Gunn was a giant of a man and an expert bushman, who had a brilliant memory for faces. After the attack on his servant, he kept up a relentless pursuit of Brady and his gang. When Brady camped, so did Gunn, never far away, just enough to unnerve the outlaw. He finally forced Brady to break and run, Gunn called in his reserves and five of Brady's gang was captured. Gunn had the satisfaction of seeing them hang.
On the run, Brady found an ideal hideout in the mountains above the Great Lake, and would ride out with bands of thirty strong, to raid settlements and stage coaches, before retreating with a mob of stolen horses back into the mountain forests.
Proclamations from the Government poured out, warning settlers to lock their doors. Troopers were deployed in the hills, waiting to ambush Brady and his gang. Many settlers though, helped and informed Brady out of fear. He was often one jump ahead of the law.
On one occasion, Brady planned to raid the homestead of a settler who had vowed to kill him on sight. Soldiers were moved into the district. Brady was met on the boundary of the property by a boy who warned him that there were four soldiers at the farmhouse. Brady's band quietly surrounded the farmhouse, and jumped the troopers there inside. Their muskets were broken, the farm looted, and when Brady rode out, the lad asked to be taken along; and he was. Not long afterward, he was shot dead as he slept under a tree, by two locals, who were not taking any chances with bushrangers.
Danger of betrayal was ever present when Brady came out of the mountains. Brady was merciless with informers. One such spy, planted in his band as a police agent, was personally executed by Brady; another had his ears cut off. And yet, to the average bush people of Tasmania, he was never to commit acts of violence, especially to woman.
Governor Arthur's attempts to run Brady down had come to nothing, despite inducements like cash payments, grants of land, free pardons for convicts and free passages to England.
Brady made his biggest strike at Sorrell, a snug little town with a handsome church, schoolhouse and a strong jail. He virtually captured the town and many believe it was a gesture toward Lieutenant Gunn, who had a farm nearby. Brady released the prisoners in the jail, and spent the day having his dinner cooked, and discussing the politics of the day with his 'hosts'.
