Thread: Wild cattle

I've got access to a area that contains wild cattle as well as goats and fallow.
But are the wild cows any good to eat? And what are the like to hunt? Never had any experience with them as well as any of the guys i hunt with, is it work the time to try get one or should I leave them alone and just go after the deer and goats?

much bigger than a deer to carry out

age and condition are the key with wild cattle - spring is the time to start harvesting them- winter they are likely to be damn skinny - can you tell the condition and general age of a cattle beast by looking at it - learn how - need good covering of fat - okay forget top quality steak but burgers casserole mince all good - target the heifers if you can- young bull okay to - to hunt much like deer - they smart as deer definitely not old daisy plodding to the shed - just watch those bulls if you wound one - they will go you for sure

Got cattle at work, try to shoot a heifer where you can get a loader or at least a buggy, big job otherwise but ours are top eating, stay away from bulls, dog tucker

As others have said, tip over a young one. Preferably a heifer.

You are dealing with a LOT of meat. As others have said, shoot them where you have access with a quad/side x side/4WD. You are better to come back another day if they decide to camp somewhere inaccessible with only foot access. Carting a few hundred kgs of meat loses its novelty real quick. Esp in steep terrain.

They are very wily. Like deer, but with the knowledge that they are much bigger than you so will charge if things go pear shaped.

Example: Late 1980's the wild cattle in the Southern Waiouru Army zones for 'found' to have tb. So rather than leaving them alone (and leaving the young soldiers with an endless quantity of tasty beef!) they decided to shoot them all. A School of Infantry course, the Sustained Fire machine gun course went out to clean some up. Young lads encumbered with thousands of rounds of MG ammo, heavy as buggery tripods spare barrels etc etc haul themselves through the manuka and tight crap of Zone 15, setting up two firebases a few hundred metres apart. Below them was a mob of a dozen or more cattle beasts about 900m away. Suddenly the beasts scarper into the manuka, never to be seen again. The Senior Instructor (non hunter) mumbled something about how did they cotton onto us??? Young soldier (hunter) quietly says 'they smelt us. they are downwind of us.

In due course Goodie and Bugs were hired to tip them over and take samples for tb tests. None had it

we used to target them eastern Taranaki when we had a machine down that way for work-- damn hard to find one in good condition late summer some were not to bad in condition

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

we used to target them eastern Taranaki when we had a machine down that way for work-- damn hard to find one in good condition late summer some were not to bad in condition

Red Devon's???? If so I reckon I could point to where you were lol. Oh the happy memories. Young bull wasn't bad eating either,one of the few animals I shot with SMLE. Smacked a fmj in the crease and he folded up very quickly. The rear end was a good load on my teenage shoulders,front end got boned into pack.

Until your actually confronted with one on the ground at your feet, then you'll realize that even a 4x4 quad is not much use. You need a tractor with a bucket up front, a chain and a couple of half round posts to do them justice.
And that's just to skin them. Big difference between a 100Kg Red stag and a 500Kg cattle beast.
And for gods sake.... shoot it on flat ground....... Don't ask me how I know

Originally Posted by NIMROD

Until your actually confronted with one on the ground at your feet, then you'll realize that even a 4x4 quad is not much use. You need a tractor with a bucket up front, a chain and a couple of half round posts to do them justice.
And that's just to skin them. Big difference between a 100Kg Red stag and a 500Kg cattle beast.
And for gods sake.... shoot it on flat ground....... Don't ask me how I know

Would be ute, and we would have to be within 300m of the track Max, most of the track would be accessed going down hill, i wouldnt wanna know about it if we had to go up hill

Originally Posted by NIMROD

Until your actually confronted with one on the ground at your feet, then you'll realize that even a 4x4 quad is not much use. You need a tractor with a bucket up front, a chain and a couple of half round posts to do them justice.
And that's just to skin them. Big difference between a 100Kg Red stag and a 500Kg cattle beast.
And for gods sake.... shoot it on flat ground....... Don't ask me how I know

And just how do you know all that? eh

if you have the opportunity to target wild cattle or wild sheep dont waste it - have organized before hand how you are going to deal with some of the best wild shot meat you can get

Cheers team we do have a few tracks, so will go give it a go. But might give them a miss if there to far from any of the tracks

Id love to tip one over with the bow but the idea is terrifying haha

Originally Posted by superdiver

Id love to tip one over with the bow but the idea is terrifying haha

Having been stalked by one or 2 when I was guiding some bowhunters, they certainly can be terrifying. for such a bloody big animal, they are awfully quiet and sneaky in the bush!

Would love to have a go at one with myn416