Red deer is doable for anyone, if it's the adventure and cost is a factor public land hunting is available here and in NZ. There is some free range guided hunts in both places also.
Your offer is greatly appreciated.Red deer is doable for anyone, if it's the adventure and cost is a factor public land hunting is available here and in NZ. There is some free range guided hunts in both places also.
If the big freaks are your goal both countries have options there. Be aware though they are not wild.
If it's the former I'm happy to help out or at least point you in the right direction
If you get to NZ, sika is worth hunting. They are to date my favourite deer species I've hunted.
That was my GOTO shot, “broadside through both shoulders”. Your perfect description, has been my experience for the 30+ years that I hunted elk with a smoke pole…you should’ve kept going, you had it right.
to my way of thinking, muzzleloader hunters should find the load that is accurate for shooting at 100 yards and use it for both target and hunting. For me, that is 90 drains Goex FFG. Dropping 15 grains doesn't save enough powder to justify the price of having to remember to adjust your aim between hunting and target shooting, especially since target shooting is supposed to be practice for hunting. On the other hand, target shooters who do not hunt should find their accuracy charge for the distance they are shooting and stick with that load. The only point is it seems to b e a hassle to me to have to remember the different charges and point of aim going between hunting and target, so for me it's simpler to always use the hunting load.
My range has rules for target loads…hunting loads can be used in August & September, and not during club scheduled shoots
OP is in Australia. How many elk have you hunted in crunchy snow in Australia?
Do they even have crunchy snow in Australia?
My mistake. Didn’t read completely every post and what I did read I tried to read from the OP’s perspective. Bad assumption I guess.
It’s much better if we’re all sitting around the same table, sipping a cold beer…or a pop…and sharing these experiences.
@Brushfire you are fun…I wish Australia were a bit closer.
Australia is a long way from Australia in some places! Who knows you may get over some day.
Who determines what a "target" load is???? MY target load may be different from someone else's target load. PC (that's politically correct, not period correct) seems to have taken hold in Colorado. You have my sympathies.
Yousers that’s crazy…I knew the continent was big…but yousers. That’s huge.
The club rules state that when shooting at matches, and practices throughout the year, you can only use target loads. And target loads, as I recall, was the number of grains could be no more than the calibre of your firearm…and you may be able to go over that by 10 grains…I think. I don’t recall the exact wording; and by my own wording, some of my loads exceed their limits…
A Population Density 11 times lower than the U.S. probably makes those places seem even further apart.
