Working in the rain...My alone time.

The drizzle persisted as I hiked up the hill laden with the tools of my trade, I didn't mind too much. The last time I was here, a few weeks ago and it was dry and barren, the rain we've had has greened it up nicely which is refreshing; There's still huge swathes of golden brown summer grasses to be found however in a week or two all remnants of the dead undergrowth will give way to a vibrant and rich green blanket of new grass and shrubs. Hiking to the high ground for a better vantage point is important to the task I was there to perform however I was forced to trudge through soppy low points where natural springs bubble up from the ground year-round. In summer they are identified by patches of green grass which endures throughout the hot months however from this time of year, Autumn through to early Summer they are characteristically waterlogged, adding to the water flowing in the creek that splits the property in half. Up and up I go stopping to glass the area with my binoculars, searching 360 degrees around me looking for my quarry.

The drizzle subsided after a short time and was replaced with a heavy mist, the kind that soaks through everything. It was cold, by Australian standards anyway, about 10 degrees and perfectly still. The mist just hung in the air and clung to everything. Fortunately I was dressed accordingly. I took the time to ensure the scope caps were firmly in place on my rifle scope, checked my equipment was in order and took a swig of water then moved on.

I was struck by the silence, always am. There was nothing but the tramp of my 5.11 combat boots and the occasional squeak of my equipment and ruck. I work hard at moving in silence, treading carefully to avoid dry grass, leaves, twigs and bark and ensuring my equipment is also silent. I didn't pack right today though and something was squeaking. I'd fix it the next time I stopped. Still, the almost silence was most welcome.

The silence is one of the benefits of doing this job; The ability to leave everything behind, work, life-pressures, the city, friends, fears, hopes, dreams...There was just the fresh air, heavy mist wetting my face, (the annoying squeak from my back pack), my footfalls and my breathing which was becoming more laboured the higher I went. I don't think much when I'm on the property working, I hike and stalk, prepare shooting positions and scope the area. That's about it. I like it that way as it allows me to eliminate everything else, to feel grounded for lack of a better word.

Today I stopped and said hello to the two guys you see in the image above. They're always around, sometimes they follow me and keep me company and other times I only see them from a distance. They're pretty friendly and certainly like a bit of attention. Of course when the shooting starts they tend to move away however on occasions they've spent hours only meters away from me cropping grass and wondering what the hell I'm actually doing.

The work I do at the cattle property is not for everyone; In fact many people may judge me, and others, who do what I do. However it's essential to keep the property viable and to keep produce hitting the supermarket shelves at an affordable price.

I provide a service, the humane dispatch of pests which would otherwise compromise the efficient or viable production of farm produce for our consumption. It's no different to spraying crops to guard against locusts, or the home gardener employing various means to protect their vegetable garden from snails. I remove the pest to provide operational integrity to the farmers business. As I said above, I don't get paid for the job as the time I spend alone and in the hills is reward enough; It gives me the break I need from a hectic life and the time to breathe, reflect and centre my thoughts.

[- Design and create your ideal life, don’t live it by default -]