Join Us On The Hunt

Fully guided, all-inclusive chital deer hunts in the heart of north Queensland, Australia.

An Unforgettable Adventure

Scenes from safari, join us as two magical thirty inch chital stags hit the deck!

View of a deer with antlers standing on the grass, captured through a small opening in a wooden structure, with greenery and rocks in the background.

The Location:

Your adventure begins the moment you arrive in Townsville.

Your guide will meet you at the airport, with the vehicle packed and ready to go — minimising time on the road and maximising time in the field.

Just three hours from Townsville (depending on road conditions), lies the rugged Basalt Wall region of northern Queensland.

Here, we offer access to more than 70,000 acres of remote wilderness, where open country, rugged terrain and thick timber create the perfect setting for a true Australian hunting adventure.

The private property has a rich history, having been worked by cattle graziers for five generations.

Today, it holds strong populations of chital deer, alongside the ever-present possibility of encountering feral pigs, and dingoes.

It is wild, remote and unpredictable — and that's exactly what makes every hunt here an adventure.

A deer with white spots on its back and large antlers standing in a forest with tall trees and fallen branches.

History:

Introduced to Australia in the early 1800s, chital deer found an unlikely home in the rugged landscape that is north Queensland.

By the 1860s, stockman William Hann had successfully established a population in the region, with just four deer believed to have formed the foundation of what would become thousands.

Native to India and Sri Lanka, chital evolved alongside predators such as tigers.

In Australia, they face little natural predation.

On the ground, dingoes may take the occasional deer.

Whilst from the sky above, wedge-tailed eagles can impact fawns and young deer, particularly when cover is sparse.

With few natural predators and an environment well suited to their survival, chital populations have continued to expand.

Today, hunting plays an important role in managing these populations, with aerial culling also becoming an increasingly common management tool.

Meet Your Guide

| Bowhunter | Outdoorsman | Veterinarian | Co-Founder of Twin Elements |

A man wearing camouflage outdoor clothes and a camouflage cap, seen holding binoculars up to his eyes in an autumn outdoor setting.

A man in camouflage clothing is sitting on the grass in a forest, holding antlers from a deer he has hunted. There is a compound bow with a sight and arrow rest beside him, and a dead deer, a young spotted fawn, lying on the ground in front of him.

A man sitting on a cooler by a campfire at night, holding a mug and looking down, with a star-filled sky and trees in the background.

Ayden Doumtsis is the owner and guide at Spotted Safaris.

Growing up in Australia, Ayden was introduced to bowhunting by his father, Nick, alongside his twin brother, James.

Those early experiences sparked a passion that has grown into a lifelong obsession with hunting and the outdoors.

Together with James, Ayden went on to create Twin Elements, an Australian outdoor media brand documenting hunting adventures across Australia and around the world.

Over the years Ayden’s passion for the pursuit has taken him from his home in Australia, overseas to places such as Montana, USA and the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

Targeting a wide range of game, such as red, chital, sambar and fallow deer, feral pigs , scrub bulls, banteng and water buffalo to elk, mule deer and pronghorn.

These experiences have taught him that no two hunts are the same, and that some of the most rewarding moments come from the challenges along the way.

A passion for the pursuit

Everyone hunts for their own reasons. For Ayden, nothing beats close range encounters with completely relaxed, unaware animals.

There is something about getting well within the flight zone of an animal that makes every part of the experience more intense.

From reading the wind and understanding animal behaviour to planning a stalk and making the final approach.

Ayden appreciates hunting in all its forms and enjoys sharing the knowledge, techniques and experiences that come with spending time in the field.

For Ayden, a successful hunt is about the process, more than the animal at the end of it.

It's about learning the country, understanding the animals, enjoying good company and coming home with meat and a story worth telling.

Why hunt with Ayden?

Having bow hunted for most of his life, his experience hunting a wide range of animals in countless different scenarios paired with his expert knowledge of chital deer behaviour allows him to educate clients on all aspects of hunting.

He brings an energetic and hands on approach to guiding, with a strong emphasis on making clients feel involved in the hunt rather than simply being along for the ride creating a memorable adventure.

Whether you're an experienced hunter looking for your next challenge or someone wanting to experience an Australian safari for the first time, Ayden's goal is to give you an authentic hunting experience and help you make the most of every opportunity.

A Hunt with Ayden means early mornings, long days, plenty of glassing , and lots of learning along the way.

And that's exactly what makes hunting worth doing!

Get To Know Your Guide

(Click on the image to watch)

Seasonality & When To Visit

Wet Season Hunts

Think extremely hot and humid! (Although there is a perk)

Summer hunts coincide with a peak period in chital deer rutting activity.

Expect fighting, calling, preaching, rubbing of trees, the works!

Finding deer is easier due to their tendency to form larger rutting mobs.

However, identifying a mature stag with an intact set of antlers can therefore become the hardest part of the challenge.

The wet season can bring unpredictable tropical weather. With heavy rain and flooding may restrict access or require a hunt to be postponed.

*Travel insurance is strongly recommended when booking during this period.

Dry Season Hunts

Think crisp, sunny, winter mornings!

Lows in the single digits (5 degrees) highs in the mid twenties (25 degrees)

The surrounding countryside has dried up considerable allowing more 4×4 access to new sections of the property.

The deer are spread out searching for green feed and water sources.

Mobs are smaller in size due to resource sharing, which can make stalking far easier with less eyes to manage.

Feral pigs are easier to find as well which can add a new dynamic to your hunt.

The dry season brings much more mild, temperate weather for those looking to enjoy a less strenuous, physically demanding hunt.

From The Field

What Our Clients Have To Say

I have hunted twice with Ayden at Spotted Safaris.
Once with my dad and another time with a mate.

We will definitely be back! 10/10

The catering was excellent, and the overall experience was top notch.

From start to finish the hunt was great.

If you’re looking for a professional, knowledgeable and genuinely passionate guide.
Then I couldn’t recommend Spotted Safaris highly enough.
I’ll definitely be back!

I ended up taking two equally impressive stags.
Both ticked all the boxes, with similar length but completely different styles.
To say I was stoked would be an understatement.
It’s going to be hard to beat this hunt!

By the end of the trip, I’d been within bow range of multiple mature stags. On the final afternoon, everything came together and I capitalised on an opportunity. Taking a stunning representative chital stag taken with the bow.

Each of us were fortunate to lay hands on a stag around that coveted magical 30 inch mark.
An unforgettable experience, and one I would highly recommend to anyone keen to chase chital.

My dad and I had an unforgettable hunting trip with Ayden. We saw plenty of mature stags throughout the trip, dad and I were both lucky enough to each take our first stag at the magic 30 inch mark, it was an experience I'II never forget.

Ayden was incredibly knowledgeable and professional, I learnt so much from him throughout the hunt. His knowledge of the deer, the country, and hunting in general made the whole experience even more enjoyable.

From the first inquiry to the trip home, the entire experience was seamless and stress free.
Ayden is an exceptional guide. He’s knowledgeable, patient, skilled, and genuinely great to spend time with. I learnt so much throughout the hunt.
His willingness to share his knowledge made the experience even more rewarding.

On the first afternoon alone, we observed a large mob of chital with close to fifty deer.
Amazingly, they were within one kilometre of camp!
With multiple mature stags rutting right near the homestead, expectations were high!

A Trip Of A Lifetime - 5 Stars!

It was an awesome trip to share with my dad, and having Ayden as our guide made it even more special. I couldn't recommend spotted safaris highly enough and look forward to our next trip with Ayden.

From the moment I met Ayden and arrived at Spotted Safaris, I knew I was in good hands.

I’ve already booked another adventure with Spotted Safaris for next year!

I can’t wait to get back north and chase chital again. We’ve already got another trip booked!

The goal will be to upgrade my stag and catching up with someone I now consider a good mate.

We had the opportunity to see multiple mature stags throughout the hunt. Enjoying the remote, wild country and beautiful deer. It’s the type of adventure that reminds you why we love hunting.

An awesome hunting experience from start to finish!

The hunt was perfectly tailored to my skill level, giving me the confidence to make the most of every opportunity. The quality of the wild chital deer is second to none. They’re absolutely beautiful animals. I was lucky enough to take two trophy chital stags, a wild dog and a pig on my trip.

My first chital hunt and what an experience!
From the moment I met Ayden, it was obvious this was going to be a great hunt.
We hunted from first light to last light.

Theres always nerves when undertaking something new. In this case, a first chital deer hunt.
A mate and I headed to Far North Queensland for an adventure and what we experienced was nothing short of incredible.

Both experiences were absolutely fantastic.
We saw and shot some great deer.

I honestly couldn’t fault the experience.

Ayden went above and beyond to make it unforgettable.

Ayden’s knowledge of the country, the deer and overall hunting strategy gave us plenty of close encounters with completely relaxed deer. This allowed us to take our time, assess plenty of mature stags and ultimately choose the right opportunity.

Putting multiple stalks on deer each day, while battling the hot and humid conditions. Every stalk was an opportunity to learn, with Ayden constantly providing feedback. Explaining his strategy and helping me understand the deer and the terrain.

I visited Spotted Safaris with a mate and neither of us having ever hunted chital deer.
We saw multiple mature chital stags and plenty of deer overall.

I’ve taken my first chital with Ayden, then later upgraded to a giant stag exceeding thirty inches.

Regardless of experience levels, the hunt will cater to your needs. I can’t wait to return in the future!

Some Of The Locals

Close-up of three baby cows, with a white cow on the left, a brown cow in the middle, and a black cow on the right, standing on a grassy field.

A colorful parakeet perched on a barbed wire fence with a blurred green background.

A male wallaroo with large ears and brown fur, standing outdoors with a blurred green and white background.

A squatter pigeon (bird) perched on a rock in a grassy area with blurred green foliage in the background.

Three colourful rainbow lorikeets (birds) perched on a water trough, with a blurred background of natural outdoors.

Close-up of a hawk's head with brown feathers and a sharp black beak.

Close-up of a green gecko's eye and face against a black background.

A dog standing on a dirt path with greenery and trees in the background.

A snake on the ground with grass and plants around it, night scene illuminated by two bright headlights in the background.

A wild boar standing on grass and plants in a natural setting.

Three white cockatoos with yellow crests perched on a wooden railing outdoors, with trees and sunlight in the background.

A large black and white bird, possibly a stork or heron, standing on grassland with blurred background.

A calf walking through a grassy field with trees in the background.

A bird of prey, likely a hawk or an eagle, sitting on a tree branch amidst green leaves with a blurred background.

A brown dog with large ears and bright eyes, standing outdoors in a natural setting with blurred green and yellow foliage in the background.

A hawk standing on the ground next to a small rodent, with blurred green trees in the background.