Photography:
Nathan Stuart
“Outdoors is my happy place and hunting makes me feel complete,” says Nathan Stuart, our brand ambassador from far-off Australia, when asked about the meaning of hunting in his life. To get to know him better and to find out the subtleties of hunting Down Under, we asked him to share some of his favorite aspects of hunting – here are his answers.
Thing about hunting
Spending time outdoors is my passion, and I enjoy facing challenges as an ethical hunter. Just recently, my little boy expressed a strong interest in my activities – teaching him is such an amazing experience.
Type of hunt: I love deer stalking in the rut. It’s often dynamic and action-packed, especially when the area holds good numbers of game.
Favourite location
Low mountain areas in Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia.
Time of the year: Autumn in Australia, but normally it coincides with the first cold spell in late March or early April when rutting activity has already started for about two weeks.
When you’re hunting in the mountains, the constant struggle is the swirling wind. You get that wrong, and that’s it – the game is over, as the animals will smell you.
Animal to hunt: Both red deer and fallow deer, which cycle at a similar time in Autumn.
Game to eat: Either red deer or fallow deer. Actually, I prefer a younger spiker because I don’t consume the meat of mature rutting bucks and stags. But that’s just my personal choice.
Gear to use: To assess trophy potential, I choose high-quality glass binoculars. Also, when hunting in the hills, there’s lots of walking, stalking, and very little shooting, so for deer stalking, I prefer a very light .30-06 rifle. And never forget a good pair of boots!
Pulsar device
I didn’t have a chance to use the Merger LRF XP50 for deer hunting in the rut season. But if knowing shooting ranges and the ability to detect animals were the key aspects in the process of scouting, it would definitely be the perfect device for me.
Thing about being a Pulsar ambassador: Being the only Australian here, I truly enjoy the interaction with the European team. We may have our own different reasons for hunting, but after all, all of us are a part of a passionate team united by the excellent Pulsar equipment and hunting desire.
Way to practice
There’s no better place to practice than to spend time at the rifle range. But in order to improve your shooting skills, you have to train specifically. If you usually shoot off a tripod when hunting, then practice doing it from this exact position.
Challenge when hunting: There are many challenges when hunting, but when you’re in the mountains, the constant struggle is the swirling wind. You get that wrong and that’s it – the game is over, as the animals will smell you.
Medium to get the news about shooting and hunting: Generally speaking, I prefer the internet to press media. I tend to consume a fair amount of YouTube content from all around the world on hunting and shooting training.
Being the only Australian Pulsar ambassador, I truly enjoy the interaction with the European team. We may have our own different reasons for hunting, but after all, all of us are a part of a passionate team united by the excellent Pulsar equipment and hunting desire.
Way to describe what hunting means to you
I don’t label hunting a sport – for me, it’s more, it’s a way of life. Hunting and shooting have always been my passion. I can say that the outdoors is my happy place, and hunting makes me feel complete. I find it to be my calling as even if no animals are taken, I love the experience of spending time outdoors where everything slows down, and I can experience all the aspects of life – sight, smell and the sounds of nature all around.
Before purchasing any night or thermal vision device, please make sure you adhere to the local legislation and only use it when it is allowed. Our ambassadors come from various countries and travel a lot, which allows them to test different devices. We do not encourage or support the illegal use of our devices in any events. If you wish to learn more about export and sales restriction policy, please visit the following link: Export and Sales Restriction Policy.