Bill Wapiti
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
My first time doing anything like this !!! - I guess it all started way back in 1974 when as a five year old playing in an old wrecked car on my uncles farm back in NZ i found an old air rifle under the back seat, i remember it as if were yesterday........well time has marched on but something stirred inside me that day and ever since ive had a love of hunting and all that goes with it.......
I was lucky enough to have been bought up on a farm and father thought nothing of letting his ten year old loose all day with nothing other than an orange or two and a handful of .22 shells, i chased rabbits, hares and magpies until my heart was content and learnt a lot along the way......
As a teenager i obsessed about deer stalking, going hunting wasn't a problem but finding deer was, this was the time helicopter hunting had decimated NZ's deer population and i think i must have been out hunting thirty or so times without even seeing a deer..........
Things started looking up when in 1990 i headed down to Fiordland for a job change and soon started getting amongst the reds down the Hollyford Valley and Fallow in the Greenstone Valley......
After my job folded i made my way to Scotland, i was lucky enough to end up working as a Ghillie at Mar Lodge near Braemar, i hate to say it but i went there thinking i knew it all and quickly realised i had much to learn, i pulled my head in and loved every minute of it.........
I made my way back to NZ where the collection of gear and rifles grew and grew, such a good licensing system back home, you can drive at 15, and at 16 have your Firearms License - in short they license you - not the rifle or shotgun - buy what you want, just get on with it safely........
In 2003 i moved to Australia - really had plans of doing some serious hunting - that just didn't happen as the Queensland Police made it nigh on impossible to get a license within the two year period i wanted to stay near Brisbane.........to cut a long story short my mate bought the mother of all crossbows and i bought a really good bow............had a lot of fun stalking bush pigs, turkeys and wallabies....really challenging terrain, hard to move about quietly and lots of deadly beasties to contend with, sure was out of my comfort zone.........
Anyway i made my way back to Scotland where i have been working in Galloway for the last five years - love it here........have been so lucky to meet some great folk, my Spaniel and i have great fun beating and there is always a Roe in the fridge...............
Over here I shoot a Ruger No 1 25.06, i am a huge fan of Leupold scopes and back home love my Ruger Mini 14's and vintage Lee Enfields......at present i am in the process of doing up a Howa 1500 .308, just want something a bit lighter, the No 1 with T8, heavy barrel and bipod sure weighs a ton, nice and accurate though........i fretted no end about ammo choice, then found out the only local supply was Federal Powershok 117grain soft points and was over the moon when i found i could average around an inch at a hundred yards...........
Anyway easter has been good so far - a nice old 7 pointer buck on Saturday and a young fella last night........the dogs happy, the wifes happy and with me enjoying this website life is good - happy easter to you all - Take care and Regards.......
My first time doing anything like this !!! - I guess it all started way back in 1974 when as a five year old playing in an old wrecked car on my uncles farm back in NZ i found an old air rifle under the back seat, i remember it as if were yesterday........well time has marched on but something stirred inside me that day and ever since ive had a love of hunting and all that goes with it.......
I was lucky enough to have been bought up on a farm and father thought nothing of letting his ten year old loose all day with nothing other than an orange or two and a handful of .22 shells, i chased rabbits, hares and magpies until my heart was content and learnt a lot along the way......
As a teenager i obsessed about deer stalking, going hunting wasn't a problem but finding deer was, this was the time helicopter hunting had decimated NZ's deer population and i think i must have been out hunting thirty or so times without even seeing a deer..........
Things started looking up when in 1990 i headed down to Fiordland for a job change and soon started getting amongst the reds down the Hollyford Valley and Fallow in the Greenstone Valley......
After my job folded i made my way to Scotland, i was lucky enough to end up working as a Ghillie at Mar Lodge near Braemar, i hate to say it but i went there thinking i knew it all and quickly realised i had much to learn, i pulled my head in and loved every minute of it.........
I made my way back to NZ where the collection of gear and rifles grew and grew, such a good licensing system back home, you can drive at 15, and at 16 have your Firearms License - in short they license you - not the rifle or shotgun - buy what you want, just get on with it safely........
In 2003 i moved to Australia - really had plans of doing some serious hunting - that just didn't happen as the Queensland Police made it nigh on impossible to get a license within the two year period i wanted to stay near Brisbane.........to cut a long story short my mate bought the mother of all crossbows and i bought a really good bow............had a lot of fun stalking bush pigs, turkeys and wallabies....really challenging terrain, hard to move about quietly and lots of deadly beasties to contend with, sure was out of my comfort zone.........
Anyway i made my way back to Scotland where i have been working in Galloway for the last five years - love it here........have been so lucky to meet some great folk, my Spaniel and i have great fun beating and there is always a Roe in the fridge...............
Over here I shoot a Ruger No 1 25.06, i am a huge fan of Leupold scopes and back home love my Ruger Mini 14's and vintage Lee Enfields......at present i am in the process of doing up a Howa 1500 .308, just want something a bit lighter, the No 1 with T8, heavy barrel and bipod sure weighs a ton, nice and accurate though........i fretted no end about ammo choice, then found out the only local supply was Federal Powershok 117grain soft points and was over the moon when i found i could average around an inch at a hundred yards...........
Anyway easter has been good so far - a nice old 7 pointer buck on Saturday and a young fella last night........the dogs happy, the wifes happy and with me enjoying this website life is good - happy easter to you all - Take care and Regards.......
I am of out there to meet a mate off this forum for a spot of hunting on Sunday 
I looked at a BAR in .308 last time I was over there and was told the Mini 14's are great fun but you are lucky to get a 4 inch group at 100 yards? 
