Feral Animal Management
With the sheep round up out of the way, it was back to work eradicating some of the pests that make a farmer’s life difficult.
On a massive block that has extensive almond groves, vast vineyards, expansive stubble paddocks and crops, centre pivot irrigated potato crops, river flats and virgin mallee growing in sand dunes, there was a variety of feral pests to contend with.
Grown on trellis’s high off the ground so that the grapes may be machine picked, the height of the wine grape vines above ground makes access difficult for the many vegetable eating animals in this part of the world; all but the feral hare that is.
These above ground dwellers are quick on the hop and have very long legs to propel them out of harm’s way. Those same long legs allow them to stand upright to graze on the new shoots budding from the vine runners and fresh bark; virtually ring barking the vine.
Agility around the rows of vines was required to keep track of the hares as they scarpered from row to row and the Kymco MXU was the order of this day and many others to follow.
Working from row to row one could keep track of these animals under the trellises due to the low profile of the MXU400 riding position, until they propped in the shadow of a vine or amongst a tussock of grass for a breather at which time they were quickly despatched with a rimfire rifle.
Early morning hunts were the most successful and from there the Kymco took us to the edge and down the cliff tracks to the river delta in search of rabbits.
Here we had to contend with, amongst other things, mud, lignum bushes, rocks, creek crossings, hill climbing situations and fallen timber concealed by foliage. Not a problem at all; slip the Kymco into the appropriate gear and drive and just do it! And it did so well.
Never one to waste the spoils of the hunt, rabbit stew was on the menu over the next week of shooting that got more interesting to say the least!
Stay tuned!