I write these stories of our hunts to remember them. If you’re reading this, it’s because you’re a mate and I trust you to be discreet and selective if you show anyone, but please don’t pass it on to anyone.
This story started in 2003 when my younger son Tom was 13. He started high school and met Joel and they became lifelong friends. Through the noughties I taught them both to shoot and hunt (with some misgivings from Joel's parents). The last time I saw Joel was at Tom's 21st birthday party and although they now lead very different lives (Tom is a Town Planner and Joel is a Sparky), they have remained firm friends. Joel's elder sister became a School Teacher and eagerly chose a posting to remote Pormpuraaw on the west coast of Cape York. She met and fell in love with, then married, a native of Pormpuraaw and they now have 3 children. Now with the kids entering High School, Joel's sister has moved the family to Mareeba and her husband, Junior (so-called because he has the same Christian name as his father), is the Mayor of Pormpuraaw, an Aboriginal Community on the west coast of Cape York (Gulf of Carpentaria).
Late in 2024 the planets aligned and Tom and I accepted Joel's invitation to come and hunt with his Brother-In-Law in OCT 2025. And here we are.
Tom, Joel and I flew from Brisbane to Cairns ON 10 oct 2025 and stayed overnight in Mareeba with Joel's sister and met the family. On Saturday 11 OCT 2025 the 3 of us drove Junior's 79 series Twin-Cab Cruiser Trayback to Pormpuraaw.
We arrived at 16:00, unpacked and jumped into Junior's new Hilux and hunted south towards Kowanyama.
I blooded the Blaser, shooting 250gr Spoor Bullets from the 9.3x62 barrel, on a really good bull and recovered the bullet. The shot was made at 190m while the Bull was walking diagonally away and the bullet entered the left-hand side through the last rib and was found under the skin just in front of the right shoulder. The bull walked maybe 30m and fell over dead.
The day quickly became night and we saw a small boar trotting away from the vehicle. Joel exited and shot him with a Lithgow 308 shooting ADI factories with (I think) 155gr Sierras.
The next feral sighted was a small cat that Tom dispatched, emphatically, using his Sako 75 in 338WM loaded with 225gr Woodleigh PPSN.
And then another cat:
Sunday 12 OCT 2025
Drove north (towards Aurukun) and walked into some swamps looking for pigs. One mob eluded us exiting the far side of a lagoon as we walked in but at the next lagoon a mob of sleeping pigs was spotted in the shade not far from the water. In a poorly coordinated attack, the 3 shooters were positioned to open fire simultaneously. The result was 1 dead pig and 2 possibles (not recovered and not counted) - a small pig on the left of the mob (my area of operations). Much good-natured sledging followed.
The next swamp presented lots of target animals. I ran the Go-Pro while Tom and Joel did the shooting. Tom shot 1 and Joel shot 1 and they both shot a third pig.
We drove over the Edward River and on toward a huge fresh-water lagoon (kilometres long) to fish for Barramundi and Saratoga (and Junior loves Black Bream). As we approached the lagoon in the Hilux, Junior stopped and pointed and said "there's a good boar in the shade of that log - shoot him". I couldn't see a boar! While he was trying to show me where he was, the boar broke cover and Tom shot him. Turns out I was looking at the wrong log.
We fished hard and initially we got hits every cast of the lures. After losing several fish, I got the hang of setting the hook and landed my first ever Saratoga! I didn't catch a Barra, but we should remedy that tomorrow. Junior caught a 40cm model Barra that we ate for lunch. Tasted amazing - way better than it looked.
Junior is a massive Broncos fan (Queensland Rugby League team - 2025 Australian Premiers) - his custom fishing rod has Broncos colours:
We were constantly aware that these waters are home to some large aquatic/overland handbags. A tourist was taken in front of his family by a Croc on the eastern side of Cape York at Cooktown in August last year.
We headed back towards Pomp and walked another swamp on the way - lots of sign but apparently no pigs. Junior asked Tom to fly his drone over to the next 2 lagoons to save us the walk if there weren't any pigs there. We all love walking but 37oC and 90% Humidity makes even simple tasks taxing when you aren't yet acclimatised (or acclimated as the yanks would say).
When Tom sent the drone up, it was immediately surrounded by Whistling Kites and Tom landed it rather than risk losing it.
So we walked around the big lagoon and Junior spotted 3 pigs walking unalarmed through the scrub in front of us. After missing the first shots from each of us, Junior pointed out a young boar standing and looking at us - so I shot him with the nine-three.
As we approached Pormpuraaw and the point where Junior asks us to unload all firearms, 2 dogs ran across the road in front of us. Tom had never shot a dog and was pretty happy with an excellent running shot - he slipped the Woodleigh in behind the ribs on the left-hand side and it exited the right shoulder.
Monday 13 OCT 2025
The boys went and set the crab pots and then Junior had a Council meeting to attend.
When Junior returned from his meeting, we hit the road at 10:30. We drove north with the plan to walk some swamps and then out to the coast for some fishing.
There's lots of cattle around the swamps and getting in to find the pigs before the cattle spook and scare everything off is not easy.
We had nearly circumnavigated the first big billabong when Junior pointed out a sleeping boar to Joel, who dispatched the 80kg model with a 135gr Sierra from the Lithgow 308.
The next swamp was nearly dry and no pigs were seen, but Junior pointed out a brindle Bull to Tom and after a good stalk, Tom put a 225gr Woodleigh from the Sako 75 in 338WM in the right spot.
One of he other bulls tried to get Tom's bull to get up and was trying to lift him, until we got close enough and he ran off. This was the damage under the bull's belly:
We walked another swamp system and as we approached the water through the surrounding scrub we saw a mob of pigs feeding towards us. I had the 300WBY barrel on the Blaser today, loaded with 165gr Spoor bullets at 3165fps (I didn't have time to work up a load - just used the same load for 165gr bullets out of the Weatherby MkV). When they were only 20m away I dispatched a small boar and a larger sow and then a big boar joined the fleeing mob. At about 40m running diagonally away, I put one behind his ribs and he faltered and ran about 20m before dropping. Junior reckons he would be 110kg - turned out to be the best boar for the trip.
The autopsy revealed that the bullet went through the heart and the Spoor was once again a perfect mushroom. Ted Mitchell's little knife earned its keep.
The clouds were starting to build and the breeze dropped and the heat and humidity became oppressive and energy-draining. I wear a smart watch that monitors my heart (and I've had a pacemaker since last year) and my watch was going ballistic with high heartrate alarms.
At a little after 16:00 we headed west to the ocean and along the way found some Croc droppings - contains a lot of bone apparently.
We drove south down the beach to the mouth of Christmas Creek and flogged the water with lures for my first Barramundi - to no avail.
We're fishing this afternoon and Junior's brother Eddie is coming along - hopefully today is the day.
We saw lots of Crocs, Burdekin Ducks, Stingrays and "Poppers" (baby Mullet skipping along the surface).
We fished as the sun set and I cooked up the rump steak and spuds in alfoil that we had brought "just in case".
The breeze coming off the ocean was hot but kept the skeeters and sandflies at bay. It was a magical sunset and I kept thinking "what are the poor people doing?" - something my Dad used to say when we were experiencing something special that most people will never experience.
The Rangers put cages over Turtle nests to try to protect the eggs from predation by pigs, dingos and goannas.
12 foot model
I got too close
To be continued....
This story started in 2003 when my younger son Tom was 13. He started high school and met Joel and they became lifelong friends. Through the noughties I taught them both to shoot and hunt (with some misgivings from Joel's parents). The last time I saw Joel was at Tom's 21st birthday party and although they now lead very different lives (Tom is a Town Planner and Joel is a Sparky), they have remained firm friends. Joel's elder sister became a School Teacher and eagerly chose a posting to remote Pormpuraaw on the west coast of Cape York. She met and fell in love with, then married, a native of Pormpuraaw and they now have 3 children. Now with the kids entering High School, Joel's sister has moved the family to Mareeba and her husband, Junior (so-called because he has the same Christian name as his father), is the Mayor of Pormpuraaw, an Aboriginal Community on the west coast of Cape York (Gulf of Carpentaria).
Late in 2024 the planets aligned and Tom and I accepted Joel's invitation to come and hunt with his Brother-In-Law in OCT 2025. And here we are.
Tom, Joel and I flew from Brisbane to Cairns ON 10 oct 2025 and stayed overnight in Mareeba with Joel's sister and met the family. On Saturday 11 OCT 2025 the 3 of us drove Junior's 79 series Twin-Cab Cruiser Trayback to Pormpuraaw.
We arrived at 16:00, unpacked and jumped into Junior's new Hilux and hunted south towards Kowanyama.
I blooded the Blaser, shooting 250gr Spoor Bullets from the 9.3x62 barrel, on a really good bull and recovered the bullet. The shot was made at 190m while the Bull was walking diagonally away and the bullet entered the left-hand side through the last rib and was found under the skin just in front of the right shoulder. The bull walked maybe 30m and fell over dead.
The day quickly became night and we saw a small boar trotting away from the vehicle. Joel exited and shot him with a Lithgow 308 shooting ADI factories with (I think) 155gr Sierras.
The next feral sighted was a small cat that Tom dispatched, emphatically, using his Sako 75 in 338WM loaded with 225gr Woodleigh PPSN.
And then another cat:
Sunday 12 OCT 2025
Drove north (towards Aurukun) and walked into some swamps looking for pigs. One mob eluded us exiting the far side of a lagoon as we walked in but at the next lagoon a mob of sleeping pigs was spotted in the shade not far from the water. In a poorly coordinated attack, the 3 shooters were positioned to open fire simultaneously. The result was 1 dead pig and 2 possibles (not recovered and not counted) - a small pig on the left of the mob (my area of operations). Much good-natured sledging followed.
The next swamp presented lots of target animals. I ran the Go-Pro while Tom and Joel did the shooting. Tom shot 1 and Joel shot 1 and they both shot a third pig.
We drove over the Edward River and on toward a huge fresh-water lagoon (kilometres long) to fish for Barramundi and Saratoga (and Junior loves Black Bream). As we approached the lagoon in the Hilux, Junior stopped and pointed and said "there's a good boar in the shade of that log - shoot him". I couldn't see a boar! While he was trying to show me where he was, the boar broke cover and Tom shot him. Turns out I was looking at the wrong log.
We fished hard and initially we got hits every cast of the lures. After losing several fish, I got the hang of setting the hook and landed my first ever Saratoga! I didn't catch a Barra, but we should remedy that tomorrow. Junior caught a 40cm model Barra that we ate for lunch. Tasted amazing - way better than it looked.
Junior is a massive Broncos fan (Queensland Rugby League team - 2025 Australian Premiers) - his custom fishing rod has Broncos colours:
We were constantly aware that these waters are home to some large aquatic/overland handbags. A tourist was taken in front of his family by a Croc on the eastern side of Cape York at Cooktown in August last year.
We headed back towards Pomp and walked another swamp on the way - lots of sign but apparently no pigs. Junior asked Tom to fly his drone over to the next 2 lagoons to save us the walk if there weren't any pigs there. We all love walking but 37oC and 90% Humidity makes even simple tasks taxing when you aren't yet acclimatised (or acclimated as the yanks would say).
When Tom sent the drone up, it was immediately surrounded by Whistling Kites and Tom landed it rather than risk losing it.
So we walked around the big lagoon and Junior spotted 3 pigs walking unalarmed through the scrub in front of us. After missing the first shots from each of us, Junior pointed out a young boar standing and looking at us - so I shot him with the nine-three.
As we approached Pormpuraaw and the point where Junior asks us to unload all firearms, 2 dogs ran across the road in front of us. Tom had never shot a dog and was pretty happy with an excellent running shot - he slipped the Woodleigh in behind the ribs on the left-hand side and it exited the right shoulder.
Monday 13 OCT 2025
The boys went and set the crab pots and then Junior had a Council meeting to attend.
When Junior returned from his meeting, we hit the road at 10:30. We drove north with the plan to walk some swamps and then out to the coast for some fishing.
There's lots of cattle around the swamps and getting in to find the pigs before the cattle spook and scare everything off is not easy.
We had nearly circumnavigated the first big billabong when Junior pointed out a sleeping boar to Joel, who dispatched the 80kg model with a 135gr Sierra from the Lithgow 308.
The next swamp was nearly dry and no pigs were seen, but Junior pointed out a brindle Bull to Tom and after a good stalk, Tom put a 225gr Woodleigh from the Sako 75 in 338WM in the right spot.
One of he other bulls tried to get Tom's bull to get up and was trying to lift him, until we got close enough and he ran off. This was the damage under the bull's belly:
We walked another swamp system and as we approached the water through the surrounding scrub we saw a mob of pigs feeding towards us. I had the 300WBY barrel on the Blaser today, loaded with 165gr Spoor bullets at 3165fps (I didn't have time to work up a load - just used the same load for 165gr bullets out of the Weatherby MkV). When they were only 20m away I dispatched a small boar and a larger sow and then a big boar joined the fleeing mob. At about 40m running diagonally away, I put one behind his ribs and he faltered and ran about 20m before dropping. Junior reckons he would be 110kg - turned out to be the best boar for the trip.
The autopsy revealed that the bullet went through the heart and the Spoor was once again a perfect mushroom. Ted Mitchell's little knife earned its keep.
The clouds were starting to build and the breeze dropped and the heat and humidity became oppressive and energy-draining. I wear a smart watch that monitors my heart (and I've had a pacemaker since last year) and my watch was going ballistic with high heartrate alarms.
At a little after 16:00 we headed west to the ocean and along the way found some Croc droppings - contains a lot of bone apparently.
We drove south down the beach to the mouth of Christmas Creek and flogged the water with lures for my first Barramundi - to no avail.
We're fishing this afternoon and Junior's brother Eddie is coming along - hopefully today is the day.
We saw lots of Crocs, Burdekin Ducks, Stingrays and "Poppers" (baby Mullet skipping along the surface).
We fished as the sun set and I cooked up the rump steak and spuds in alfoil that we had brought "just in case".
The breeze coming off the ocean was hot but kept the skeeters and sandflies at bay. It was a magical sunset and I kept thinking "what are the poor people doing?" - something my Dad used to say when we were experiencing something special that most people will never experience.
The Rangers put cages over Turtle nests to try to protect the eggs from predation by pigs, dingos and goannas.
12 foot model
I got too close
To be continued....
