Well our five day hunt in western Queensland for camels did not start well. Day one and two were spent in Mt Isa waiting for a new Radiator to be fitted to my 'Deo after overheating issued indicated that it would not be prudent to continue. A big shout out, to the boys at Miners Mate Automotive who got us back in the fight. We only found out at the end, that the owner used to shoot 'for the box' down in the channel country. No wonder we got prompt attention (or maybe it was the mention of a cash job that got us in fast ?).

Last refuel at Boulia.

Then back to Camp Camel where I had spent last August with Boggy, Bumnut, John Foxwell, Blacks and Rule303. This was my fourth trip to the property and the 2nd time we stayed at the relatively luxurious 'Camp Camel'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IBCN_XG2NI#

Nothing beats a Gidgy wood fire at night.

We hit the tracks hard for the remaining two and a half days seeing 54 camels and shooting 26. We had to spend up to 14 hours per day in the truck and covered 600km in total to get the camels we did. WE were up before dawn and back after dark. Yes, they were long days.

Rolling a Camel for a brief autopsy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RLl0wJsPzo#
Time for a selfie.

Bull with the 9.3x62 first morning.

This is the 2nd shot with the 9.3x62. I had already shot him on the other side. You will see the 1st hole. Neither exited.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81qizfK_eW4#

Young bull taken with a rear raking heart shot on the run by TYB and the .243W

Constantly glassing

Our truck set up. Its a bit long to watch and the wind ruins the sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN2ounlOFVY#

Another with the .243 and head shots.

Another Bull for me.

Brain shots were the norm for Cam and the .243W and 100 Sierra SptBt's. They bleed a lot from the head.

The Old Man with the .243 shot this through C3 for an instant 'down' on the last day.

Heading home, shooting all the way out for over 150kms +...

Last year the owner had sold off the 90+ breeding herd to meat shooters and I was worried that the population may have diminished. This is not so. The dynamics have changed however with small family groups of 5-6 now wondering around the property as well as lone batchelor bulls. These groups have no doubt moved in from outside to fill the population vacuum. We also covered a lot of new country.

I have now been part of 72 camels being killed here and they still prove to be very phlegmatic and hard to kill. You can put them down with one shot, but they often need mulitple shots and a coupe-de-grace for a final kill. Cameron and his head shots were very effective, particularly to the back of the head.