Uhunt Big Boars & Barra In Cape York

Uhunt Mag Information

  • Posted By : BRISTLE UP
  • Posted On : May 10, 2019
  • Views : 3187
  • Likes : 7
  • Category : SHOOTING & GUNS » STORIES
  • Description :

Overview

  • After a very successful hunting trip with Al Rogers from Saratoga Fishing & Hunting Adventures in August 2012; Albie Macdonald, myself, along with our sons Darren & Sean accounted for 2 trophy class Molluccan Rusa, 40 very good pigs with some very good ivory and 1 wild dog over seven Days of terrific hunting in Cape York. I had stayed in contact with both Al and Nathan through Facebook, where Al regularly updates pictures and videos of all of his hunts with clients through his hunting season. Al mentioned that due to the big rains not arriving he was going to try for a few more trips into the property, weather permitting in late November and into December. Albie and I had an excellent opportunity to return to Cape York on an end of season hunting trip due to the wet not arriving on schedule. I said “count me in” and was on the phone to Albie straight away with the plan, after a couple of phone calls to Queensland the trip was organized.



    We were to fly into Cairns then on to Cooktown, where Al would meet us then off for the four-hour drive onto the station, with one and a half days notice, we were off to Cape York again. The first thing that Albie and I noticed was after only four months how the place had changed with water holes drying up, and the vegetation was disappearing very quickly without the rain. Our plan was a simple one, drive to the areas still containing water and check around them for a big old boar or two keeping out of the 40 – 42 degree heat. We would be staying at the homestead due to Al’s base camp being packed up till next hunting season. However we had to protect the mangos from the hordes of pigs that were coming in at night and early mornings to feed on them, Al had accounted for over 20 pigs the weekend before, and now it was our turn to hold the line.



    The lure of fresh mangos under the trees and the corn that was being fed out to the cattle was too much for the greedy hogs, we would be up every couple of hours every night with the full moon, and Maglite’s and a spotlight to check the mango trees. Not even the bark of the Ruger Scout and Remington 7600 would deter them for very long. Early mornings were very productive for catching the big boars moving back to the shade for a drink after gorging themselves all night on some of the baits that we had left.One slow young boar not more than five minutes from the homestead tried to do a quick run through the trees as Albie, and I fired simultaneously where he nosed dived into the ground around 40 meters away from us. We accounted for 30 pigs between us in 6 days, even a three-legged boar wallowing in the swamp was taken. I got my trophy set of hooks, thick and able to form a circle, base to point. Albie pulled off some terrific shots to get some good pigs.  We saw countless mobs of 10 -30 pigs in groups running through the scrub or that we jumped resting at water holes. Even Al got into the act with one of the finest shots I have seen with his Ruger scout with an aim point red dot sight. We spotted a lone boar way out across the airstrip with dusk fast approaching I said to Al to take the shot as the boar was making his way to the tree line on his side of the cruiser.

     

    Al rested the Ruger on the fence post, at the sound of the shot a big thump was heard and the boar rolled over, smacked through the shoulder with 150gn soft point. We walked the airstrip and paced it back to the cruiser at 178 meters in the dark. But like all great fishing stories, by the end of the night after a few bourbon and cokes and a few beers had kicked in. I think the final distance was somewhere near 470 meters on the run with howling a crosswind to add to the degree of difficulty. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story is our motto. Al’s hunting dogs which he brought on this trip were Patch, Jess, Cricket & Dee they all worked fantastic day in day out. They are some of the best in the business as bailers. They are great even in the heat which was knocking us up just as quickly as them. That is another story though, with a 6 km walk in the middle of the day with the temperature soaring at around 40 degrees it was hard work but something to experience, I will never forget it. I don’t think Albie or Al will either. Thank you for croc-free swimming holes.

    It was a great bonus that we were able to get the use of Al’s tinny and do some fishing in one of the big land locked water holes where we trolled for Barramundi in the cooling evenings near sunset. Albie opened the account with a few good Barra leaping from the water, with their mouths open trying to shake the lure; it was spectacular to see for myself having never fished for Barramundi before. With Albie at the controls of the tinny, we flicked some lures into the snags, and I had the Barra of my dreams, it was a huge hit on the lure as it landed on the water. As soon as I put some pressure on the rod, he exploded from the water about 20 meters out and after many jumps from the water and deep dives later he tired, and after 5 minutes or so we had him in the boat for a photo session.



    Al Rogers Saratoga fishing and Hunting adventures is an incredible trip to take I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Al to anyone looking at a trip of a lifetime. Both Albie and I are not novices to hunting either. Both of us having been pig hunting in N.S.W and Southern QLD  or chasing deer in the mountains in Victoria for many years we both have never seen or hunted so many pigs in such a short time that we were there.

    You gotta love the Cape; there’s no better place to be; cheers Al and Nath and thanks again for all your hard work mate.