Scrub bull expedition yields grey giant

The overnight fog had been burnt off by the advancing morning sun. Our guide, Clark McGhie, took note of the conditions as we waited in a clearing on a dry ridge at the end of a 4WD track. It was July, but the day looked like it would hit the high 20s temperature-wise under a clear blue sky in Queensland’s high ranges. The breeze was the issue; it was very light but also fluky.

This constant change of wind direction, even when this light, would dictate the next few hours of the hunt. Given how close we might need to encroach to take a shot, perhaps within 20m in this type of bush, every breath of wind was likely to be a game changer.

Why were we here? I was hunting