Shooting life
Hey guys I’m Stirling from Perth, 34 years old and I work for Toyota. I love to hunt, compete in Sporting clays with Field and Game and recreational 4x4ing. I also do volunteer work with Parks department culling goats.
My Father got me into shooting. Back when I was a kid we would go and shoot 3 position .22.
Dad was from Singapore and ended up boarding at Scotch collage, so all his mates were farmers sons. So we used head out and get rabbits, foxes and roos. But it all stopped as I hit teenage years in 96 and we all know why, he only kept one bolt action .22.
My first gun was a Daisy lever action BB my Dad bought me when I was 5. Mum wasn’t to excited about it and I had it confiscated a couple times.
I didn’t pick the shooting back up until my Dad wanted to sell the .22 in my mid 20s. I told my wife that it was a family heirloom and its a part of my child hood (little did she know that it would start an Addiction that has consumed my life). She thinks I’m obsessed, I called My son Remington.
When colleagues at work and strangers first find out that I shoot and hunt they think that I’m sick or crazy. But I take it upon myself to educate them a on pest management and how invasive pests are. How detrimental they are to our fragile native fauna. I sell the fact I’m great for the environment and it usually works.
My favourite species to hunt would be foxes and that’s mostly because I have access to them close to home.
Mostly we hunt under spotlights at night but we also did a bit of whistling/calling during the day.
Other than that I’m a field and game member and compete in Sporting clays. I’m just starting to get in to long range and I’ve just set up a 300WM Remington Sendero. It has a Bushnell XRS Elite Tactical 4.5–30×50, Timny trigger set @1.5lbs, T2 muzzle break and bedded front lug.
Equipment recommendations
It’s always good to have a cheap .22 rim-fire for field basher. Great for quickly dispatching game, something like a Stirling MP14. They are also great for target plinking, like my herloom Bruno 1947 model 1.
Shotguns are another good firearm, I like to use a Beretta SV10111 for clays. If you need a field basher for things like; ducks, corellas, foxes and rabbits I’d suggest an Akkar for the task.
For an all rounder a Steyr Pro Hunter in .243 is a great cartridge for spotlighting and stalking goats and foxes. Fit it out with a 10 round magazine, Ziess Conquest 4.5–14×50 with Kenton Industries ballistic turrets matched to 95gr @3100fps and you will be seriously in business.
A good pig gun would have to be a Steyr Pro Hunter aswell, but with a red dot. Great for out of the vehicle.
Dedicated fox shooting an easy choice would be a Weatherby sub MOA fitted out with a Bell and Carlson target stock – Ceracotked in Cyotetan, finished off with a Leica Visus LW I 3–12×50. Fantastic piece of equipment for shooting out of the vehicle under light.
Stalking for goats, deer and pigs a good choice would be a Remington 1991 BDL with a Bushnell Elite 3500 3–9×40.
I think that would have you covered for most applications.
For shooting from the vehicle the driver has a roof mounted Lightforce 170 Custom HID Spotlight and on the rear a hand held custom HID spotlight. When spotlighting I use a 28 (parrot) caller from a blue-tooth speaker taped to the bullbar, Koplin gun racks, Leica HDB range-finding binos (the most bad ass set of binos for long range hunting).
Hunting life
I hunt to getaway and forget about life. It’s great for distressing and free dog food! But I mostly hunt for pest control and if a goat project comes up I take as much as i can carry.
If I have to explain hunting to someone that has never hunted before, I start by saying it’s not about shooting that comes secondary, it’s about being outside enjoying nature and understanding conservation. Most of us are far from yahoos or rednecks.
I then usually go on to say that most people are becoming aware of where their food is coming from. If they want to eat fresh, organic and free range then what better way to eat fresh, organic and free range… hunt… your now taking responsibility for yourself to get out there be part of nature.
Feral pest control is doing a good deed for farmers, country native fauna and Flora. If they saw the contents of a feral cats stomach, they would probably go home and kill their own cat.
As a modern hunter it’s becoming more comfortable, I wouldn’t say easier but the comfort of the gear that is available is awesome. From range finding binos that calculate bullet drop, thermal gear and clothing. But you still have to do the hard yards to get your quarry.
The positives I take away from being a hunter and shooter is the food, free free-range meat, the outdoors, getting away and being more aware of our environment and conservation.
Some of the negatives are being part of a small minority, which in turn has made firearm ownership taboo and being blamed for the stupid actions of a few.
I’m hooked on hunting because of the rush you get when you spot the game and start stalking. The heart pounding before the shot, nothing beats that feeling . Seeing and being in beautiful places, the adventure and the travel, that’s why I won’t quit.
My favourite part about going out bush would have to be the peace, the quiet and the stars at night.
Politics
Firearm ownership in Australia is almost a taboo subject, I believe that shooting should be taught in school. What I would like to see changed is that once you are licensed then you licensed, you are able to have multiples of a calibre and as many firearms as you can afford. Sound moderators to be legalised as its safety item. Because of the safety factor I can’t believe they aren’t legal.
I’m not big on politics but I’ll consider Shooters, Fishers and Farmers next because there is no one else really. I’d really like to see them try bring all shooters together. If we can ban together to make the vote count, 800,000 strong that is a small but major minority and should protect shooting in Australia.
Best hunting trip
I was in NZ for a ski trip with the wife and a another couple. We met up with one of the other couples uncle’s. His name was Ed and we got talking because I had made a comment when I walked out of the hunting and fishing store ‘that the arsenal is out of control…’ (I want to retire to NZ by the way).
So we got chatting, then Ed started to quiz me hard and fast. About what guns I have, what guns I use for what and how often I shoot etc., I said “what’s will all the questions?” Then he asked “would you like to shoot some goats?” I said “sure why not? Sounds great!” Ed said meet at this address tomorrow.
I rolled up to a small farm house with a big shed there I met Sam. Ed said “Sam will be your Pilot”. I said “Pilot” loudly. “Yeah mate.” He opened the shed door which was a hanger for an R22. We pushed the chopper out and I asked Sam “are you dropping me on a mountain?” “No mate you will be shooting out of the chopper!” “Get #%&^ed!”
We head over to the safe and Sam pulled out a HK SL8. To Sam’s surprise I knew what that was; semi-auto .223 with a 4x Leupold scope.
He handed me three 30 round mags and a couple boxes of .223 ammo and we hit the sky. I couldn’t wipes the smile off my face.
When we were in the air I asked Sam “you don’t know me, how do you know if I can do this?” “I will know is about 3 seconds! We are turning around in a second there are some goats. Don’t shoot the white ones!” and that was the only request.
So with the seat belt around my waist and my foot on the skid, I hanging out of this chopper like Rambo!
We would fly over the ridges and spot the white goats from hundreds of meters away (which is why you don’t shoot the white ones, so you can find them). We would go over a mob and then and come back at on them from below. This would force the goats to climb. Because they are climbing they are slow moving and at max 20m away, so not hard to shoot. All shots were lethal neck and head shots.
1 hour and 20 minutes later I’ve shot 86 goats. We then spend another hour collecting carcass’s for the farmer who turn them into dog food. It was hands down the most amazing random experience I have ever had. Not really hunting, more like fishing in a bucket, none the less an awesome story!
Hunting rig
This is my second Toyota Landcruiser 80 series. I work for Toyota so everything is done professionally. It’s a 1990 80 series turbo diesel 280,000km 3” exhaust and tuned to 14 psi @430nm.
It’s fitted out with; a steel bullbar, LED spotties, UHF, dual batteries with solar, Clisby under bonnet air compressor, 2 inch lift and 33 mudgrabbers.
The shooting system is Rhino roof rack Pioneer, with 4 shovel holders that holds the Jesus bar that goes around the back of the rack. Just loosen the shovel holders, pull the Jesus bar out and tighten the shovel holders up. Now you can stand on the tail gate safely.
This give us a standing bench-rest to shoot from, super stable and accurate. To the right of the rack I have 4 Kolpin gun racks to hold a rifle and a shottie. Along with 2 cigarette sockets (for power in the rear) for the shooters spottie.
I’m pretty lucky my closest hunting spot is 45min from home, but it would be nothing for me to travel up to a couple hours to go for a good hunt.
Camp setup
I’m a swag guy. So I always have my double swag on the roof and that way I always have a double bed where ever I go.
Kasler chops (bacon chops) always come with me. They are pork chops done in a bacon style. They go on the grill or skillet.
So usually I bring a camp stove or I carry an old BBQ grill and love throwing it over the open fire.
Conclusion
To the other Aussie hunters and shooters out there; educate and inspire people who don’t hunt, be proud of what and how you hunt, and don’t poach!
My next trip I will be hunting in Czech for roe and pigs in July.
Follow us @WHISTLING REDS. Follow the conservation efforts of my friends and I on Facebook @whistlingreds and Instagram @whistlingreds.
http://www.whistlingreds.com.au/
Thanks,
Stirling