RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Kanga,

Are there season's on the indigenious species in Oz?

20 million you say? That's 8 million less than the entire state of California, WOW!

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

This gives a whole new meaning to "smokin a camel"

Are the young ones "camel lights"?

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Yes, if you don't move it's possible that any wild animal will walk close to you. And like I said, when I was deer hunting I've had deer walk within a few yards from me. But if I were to stand up or move, they would run away. From what I can see in the picture, Rob wasn't making a lot of movement.

Good luck on your camel hunt! I have a feeling you'll bag one. ;)

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Thanks for the well wishes. Whether I bag one or not, I don't think it will change your opinion. Enjoy your whitetail hunting!;)

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

I am a bowhunter from Australia and I have spent a bit of time on the ground in central Australia workingwherethe donkeys and camels roam free.I personally have never harvested them but I know hunters that have, as you know a video can make the hardest task look simple.

They are feral and there are few fences in that part of the country not that stock fences slow a mob of camels anyway.

As for hunting seasons in Australia, except for some deer seasons in NSW and Victoria there are no other restrictions placed on hunting feral game in Australia. So they are legal to hunt all year round.

Cameltaste good, bit of garlic medium rare.

The Australian herds of camels are believed to be the last remaining feral herds in the world and they estimate the population to be 1,000,000+ and climbing due to no controls to keep there numbers in check.

Most of the game I harvest I take from 5m-35m the majority below 20m with the odd one out to 35m, I can assure you I don't get that close because the game is tame, I tried a tree stand once when I was young but it was not my style, I spend my hunting time covering ground on foot and stalking the game. I understand the need for tree stands in some situations as well as blinds etc but I personally get more enjoyment stalking game.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Will.

On the native animals (which are all protected including snakes) there is no season and they can not be shot.

You can shoot Kangaroo's but you have to have a special license from the National Parks and Wildlife service and to get that license takes years, first off you have to have written permission from atleast 3 properties with an aprox. number of Roo's and detailed damage they are doing. They will send a ranger to those properties to do a count ( via spot light at night)and to see the actual damage. They will then give the property owner x number of tags and the shooter gets the exact same number of tags which 1 of each must be on either the skin or butt section of every roo shot.

I was a Professional Roo shooter for 10 years and also on the Water Buff eradication program back in the late 70's early 80's untillthey found out Americans would pay big dollars to go and hunt them ( Buffs that is);)

Contact Scott over on Bowhunters group of Aus, He is a friend of mine and he and his wife Jo will take you on a hunt when your there;)
Just don't let him talk you into a Scrub Bull hunt:D

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Thanks for the info Russ. I will heed your advice:)

Welcome to the site Michael! It's always nice to have a couple oflocals weigh in!

Cheers mates!

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

To my knowledge hogs don't just stand there and let you shoot them, do they? I see zero sport in "hunting" Camels.[:'(]

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

But to your knowledge, do all camels just stand there to be shot? Like I said, I have footage that makes a fully wild WHITETAIL DEER look just as stupid as those camels. Videos can be slighted to make anything look easy.

Everyone who actually knows something about it (kanga, will, etc) has said this video doesn't accurately portray hunting feral animals in Australia. Their accurate account sounds identical to hog hunting in the states.


8pointhunter, I bother using treestands because not every whitetail lets you walk up to it...just as australians utilize stalking skills because not every feral animal lets you walk up to it...whether that animal be a hog, camel, bull, deer, cat, donkey, hippo, elk, chupacabra...you name it.



There are several people who view treestand hunting as easy and unethical compared to hunting from the ground...would you agree with them?

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

I don't get it Jeff? You don't see the sport in shooting something that just stands there? And yet, you'll kill a standing deer from your treestand (boy, you snuck up on him)?I thought standing was the perferred position?I'm confused...

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

all this talk about camels being shot while standing and no one noticed the one that was shot while on the ground i don't know about how the laws r but where im from u can't shoot an animal while on the ground like that.IT IS NOT FARE CHASE.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

It sure is fair chase...travis, let me tell you something you may or may not know....animals sometimes lay down. Shhhhhh.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Moreover, take a look at the blood pouring from that camel's side. He was already shot with one arrow. A second arrow finished him.

From what I gather from the video, four camels were killed. Three were on their feet when shot. The forth was finished on the ground. The camel tipper was actually trying to save his arrow (arrows are expensive in Oz). The threewhich were walked up to were hit with arrowspreviously. The fourth was stalked. The hunter used available cover and made a great shot (it was the camel laying downwhich came toit's feet). It's hard to speculate any approach or hunting prowess prior to what is shown in the video. Could it be this video shows the coup de grace?

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

U MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW WHERE IM FROM IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO SHOOT AN ANIMAL WHILE LAYING ON THE GROUND.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

i had to watch it a few times but yes U ARE WRIGHT I WAS WRONG u feal better now

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Camels are so ugly! And from the looks of this video you could just go out in your regular clothes walk right up to the thing and shoot it. FUN FUN.:eek:

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Hi fellow Hunters, Clemo from OZ here.
Interesting topic.
I find it rather humorous to read what some of you think constitutes hunting, or rather doesn't constitute hunting. I have no dout that if an unexperienced hunter was placed in that harsh environment he or she would perish long before they ever got the chance to "walk up" and arrow one of those tame camels.
The uninitisted may think that sitting in a tree stand is not really hunting but simply waiting for the animal to present you with an oportunity, rather than creating one. But the experienced would say different. Wouldn't they?
Cheers Guys and Girls.
Great site by the way.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

G'day and Happy New Year from "down under".

I guess I would like to think that most people would not make generalising assumptions about Australia and Australian hunters/hunting based on the footage of one short clip.

In similar fashion that I'm sure you'd not like us to make generalisations about your country from other short clips... such as this one for example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww [&:]

The narrow mindedness of some of the comments in this thread have left me speechless, whilst the maturity and experience in others has been inspiring.

Good hunting.

Griffo :)

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Looks like fun to me.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Camel hump straps on the grill.......YUM!;) As far as hunting them, I could care less as long as its legal.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Noone made any generalizations about Australian huntersin this thread. Come on now. People said(myself including originally) that the camels looked tame because we did not know they roamed freely. It actually looked staged to me. WHat I find interesting is that you are actually "speechless" over some comments on a hunting board...now that is funny.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

G.Day from Downunder..
Since camels were left in our outback by Afgani herders in our colonial days they have taken hold and spread throughout our arid centre...
the camel hunters can travel up to 600km(400miles)in a hunt to find the nomadic herds...and then spend hours on foot stalking them..the animals in the vid were being finished off after already being shot.
The meat from the camels is often transported to Aboriginal settlements scattered around the outback and i believe some aboriginals take part in the hunt.
These guys are doing our country a service by trying to contain the numbers of ferals which deprive what little food is around for native species..
By the way I have a treestand for deer hunting..but dont use it as i get too bored and fall asleep...more fun to stalk on foot..
Try something different..get out here and whack a Camel

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

The point remains. :eek:

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

I would need to know where the fitals are in order to take one down.......is the heart located in the hump;)? If the animal doesnt go to waste I would be down but I dont think the burger would be all that tastey. Furthermore, I dont think I would get the same rush as I do when I take a whitetail but I would try it once. Fat girls need love to.......

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

As been said before make sure brains engaged before mouth takes of .thanks im your huck for puttin us on another good site i see what you mean.


...nev...

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

The video of the pigs and camels sucked and I wasted my time watching them. Stalking an animal is awesome. Placing a stand in a location where THAT buck is going to be and setting it to have the wind in your favor is awesome. Watching wildlife is fantastic. Controlling animals heards are necessary. Comparing one hunt to all hunts is ignorant. Saying that most hunters on this site would not survive in the conditions on the video is ignorant. There are some hard core hunters on this site and I would not make that judgment. If it is challenging, I'm there.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Gidday everybody...Mick from Trophy Bowhunts Aust.

Firstly I am amazed at the lack of knowledge in relation to hunting wild animals in this thread. It shows that quite a number of us need to get out more and study our game. We shouldn't go making ssumptions on what we see or what we hear until we have done it. It would be far more productive to yourselves to ask why is it so.

So here I go in relation to hunting Camels and hunting in general in Australia.

Camels:

They live in the most arid and human free areas in Australia which is nearly as big as your US of A. There are no fences and they roam free over millions of acres. To hunt a camel you have to be very fit and can stand hot temperatures as you will soon give up if you are unfit. If you think they are easy to spot then forget it as they blend into the coutryside as they are the same colour. They rarely stop and rest, they move very quickly and you can not keep up with them and the only real sucessful way in hunting them is:
1. Findng them usualy by vehicle because you would die if you walked.
2. You need to set up an ambush and meet them there because you can't start behind them.
3. If you are lucky and they are resting you will only have a short amount of time to get in.
4. Now if you are on foot and have to follow you are at a severe disadvantage as hey are up to 12ft high and can see for a long way.
5. They will usually take off once you have been sighted or smelt.
6. They aren't that observant due to the fact they do not have any predators but in saying that if they have been chased a lot in a area you will never get near one to shoot.

THey may look like they are looking at the hunter in the video but I can assure they are not otherwise they would not have had the chance to task one. Camels are considered as hard as any deer to take.

Australian Hunting:

99% of hunting in Australia is done Free Range as there are only a handful of Game Ranches.
95% of hunting in Australian is done via stalking and generally only Deer are Tree standed.

When it comes to not being able to sneak into Bow range of any animal that is due to the competancy of the hunter. No animal is impossible to hunt on foot (You could get killed by some animals if they are nasty).

I shoot the majority of my game under 15m and that includes Buff, Scrub Bulls, Chital Deer. I use a Recurve or Longbow. I shot these distances because I like to get close and personnal. I blow many many stalks because of this but that's life. You know you are living when you hit a Buff at 8m and he turns to look at you.

All animals have there weaknesses and we need to find them. No animal is wide awake all the time. Study the animals you hunt and give them the respect they deserve.

PS. A Camels heart is exactly where you would expect to find a heart in a 4 legged animal. Its hump is a fat reserve only.

Good hunting all
Cheers Mick

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Best post on the thread.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

So...This is what you fellas do with Camels...at least we shoot'em....not root'em....lol

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

I would like to welcome the new Aussie members to our forum! It's always good to get first hand accounts from experienced hunters from around the world. Thank you for joining our group!

Clemo, What temps are we talking here? I've heard it can get as hot as 135 degrees F.
Mick, can they be ambushed at waterholes? Are there waterholes? What does camel taste like?

And...will one of you lads post a photo of thelarvawhich comes from a camel's nose?

Gotta love the internet!

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Special,

Where did you get that picture? I thought I destroyed all the negatives LOL...

Keep it civil...

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Definitely a Big Welcome to our Aussie Bowhunting brothers!!

Dan

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Waiting at a waterhole could take a while as they don't drink everyday but that is a option. Camel steaks are reported to be vey good and some butchers do carry them for special occassions over here.

Cheers
Mick

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

i'd like to see some of you yanks get within bow range of some camels now that would be a show

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Only to happy to contribute Will...You've opened my eyes to some excellent hunting and scenery from over there for a while now...excellent

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

I see someone opened the flood gates for the Aussies. Welcome guys.

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Haahaha - The floodgates are open, lookout were comin over for a visit (hope you don't mind us dropping by).
Thanks for the above welcome. This forum of yours is HUGE!!!

Thanks for the heads up Huck on the site and I extend a warm welcome to anyone here who would like to visit us at home on our site. Huck mentioned the link earlier in this thread but if your interested here it is again:
http://www.aussiebowhunter.com

I joined today more for the reason of maybe learning something, rather than getting into a wild feral camel hunting debate. You see, the way I see things the biggest difference in bowhunting between our countries is that we mostly spot and stalk hunt and you guys mostly tree stand hunt. I know that's a fairly broad generalization and there are lots of exceptions - but I know if I landed in say Georgia in the fall at the start of bow season my spot and stalk skills would be useless on the ankle deep layer of dry leaves that are found in most likely deer haunts at that time of year cause obviously walking around would be just a bit too noisy. Likewise in Aus time spent in a tree sometimes would be better spend actually finding, moving in on and ambushing your quarry of choice. But I'm hoping to pick up some tricks of the treestand hunter, cause my best chance at a nice buck lies in the forest (bush/scrub) surrounding a local vineyard, the grape picking season is the same time as the rut of the local fallow deer (or roar as we call it). The deer love eatin ripe grapes and make a bit of a nuisance of themselves in the wi*****wers eyes and the winery property I hunt on seems to lend itself to a treestand type ambush rather than a spot and stalk approach. So I hope you good ole boys wont mind me lurking around, gleaning info and picking brains....

All the best
Aaron

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Welcome guys, glad some of the negative comments didn't turn you off. Good to have you here..

-Adam

RE: Bowhunting Camels?
 

Welcome aboard Aussies!! You guys are alright In my book!!