Field dressing a Roo

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Hunting Kangaroos



Millions of kangaroos are shot in Australia every year, the vast majority by professional “Roo Shooters”. In some states it is possible for recreational hunters to obtain a permit and tags for personal use kangaroo hunting.



I live in Queensland and each year I obtain my recreational permit and generally 20 tags, each of which entitles me to take a kangaroo from the nominated species that can be harvested in any particular area.



I choose to actually hunt roos in daylight, as opposed to shooting them over the spotlight at night. I do this for a number of reasons. One is I would rather hunt my animals by fair chase during daylight. Another is that my taking of roos is quite selective and just one part of a whole day in the bush. Additionally, because I bone out my animals in the field, it is much better to work in daylight.



My preferred method is to work through a patch of gidgee scrub where the roos rest in numbers during the day. When a group of animals is encountered I stalk closer to them and assess likely target animals.


I prefer young bucks and young does without joeys. After assessing the roos through my 8×20 compact binoculars and choosing an animal, I get into position for a shot. My caliber of choice is a 223 Remington. The aim point in this hunting is head shots for an instantaneous death.



My preferred rifle is a Browning 1885 single shot fitted with a Kahles 3-9×40 scope. I load 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip projectiles over 25.5 grains of Benchmark 2 propellant, which delivers a velocity a bit over 3,200 feet per second.



Hunting distances in the gidgee range from about 50 to 120 metres. Longer shots are on offer, but given the imperative to deliver a well placed head shot, I elect not to take the longer shots.



The impact of the 55 grain Nosler BT on a kangaroo’s head is catastrophic and ensures instant death. The damage is such that the animals normally bleed out quite well also. On those occasions where bleeding does not appear to be copious I will open the animal’s jugular vein to effect a thorough bleeding.



I leave the roo to settle for about ten minutes while I prepare my knives and other butchering kit. Even though the animal is totally brain dead there can be twitches and other sudden body movements for some minutes after death. Kangaroos have particularly strong legs and feet with large hind claws.



The danger of a kick from the roo’s strong hind legs poses a significant risk to the hunter, especially when holding a razor sharp knife. This is best avoided by simply letting the carcass settle for a time.



I slit and fix a tag to the roo’s ear, then make the initial skinning cuts while the animal is on the ground. For many years I have also butchered the animals on the ground, particularly given that we were normally on foot and carrying only minimal gear.


Recently, with the acquisition of a Polaris ATV, I can now carry a pulley and gambrel system which allows me to hoist animals to a comfortable working height.


After pulling the skin clear of the hind quarters I bone out the loin and rump, as one piece, from each side. Then I bone out the additional thigh muscles. Finally, I take the butt and first third of the muscular tail. These cuts represent the great majority of the meat on the carcass.



If I am also seeking dog food, I will also take the small arm and shoulder and the rest of the tail. I then cut off the ear with tag attached and place that into a freezer bag of its own as well.



The meat is placed into freezer bags and tied shut. This keeps the meat clean of flies, dust and other bush debris while being transported in either a back pack or the tray of the quad bike.



I do not seek to get the meat chilled initially; rather letting it cool down at ambient conditions (I hunt during the cooler winter months) and then getting it back into a refrigerator later in the day.



After a day or two in the refrigerator I open the freezer bags and inspect the meat for any contamination by hairs, grass or specks of dirt. On the odd occasion where I do find anything, I trim off the affected area.



I then vacuum bag and seal the meat as whole single pieces and put it back into the fridge, or freezer, before transporting it home. After I eat my way through the kangaroo meat that I have taken home I remove the tags and dispose of the ears. I then return the tags to the government department as per their requirements.



Kangaroo meat is really the designer meat for the twenty-first century. It has no diseases or parasites to be concerned about. The meat is low in fat and has the right balance of cholesterol and triglycerides. Furthermore there would be major ecological benefits to be had from the widespread free-range harvesting of roos in preference to cattle and sheep grazing. It is a great pity that the promotion of the roo meat industry is blindly and willfully opposed by so-called green groups.