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Hunting >> Hunting in Australia, NZ & the South Pacific

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3812
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Top End Waterfowl Odyssey
#394309 - 12/11/25 12:31 AM

Last week Mark (m239) travelled to the Northern Territory for a taste of the unique wing-shooting opportunities on offer in the Top End at this time of year.

Magpie geese have been a bit scarce for some reason, but the plumed whistle ducks are in plague proportions. Miraculously the build-up storms held off and we managed some degree of success on the floodplain east of Beatrice Lagoon.

Mark with a full bag of whistle ducks. More coming in the background!

After plucking ducks all afternoon (!) we determined next day that no-one was to take a shot at a duck!
It would be geese only.

Retrieving a downed goose.

Trudging back across the plain with a full bag.

A couple of days later the tides were right for chasing barra in the East Arm of Darwin Harbour, and Mark managed his first from Bleesers Creek to complete the 2025 "Territory MacNab" (buffalo, barra, and a brace of magpie geese), but I'll let him tell that story...

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3812
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: Marrakai]
#394310 - 12/11/25 12:51 AM

The next day we watched the sun rise from the northern end of the Harrison Dam wall but pickings were lean. Luckily Mark had his eye in with the SKB 500 and bagged a brace before we headed back to Beatrice for a last hurrah.

Mark with a brace of magpie geese.

Ian with a big hump-headed bird.

We were lucky to get such accommodating weather for the week of Mark's visit: the few days since have been positively monsoonal and its anyone's guess where the birds will be when we get back out there!

Typical morning weather pattern this week.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27996
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: Marrakai]
#394314 - 12/11/25 04:43 AM

A LOT of birds in the background, top photo.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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93x64mm
.416 member

Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4594
Loc: Nth QLD Australia

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: DarylS]
#394317 - 12/11/25 06:02 AM

Boy the wets coming Marrakai!
Been bloody hot here in NQ, but you guys in the NT are far worse than us!
Glad Mark & Ian got a few away, no wonder you were sick of plucking ducks - - nice haul indeed!

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m239
.300 member

Reged: 13/09/17
Posts: 172
Loc: Australia

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: 93x64mm]
#394322 - 12/11/25 08:56 AM

And what an odyssey it was!

Massive thanks to Marrakai - we had a ball.

Managed to dodge natures perils at every turn, including the weather and 20kg falling goose corpse near misses.

Plenty of angry buff sign around.

Hungry crocs in the area

Vicious giant man eating Brolgas

But birds aplenty

that cooked up well and went down nicely

I'll run with Marrakai's generous reading of what constitutes an NT Macnab, it took me a few months but it was great to land a barra, tip over a buff and take a brace of honkers in 2025.

Maybe it's fair to say I had a Macnab of a year?

Edited by m239 (12/11/25 09:35 AM)

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Claydog
.400 member

Reged: 17/08/12
Posts: 1264
Loc: Katherine, Northern Territory ...

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: 93x64mm]
#394323 - 12/11/25 09:02 AM

Another good haul. Always wondered about a Territory Macnab, well played.

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3812
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: Claydog]
#394326 - 12/11/25 01:20 PM

A "proper" NT MacNab would be theoretically possible at Harrison Dam reserve.
Barra, buff and geese are all present there, and could potentially be taken in a single day.

A dawn stint on the waterfowl would likely net a brace of geese, and a sundown casting session in the open water along the dam wall
would probably result in a barra.

The difficulty would be encountering a buffalo while pig-hunting with Brennekes or a Paradox during the heat of the day,
in a way that threatened your safety and provoked a lawful armed response!

As Mark has shown, plenty of fresh buff sign about. A few 12-bore solid slug loads are always handy just in case!

Buffalo used to be legal on the reserves many years ago, but it is pigs only on the hunting permit now.
Shotguns (or Paradox) are mandatory on account of the croc viewing tours on the Adelaide River at the eastern boundary,
and some adjacent agriculture or aquaculture development to the north sensibly ruling out centrefire rifles.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27996
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: Marrakai]
#394327 - 12/11/25 01:41 PM

The Gualandi DGS slugs might work well. The Canadian load is 496gr. at 1,610fps. Bit pointy, but good full diameter ring.
https://www.google.com/search?client=fir...ld=cid:1b06a8ef,vid:TCxA2IYneqM,st:0
The Qualandi's run about 2" for 5 shots at 30yards from my 24" Mossberg rifled tube & open sights, same as the Winchester 3" 1 ounce Fosters at 1,750fps.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 41000
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: Marrakai]
#394329 - 12/11/25 04:05 PM

Quote:

Buffalo used to be legal on the reserves many years ago, but it is pigs only on the hunting permit now.
Shotguns (or Paradox) are mandatory on account of the croc viewing tours on the Adelaide River at the eastern boundary,
and some adjacent agriculture or aquaculture development to the north sensibly ruling out centrefire rifles.

I was going to suggest adrilling in 2x 12-bore and a 9.3x74R or larger.

I keep asking this question. But I don't believe I've ever got a straight direct answer. How do Paradoxes pattern with shot?

Looks like a fun shoot day.

I always wonder how you retrieve downed birds from way out on the water? I don't shoot enough birds to want to leave any out on the water. I'd hate even tomuse my dog to retrieve birds in croc waters.

In my youth I was with guys whom would Wade out to retrieve birds. And inwouldceade out yonunsnag my fishing lure. Seventh time in an afternoon, that was it, imhad the nerves too bad.

I'm getting the hots to get up to the Top End again. Even if only to do a photography and filming trip of the Cobourg Peninsula. Been hoping for that since hunting banteng there, way too long ago.

I've earning an off farm income for five months. But that's ending. No farm income to speak of, is going to happen till June 2027, if then. So hoping for another contracting/consulting/temping job early next year 2026. Income allows things to happen!

Back to Top End waterfowl. Are the Geese and Ducks seasons aligned?

I've yet to shoot a magpie goose. Definitely need a plan. Seeing the season is in November, October?, 2026 will be out for me, I will be on a Corbett Pilgrimage.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 41000
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: NitroX]
#394330 - 12/11/25 04:23 PM

My French Cape gun in rifled 12-bore and smooth bord choked 12-bore might work on a McNab mixed game type hunt. Except for single barrel shotgunning? Not sure I can cope with that.

Of course rifling is said to destroy good patterns. I'm going to have to test that out, being stubborn. Would shorter ranges still be feasible? Probably not going to work but I'll try. Physics might be different for me.

I think the 12-bore Cape Gun might be designed for large shot and ball/slug.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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m239
.300 member

Reged: 13/09/17
Posts: 172
Loc: Australia

Re: Top End Waterfowl Odyssey [Re: NitroX]
#394336 - 12/11/25 08:19 PM

John - my respsonses to your queries based on my vast experience ;-)

I'm sure Marrakai will supplement if required

Quote:

I always wonder how you retrieve downed birds from way out on the water?

Those with normal risk aversion levels do not retrieve birds from water deep enough to hold crocs.

Quote:

Are the Geese and Ducks seasons aligned?

AFAIK Yes. They certainly were this year. See

here

Edited by m239 (12/11/25 08:20 PM)

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