Category: Napier Hunting Products

Large Feral Herbivores


Posted on | by Greg Gibson

Reflections are a sad thing at times. Especially when looking back at a great trip away.

I have been invited to many places to help with the control of Large Feral Herbivores (LFH). These include Camels, Feral Cattle, Wild Horses, Donkey’s and Asiatic Buffalo and are all introduced into the Australian environment and thrive on our diverse habitat.

This current job was to initiate some ground shooting on a couple of Cattle Stations in the Upper Gascoyne region of Western Australia, my home State. The LFH that requires culling to reduce numbers are Donkey’s. These pest breed well in these conditions and all animals seen were in good condition. This location is 1500 kilometres from my home base so we took a leisurely couple of days to get to site. Due to the rough terrain the modus operandi is to travel around the 1.5 million acres in our control area on quad bikes. This may not be the most comfortable method of transport, though essential to get into some of the “off the beaten tracks” etc. where our quarry prefer to locate themselves. Our next 8 days was spent on our quads though we did have a couple of rest days to rest the saddle sores.

Not an overly exciting hunting experience hence classified as a cull. We are bound of course to our ethics and legislation to use our Agricultural Department guideline for the humane controlling of LFH. Donkey’s present themselves on most occasions and will even stop and look back after the initial shots.

The environment here is semi-arid with an annual rainfall of 215mm and average mean temperature of 32C. So conditions are dry, dusty, dusty, and dusty. I use a protective cover over my Savage 300WN while travelling but, and I don’t know if you have ever experienced it, you cannot keep out that bloody red outback dirt. It gets into everything.

I always travel with a Napier Universal Rifle Pull Through Kit. These take up little room and are easy to use. Keeping your rifles clean in this environment is essential for repeated reliable use. In the evening after a day in the bush, a couple of bore cleans and a wipe down with the VP90 Field Patches and you’re all good to go next day. Those VP90 Field Patches are just the shot in this dusty environment. Cleans but doesn’t leave a thick oily film to attack the dust. Very good.

During our stay we accounted for 76 donkeys. These are recorded in the Stations records for the Department of Agriculture for future reference and proof that the property owner is keeping all LFH numbers controlled. 

Well back to the grind of everyday vocation and life.

P.S. Just had a call from another Cattle Station, dry in the interior, camels coming into Station watering points and causing havoc. Well better start the planning.

Ayrstalk – Apex Predator


Posted on | by Chris Dalton

As an outfitter , I am stalking or managing deer in one form or another most days, for me kit is not a gimmick, it is an essential tool and has to be good and functional . If it is not I don’t use it or endorse it, simple as that. For many years I used a leather strap for carrying my Roe off the hill, I cannot get on with roe sacks – I find them cumbersome and they interfere with carrying and deploying the rifle. Then the clever folk from Napier came up with the Apex predator – perfect! now we have something that wraps around my waist, has pockets for all my stalking essentials that I take out to the hill and cleverly deploys to a full size roe sack when needed to carry my deer of the hill.

I could go on but suffice to say I have been using an Apex predator now for over 5 years, it is out with me whenever I stalk and is I feel one of the best products on the market for recovering the smaller deer species. I have had 2 roe in it which was admittedly a squeeze, they were yearlings but it easily copes with the largest roe buck. The detachable, inner liner is simple to remove and clean – it comes with two so one can be washed and drying while you fit the spare. The many pockets are well thought out and functional – all of my gralloching kit is in there so I simply leave it in the car, grab it as I head off for my  stalk knowing that I have everything with me I need .

Apex Airglo Trail Marker & Wind Indicator


Posted on | by Napier

New for 2015/16 season, the Airglo hunters pack is now available from all Napier Dealers.

All hunters know how quickly a stalk can go horribly wrong if the wind changes direction part way through an approach, so successful stalkers use skill, and appropriate kit to maximise their performance.

It is well known that Deer rely on their 3 senses to survive, and that some species have better eyesight than others, but what is common to all is their primary defence is scent.

Airglo -Napier

The consencus from leading stalkers and pro hunters is that on average Deer rely on 65% Scent 15% Eysight, 20% Hearing

Over the years many attempts have been made to overcome this, deodorant sprays, pine flavoured chewing gum, scent treated garments etc.

BUT the basic fact remains, a Hunter exhales 10,000 litres of HUMAN scent every day, & no amount of kit and skill will produce results if a deer catches your scent. Its game over and often you never even saw them!

Some folks check wind occasionally, especially at the beginning of a stalk, with powders, cigarettes, or just observing the trees.

Rarely is the ground level air moving in the same way as the tree tops, and it can change instantly as you walk, affected by hedges, terrain & turbulence, sufficient to wreck an approach.

It is therefore important to check and re check often.

Airglo was developed by Napier to be easy and convenient to use.

First we looked at the alternatives and found that most use quite large particles & just pack in squat bottles, very difficult to grip and never easy to find in the pocket just when required.

Worse still one major brand states clearly on the pack.

“WARNING this product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm. Wash hands after use”

So Airglo is Made in England, by Napier of London & is completely NON TOXIC and non staining.

ULTRA FINE PARTICLE powder is packed in a special ergonomically designed BATON dispenser with sufficient air space that when used vertically it dispenses a tiny amount each puff. & it’s is easy to grip and use even with wet cold or gloved hands.

Even the slightest air movement will be detected with AIRGLO.

Supplied with a Realtree AP Neoprene sleeve

It can be attached by its lanyard or belt clip, and is always ready to use.

The SILENT one handed dispenser cap can even be used with gloved hands, whilst in its protective Realtree sleeve it can be worn around the neck.

Airglo is also an effective TRAIL MARKER, just invert the bottle to mark a shot position or to re trace travel, being insoluble in water, AIRGLO will maintain trail capability for some time but will disperse naturally and is non staining to skin and clothing.

APEX PREDATOR Hunters game sack and waist bag


Posted on | by Napier

The very latest & unique product from Napier of London. Designed in England specifically for the needs of European shooters.

Much more than a Roe Sack, the Apex Predator is a very comfortable waist bag, which can be worn front or back with easy access pockets for all the kit any hunter, stalker pigeon shooter or airgunner could want.

It sits perfectly and works well with a rifle carried muzzle up or down, Movement is not restricted and the Grip Tab buckle tabs prevent slip when crawling or climbing. The waist bag material is made from waterproof and silent HUSHTEX, while the Game sack fabric is extra strong, light weight & waterproof 420D Nylon Rip Stop. The whole bag with liner weighs just 960 Grams.

Apex Predator is so much more comfortable than a conventional roe sack or back pack, that is carried on the back and often gets in the way, and always virtually impossible to access your kit when being worn.

Apex Predator

But as soon as it is needed the APEX PREDATOR instantly converts into a full sized game sack capable of carrying comfortably all small deer species, including Roe, Chinese Water deer, or even 2 Muntjac.

But the APEX PREDATOR is not just for deerstalkers as it is also the ideal way to carry 15-20 rabbits, 25 -30 pigeons ( or decoys) or a days catch of Trout or Salmon.

The detachable Shoulder straps attach in seconds and the game is placed inside a waterproof and hygienic PVC lined sack, the liners are simply clipped in place and are easily removed to be hosed or washed out. Each APEX PREDATOR is supplied with two liners allowing one to be in use whilst the other is being cleaned and dried. Replacement liners are available if required, as is an EXTRA duty reinforced version for pro hunters and vermin control personnel

The Apex Predator is closed with a tight fitting drawstring and clip fastener, this helps keep the quarry away from you when being carried and helps minimise exposure to blood, ticks, keds and other parasites. It of course also helps keep flies off the carcass.

Carrying deer by a sling against your body is a bio-hazard that can, and should be avoided.

With growing restriction on access routes, ELS margins and corners or just unsuitable terrain, it can be difficult to convey your quarry to a vehicle. The APEX PREDATOR is always ready to deploy and takes just 10 seconds to convert from a handy waist bag to a full sized sack. ( and back again).

APEX PREDATOR Features

  • Rip Stop 420D Nylon and Hushtex silent fabric construction.
  • 2 in 1 design converts in less than 10 seconds.
  • Non-slip and comfortable, easy access waist bag.
  • Two hygienic & washable inner liners, supplied with each bag.
  • Drawstring closer minimises contact with parasites.
  • Light weight just 960 Grams
  • Waist bag capacity of 8.1 litres & game sack capacity 46 Litre TOTAL CAPACITY of 54.1 Litre
  • 12 month warranty
  • Replacement liners and EXTRA duty version readily available