Dingos

[leeds]

Was camped by Aligator Billabong the other night. Got woken up by a dingo calling/howling at about 2-3 am. Sound seemed to get closer. Then it sounded like one was prowling around tent.

All food/rubbish etc was in back of the 110. Wonder what to do. So grabbed the tent peg mallet and got into the 110. Put lights on and could see 3 dingos watching me. So started the 110 and drove slowly towards them and then they disappeared into the bush. Returned to tent and switched off lights/ Few minutes later switched them back on and still there was one about 50 metres from tent. So drove towards it and it loped off into the bush


So my question is what is correct proceedure when a pack of dingoes approaches your campsite at night time?

Yes I understand about not leaving stuff out to attract dingos etc.

Regards

Brendan

[dmdigital]

They're pretty much cowards unless cornered or in a pack. I've always found doing something like you did, noise, lights sends them running.

Wait until you have a Water Buffalo stumbling through the campsite :eek:

[Treads]

.243? :wasntme:

[cooter]

i always carry firecrackers when i go to mungo as the dingoes are a bit too game for my liking as they will surround you

[Yorkshire_Jon]

:eek::eek: is no-one concerned about camping near the gaitors????

[p38arover]

i always carry firecrackers when i go to mungo as the dingoes are a bit too game for my liking as they will surround you

Bought from the ACT? ;)

[p38arover]

:eek::eek: is no-one concerned about camping near the gaitors????

Nah! Australia doesn't have any alligators. Only crocodiles. :p

[Captain_Rightfoot]

They taste just like chicken :wasntme:

[Redback]

:eek::eek: is no-one concerned about camping near the gaitors????


Nah! Australia doesn't have any alligators. Only crocodiles. :p

It's the dropbears you gotta look out for, don't want one of them buggers fallin on ya:D

[wovenrovings]

As long as all the food and rubbish is out of there reach i wouldn't do anything. Unless they are keeping you up or you have small kids in the tent:wasntme:. If you are in a swag and they are sniffing your face that is annoying but they aren't going to harm you. You could throw a rock at them to scare them off.

[JDNSW]

Dingos will usually retreat if disturbed at all, and in any case are not dangerous except to children.

But it does point out that if we protect dangerous animals, we cannot then expect to completely avoid a few casualties among those who live or visit in their habitat.

I do not regard dingoes as particularly dangerous, although anything that size with teeth is capable of inflicting injuries, and there have been cases of people being hurt by normally harmless animals such as kangaroos, for example only a couple of weeks ago. But the only really dangerous animals in Australia are some snakes, crocodiles, buffalo, and pigs. Probably in about that order.

John

[Bigbjorn]

JD, you missed out feral humans.

[weeds]

watch out for them hoop snakes

[leeds]

.243??? heard of a .22


If you lot ever have pleasure of visiting the UK take care to keep well clear of haggises if you go up north.

Used to water buffaloo in India and Nepal and they do seem rather placid creatures. There again I would not want to be in the way of a charging one though!

Regards

Brendan

[Treads]

.243 Winchester is a common cartridge here. Good allrounder for Pigs, Goats, Wild Dogs, etc and the legal minimum for Deer in most states.

[V8Landy]

.243??? heard of a .22


If you lot ever have pleasure of visiting the UK take care to keep well clear of haggises if you go up north.

Used to water buffaloo in India and Nepal and they do seem rather placid creatures. There again I would not want to be in the way of a charging one though!

Regards

Brendan

A .243 is a lot like a .22 only with a bigger bang:twisted::twisted:

[CraigE]

Best thing to do is just go to sleep. They are going to skulk around no matter what you do. They will be back and probablly quieter. We have often had them prowl around the camp in the middle of the night, walk over you in a swag, but they are generally very timid animals and badly maligned.
I reckon a cornered upset possum is more dangerous.
I would however be extremely cautious around feral wild dogs or cross bred dingos and they would get a bullet real quick.

We had a Dingo as a pet for 17 odd years. Apparently as close to pure as you will get on the mainland. Had her from a pup. Fantastic dog to take shooting, never had to teach her anything.
Miss her and my old Staffy heaps.

Oh and we named her Lindy.
:wasntme::angel::angel::angel:

[Treads]

A .243 is a lot like a .22 only with a bigger bang:twisted::twisted:

Except one's centrefire and the other's rimfire. Minor difference :angel: :wasntme: :D

[p38arover]

.243??? heard of a .22


A .243

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/09/408.jpg

A .22 long rifle:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/09/409.jpg

Hmm, I think the .243 might be a bit punchier! :D

[BMKal]

Best thing to do is just go to sleep. They are going to skulk around no matter what you do. They will be back and probablly quieter. We have often had them prowl around the camp in the middle of the night, walk over you in a swag, but they are generally very timid animals and badly maligned.
I reckon a cornered upset possum is more dangerous.
I would however be extremely cautious around feral wild dogs or cross bred dingos and they would get a bullet real quick.

We had a Dingo as a pet for 17 odd years. Apparently as close to pure as you will get on the mainland. Had her from a pup. Fantastic dog to take shooting, never had to teach her anything.
Miss her and my old Staffy heaps.

Oh and we named her Lindy.
:wasntme::angel::angel::angel:

Same here. Have hadthem wonder through the camp many times, both in WA and in the Territory. When I was working at The Granites Gold Mine in the NT, they were in the camp every night - often quite funny to watch. The pups and younger adults are very playful but, as Craig has said, very timid and always maintain a safe distance from humans.

About the only issue that we had with them was that you could not leave your boots outside your room to "air out". If you did, guaranteed that at least one of them would be missing in the morning - you would find chewed work boots all through the bush around the camp if you went looking.

[Bigbjorn]

.243??? heard of a .22


If you lot ever have pleasure of visiting the UK take care to keep well clear of haggises if you go up north.

Regards

Brendan

Geordies and Yorkies are also dangerous.

[scarry]

Except one's centrefire and the other's rimfire. Minor difference :angel: :wasntme: :D

And one can be reloaded& one cant:angel:

We were camping on moreton island last year,and were woken up during the night,to find a pig had knocked over the camping table & was running off with a billy.Cant take firearms over there....a bow might be the go:wasntme:

As for the .243,aint real good on the pigs on the cape,unless you are a real good shot.A .270 is the go ...kinder on the animal.

[JamesH]

CraigE and BKMal, what sort of personality did they have? Ive heard they bond with a single person (pack leader) and don't have a lot of time for anybody else. Also heard they do things their way and on their terms (a bit like cats). Was that your experience?

We had dingoes come almost into camp when we were up north and we were always thrilled to see them. We had no children with us and didn't feel threatened.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

... rimfire...

Im guessing another word with a slightly different meaning on your side of the pond...:D:D

[Bigbjorn]

As for the .243,aint real good on the pigs on the cape,unless you are a real good shot.A .270 is the go ...kinder on the animal.

An old mate, a retired tool and die man, a fanatical firearms restorer and collector, spends a lot of time on his daughter and s-i-l's cattle property out from Goondiwindi. Lots of feral pigs. Old Mick uses a very valuable Holland & Holland .375 Magnum on them. I once queried this as being a bit excessive there not being a lot of elephant and rhino around Goondiwindi. Mick says his eyesight is not getting better and a hog hit with the H&H is a hog hit for good no matter where it is hit.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Geordies and Yorkies are also dangerous.

...careful;)

[Yorkshire_Jon]

If you lot ever have pleasure of visiting the UK take care to keep well clear of haggises if you go up north.

Unless they're on your plate - then your in for a treat!!

[Ricey]

I was reading this thread then flicked to SMH & what do you know, I see an article on electric fences for Fraser Island towns.

Dingo fences to protect Fraser Island tourists - News - Travel - smh.com.au (http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/fraser-fenced-after-dingo-attacks/2008/09/18/1221331009774.html)

[leeds]

Most of the camp sites we saw on Fraser had a dingo fence around it. The cattle grid at entrance had electric wires across them..

With that level of expenditure one would think that dingos are a major problem on Fraser. There again is it the people who are the major problem by leaving food/rubbish outside the vehicles?

There again we only saw one juvenile dingo on Fraser Island.


In the Canadian Rockies, bad camping habits cause a major problem with bears both grizzlies and brown bears. You certainly do not want to argue with those creatures at close quarters!!!


Regards

Brendan

[edddo]

Best thing to do is just go to sleep. They are going to skulk around no matter what you do. They will be back and probablly quieter. We have often had them prowl around the camp in the middle of the night, walk over you in a swag, but they are generally very timid animals and badly maligned.
I reckon a cornered upset possum is more dangerous.
I would however be extremely cautious around feral wild dogs or cross bred dingos and they would get a bullet real quick.

We had a Dingo as a pet for 17 odd years. Apparently as close to pure as you will get on the mainland. Had her from a pup. Fantastic dog to take shooting, never had to teach her anything.
Miss her and my old Staffy heaps.

Oh and we named her Lindy.
:wasntme::angel::angel::angel:

yeh also had a near pure dingo as a pet. Best dog I have had thus far...also died at 17yrs. Very very intelligent, incredible homing ability (made from Essendon to Fairfield in Melbourne in under 2 hours..if you know Melbourne you know that is a feat!), great hunter, great companion. Named Mungo, died 2004)

[leeds]

There are regular reports about pet dogs attacking children in the UK. Some of these dogs are not species designated as a dangerous dog although the press do concentrate on reporting attacks by breeds designated as a dangerous dog (e.g. Pitbull Terrier etc)

In the case of the recent dingo attack on Fraser Island what sort of responsibility for the attack was laid at the responsible adult/s doorstep? Was a young child left unsupervised in an area well know that was inhabited by dingos?

Lets hope that the child makes a full recovery and that no needless culling of dingos take place


Regards

Brendan

[scarry]

Sadly, another dingo attack on a child, on Fraser reported on the news just tonight :(.

Dunno that I agree with the dingo fences on Fraser...what an eyesore they are.
Dunno what the solution is, but I do like dingos :D

I spent a lot of time on Fraser island in the late sixty's & early 70;s,my father worked on the island(those were the days):)

We saw hardly any dingoes,and the ones we did see were very weary of us,they wouldnt come near you ,as with any wild animal.
I think now ,the dingos associate people,campsites & houses with food,and this is causing the problems.

The extra food around has probably helped increase the dingo population,and this has added to the problem.

dunno what can be done either,its very difficult to get a wild animal to live in harmony with people.

On another note,havent been back for many years,as i like to remember the place as it was ,not as it is today.

[beforethevision]

Sadly, another dingo attack on a child, on Fraser reported on the news just tonight :(.

Dunno that I agree with the dingo fences on Fraser...what an eyesore they are.
Dunno what the solution is, but I do like dingos :D


No offense to those with kids, but its a national park. Dingos are meant to be there, fences are not. If you're worried about your kids, we are lucky enough to have hundreds of other national parks to choose from.

Cheers!

[BMKal]

CraigE and BKMal, what sort of personality did they have? Ive heard they bond with a single person (pack leader) and don't have a lot of time for anybody else. Also heard they do things their way and on their terms (a bit like cats). Was that your experience?

We had dingoes come almost into camp when we were up north and we were always thrilled to see them. We had no children with us and didn't feel threatened.

I've never seen them bonding with anyone in the mining camps, but some of them, particularly the younger ones, would come in quite close if you remained seated and reasonably still. Would usually take off pretty quickly though if you stood up or made any sudden movements.

Some of the younger ones were very playful - would run alongside you (at a safe distance) if you were driving slowly around the lease or particularly along the tailings dam wall (they often hang around the rubbish tip which, at the Granites, was located next to one wall of the tailings dam for easy burial). We were encouraged not to feed them, but I think that quite a few people did. The dingoes at the Granites were a very pure-bred and healthy looking dog, obviously not contaminated in their breeding by feral domestic dogs, and it was a pleasure to have them around the camp.

[CraigE]

CraigE and BKMal, what sort of personality did they have? Ive heard they bond with a single person (pack leader) and don't have a lot of time for anybody else. Also heard they do things their way and on their terms (a bit like cats). Was that your experience?

We had dingoes come almost into camp when we were up north and we were always thrilled to see them. We had no children with us and didn't feel threatened.
As a pet they have a fantastic nature. Absolutely fantastic with the kids and when they were young would take having her tail and ears pulled when the staffy would growl. Could be every timid at times and near the end even more so. If she got out and led astray by the staffy, the dingo would always come home quickly. Very affecionate dog with people she new and a bit shy with strangers.