My Second MZ Win: A Scrubber!

[Ben K]

G'day fellas,

Had a lucky hunt this morning, bright and early. Found a young scrubber feeding, and did a stalk that put me sixty yards from him. Even though I was in the open, he had no idea I was there. I was perched on my behind, eliminating the human profile, I guess. Well, I won't tell lies about my shooting. When the smoke cleared, he was just looking at me, puzzled. I had missed. He resumed feeding, and I commenced my loading. After that, I put the killing shots into him, missing a bit more as well, for one reason or another. Thankfully, my mate, Mick, was standing some distance behind me with my double .500NE... but more thankfully, he never had to use it, although we were making plans for me to run to the left to clear a lane for him should the need arise. But the bull was too buggered to have a go. Very happy to complete this success with my muzzleloader and roundball only.

My rifle is a second-hand CVA Mountain Rifle, .54", that I purchased from Kapow here. The roundballs I was using were made by another kind member here, from old car batteries, and sent to me as I was having trouble getting supplies (this weekend I can go to town and buy a burner, a melting pot and a gas bottle - then raid the old batteries at the rubbish tip). Today I was using my new Ted Cash capper, which is nifty. And I even have a proper possibles bag, a little canvas satchel that I bought for less than ten bucks at a surplus shop when I was last in a city!

Thanks for letting me share my adventure with you guys! I'm still very excited. Thanks again for all the help and knowledge you blokes have shared.

Kind regards,

Ben

 

[smoothshooter]

Nice job! Excellent photo quality!
Why do you call them " scrubbers " ?

What is that, actually? Looks like a wild cow or some kind of water buffalo.

 

[Ben K]

Thank you for the kind words!

Scrubber = scrub cattle (in this case a young scrub bull)

Scrub = bush = wild

Cheers!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Great photos mate, good on ya.

B :thumbsup:

 

[wattlebuster]

Congrats to ya :thumbsup: He is a might bigger than the whitetails around my neck of the woods

 

[Patocazador]

That's a lot of meat for the freezer.. Congrats!

I think I'd rather have a heavy conical bullet for something as big as a cow. Patched round balls will kill them (obviously) but the suspense would do me in while waiting around for it to drop. :wink:

I read somewhere that lead from a battery was not a wise choice for casting bullets but I don't remember why that was. Stick-on wheel weights works good for me.

 

[Spikebuck]

Congrats! :hatsoff:

Is the rifle shooting well off the bench?

 

[Silky921]

How's the quality of the eating on those?

 

[JeffG]

Good job! I've got a chance at yak this fall. You have inspired me!

 

[Harold1950]

Lead from a car battery is a lot harder than regular (pure) lead. Everything says to use the softer lead in a muzzleloader but shooting an animal that size with a muzzleloader, you would probably want a harder lead roundball/projectile to get the best penetration. At least would seem so.

 

[ny griz]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Congrats,good job.Griz

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Good hunting! :thumbsup: I had to read this post just to see what a scrubber was. GW

 

[Ben K]

This rifle, with this load, shoots pretty well on the target range. I really think the missing was my fault, being too nervous and excited.

 

[Ben K]

Thanks for the kind words, guys! Yep, the meat is fine!

 

[house]

Great story! Thanks for sharing..

 

[mooman76]

Looked like a good hunt, but any hunt is good when you bring home meat. Thanks for sharing.

 

[agill]

Congratulations! As a bonus, you got two powder horns to make now! :hatsoff:

 

[robinsroost]

Congratulations! As a bonus, you got two powder horns to make now! :hatsoff:

Those were my exact thoughts, LOL. Nicely done Ben, congratulations! Now that you have confidence that the .54 will do the job, the next one will be easier. Are scrub bulls considered game animals, and is there a season, bag limit or license requirements? Inquiring minds want to know. Keep yer powder dry........Robin :bow:

 

[Ben K]

They are a feral animal, not so good for the environment in numbers, and there is no season. They are more challenging to find and hunt than buffalo are, and more dangerous. There's no bag limit, either.

 

[Ben K]

The only permission required is from the landowner, whether it be on a cattle station or on Aboriginal land.