have any Rules regarding what is Taken or Left from the Animals. being up there I chose to only take the head, without cape, as I will shoot a Cape closer to home an have it stuck on later. the beauty of all brown deer lol.

What tent did you use? Vango Soul 200

What did you use for a sleeping bag, Kathmandu navigator bag rated for only around -2 . + paddy polin goretex bag cover (adds a few Degrees warmth)
air mattress, pillow? Exped UL 9 , was givin a headsup from the New Zealanders, this thing is luxury. my jacket or spare clothes bag was my pillow.

What kind of pack did you use? Black Wolf "Mountain Ash" 85 L pack and also packed a SamHuntVic day bag for day trips.
What about clothing? mixed from Lammellar and Stoney Creek. black Kathmandu wind blocker/ thin rain coat. thermal top an bottoms, polar fleece shirt
Boots? Stoney Creek Rusa 2 greywacke boot


Is there anything that you would do differently on your next trip? I done 2 different PAck hunts, one into unkown land an the other into known land, 100% reccy trip needed for Backpack hunts longer than 2 days. 2 days is great for exploring.


And of course what caliber and load were you shooting? Kimber Montana 84m 7mm08, Leupold VX2 2-7x33 with Federal Factory 150gr powershoks.



Thanks a lot for the response, hope to have answered your Qs mate

cheers
WL
 
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