# Hunting > Hunting >  A lot has changed in a year.. or has it?! :)

## Dougie

It's been a while since I wrote up a wee report for you lot and today I felt the need to share a few words. So here goes.

I've come a long way since that first goat I shot with a borrowed .243 (ewwwwww poofourthree) out at a possie in Nelson with VC. I hacked away at it's bum hole with my blunt as knife and ended up needing some pretty serious help ripping the guts out of it. I even dragged it, belly side down, the whole length of the gravel road back to the truck. What a rookie  :Wink:  Thanks for VC for helping me out on that one and not laughing too hard at me!!

I've still remembered to not slam the truck door and this afternoon when I rocked up to my regular spot X just a 15 minute drive from my place, I shut the hatch quietly as I had been taught! The wind was howling in true Wellington style and right up my ass so I wasn't exactly chuffed with the conditions. Still, I plodded up the track towards where I had spotted what looked like two wee baby goats and mum in a sheltered spot much higher up the face.

I've been loving the capability of my .223 at longer distance but the wind is my enemy with my 200+ yard shots. I decided to ninja up as close as I could, pick off the little ones, then go after mum. I really love lamb and I have perfected the art of cooking young goat to taste near the same! I dreamt of a beautiful Moroccan roast as I grabbed at the grass at eye level to help me climb the steep slope. It wasn't long until I'd lost sight of Mum and could see only one of the kids sitting down in a slight dip, still chewing grass. 

I cut up to my right with the hope that I might actually snipe Mum first in the higher clearing and then get the two younger meals. I popped back in view of the clearing and was a bit closer than I planned! The wind wasn't as bad in this area so I quieted my approach. I ended up on hands and knees crawling through the soggy grass towards the goats. I thought a bow would be pretty cool at that moment! Then I thought....shit, I wonder if I would be in trouble if I brought a live goat home..I was so close I could almost tackle the wee thing and it had no idea!!!!



I took a short video and some snaps and then set up the bipod. At just 10m, I squeezed off a successful head shot. The kid's wee mate dashed up from the noise and further up the hill. I hoped that her bleating might bring Mum back down as she was nowhere to be seen!



I unloaded, pocketed my brass and headed over to assess the damage. Not a scrap of meat was wasted - yes!!



As I cut the ears off the mutton for my mate's dog (he has some weird idea about using animal ears to train his boarder collie to track...  :Wut:  ) the second fluffy came back for a fatal look! With a quick reload and simultaneous drop to my guts, I squeezed off an up-hill neck shot and in a moment, doubled my meat. Wahoo. What fun!



I set up my camera to film the gutting of the head shot goat as I wanted to show you guys how much I have improved. Two minutes flat and I clicked the 'end record' button, only to find that it was on the camera setting, not video!!!!! I guess I am still a numpty.

I piled the two animals together and headed up to find something bigger for dog food for the farmer. The wind had majorly picked up and was tugging at my hat. An hour wander around the back of the property proved no results - the adults were hunkered down under the gorse and broom. No more shooting for me.



I made it back down to the farm house in time for a cup of tea with the property owner's wife before she left to pick up the kids from school. We yarned about random stuff as we always do and I managed to just save my last bit of fudge from the snapping mouth of the new cheeky Springer pup they kept from their last litter. I downed my tea as we realised the time and Mrs had to leave.

Still a bit hungry, I popped into the farm next door for another cuppa, some home baking and to admire one of my largest paintings up on the lounge wall. After writing out a special recipe for home made Baileys, I grabbed a nanny out of the wagon and whipped a back leg off for the older lady to roast up.

Back home now, Baileys in hand, ahhhhh what a good day.





Might need to finish this last glass and then butcher up my wee goaties. The new meat pikau I got from Mainly Hunting at the Sika show is just the treat to keep my wagon clean - it's a huge canvas sack that doesn't let blood out and keeps the flies/dirt/dog from the meat  :Wink:  I might keep updating this thread with a few pics as the night progesses.

Hot barrels!

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## sakokid

Choice one dougie....maybe a deer could be next hey......

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## Dougie

> Choice one dougie....maybe a deer could be next hey......


Yeah buddy, I'm working on it eh! Saw two on the weekend, not sure if you heard but this rookie missed a sika hind at 50m  :Oh Noes:  snap shots suck....bring me those 100-200m resting shots!!

Absolutely WRAPPED to being seeing deer now though, I just gotta line up a bullet with one  :Grin:

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## ebf

You gotta see em to shoot em...

It will happen  :Thumbsup:

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## Pengy

Snap shotz don't suck mate. ID 1000%

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## Dougie

> Snap shotz don't suck mate. ID 1000%


Oh I knew it was a deer bud I just fuckin' missed  :Oh Noes:

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## Dougie

Hind and yearling on the side of the road, still in their silvery winter coats. Weird sorta road angle so when I went to the knee, I couldn't see them. Standing unsupported + weak arms = no sika for Dougie  :Sad:

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## 7mmsaum

Some fantastic Chevon there Dougie, the smallest back legs often fry up well when covered in "coat n cook" and fried in butter.

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## Dougie

Itty bitty back legs! I'm a baby killer!!!


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## 7mmsaum

[QUOTE=Dougie;305178]

Itty bitty back legs! I'm a baby killer!!!




Perfect for a chicken casserole  :Have A Nice Day:   :Have A Nice Day:   :Have A Nice Day:

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## phillipgr

Full blown killer now  :Thumbsup:

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## Dundee

You not coming near our fluffy little 'Buddy' you killer :Wink:

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## gadgetman

Great write up Dougie. That looks like seriously nice meat.

Got a picture of the new bag?

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## Gibo

Good shit!!  :Thumbsup: 
You do seem to have missed a crucial bit out of your original post..........wheres the baileys recipe?  :Wtfsmilie:

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## stumpy

> Hind and yearling on the side of the road, still in their silvery winter coats. Weird sorta road angle so when I went to the knee, I couldn't see them. Standing unsupported + weak arms = no sika for Dougie


I find the wing mirror always gets in my way as well ..... I mean what? .... wait ... ummmm  :Grin:

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## Dougie

> Great write up Dougie. That looks like seriously nice meat.
> 
> Got a picture of the new bag?





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## gadgetman

> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks Dougie. Reckon one of those might need to be added to the kit.

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## Scouser

Great write up Dougie, i enjoy reading your posts, some nice tucker there!!!!!

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## 10-Ring

Excellent write up Dougie.

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## Ground Control

It's good to see a 223 being put to good use  :Thumbsup: 
It is a fantastic calibre and since getting a 223 barrel my 7mm has been gathering dust .
Young goat cooked in hot coals in a camp oven is some of the best bush grub you can eat .
What ammo are you using in the Savage ?

Ken

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## HNTMAD

They are great bags huntech used to make them and now these ones are made by a mate of mine. I have one of his originals and to be fair it would be perfect for a goat or fallow, he has made them a bit bigger since and added the zip pocket which is great. perfect for in ya day bag or as a day bag on stay over trips

Hamish

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## Dougie

Rolls up tiny too. Pretty rugged! 






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## Tahr

> Rolls up tiny too. Pretty rugged! 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I’m “La Slow Plodge"

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## Dougie

> It's good to see a 223 being put to good use 
> It is a fantastic calibre and since getting a 223 barrel my 7mm has been gathering dust .
> Young goat cooked in hot coals in a camp oven is some of the best bush grub you can eat .
> What ammo are you using in the Savage ?
> 
> Ken


Same here, the .260 doesn't get much use although I might take her out of retirement for some LR summer sika. 

I'm using reloads by @7mmsaum, 26g of 2208 powder behind a 55g Sierra game king

I tested a few loads before settling in the above, they are very accurate in my rifle and are great on goats, sika and fallow out to a reasonable distance  :Have A Nice Day: 


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## Tahr

That’s interesting. 2208 works best with 55 grn in my little Savage lightweight too. 27grns & 55 Tipped TSX

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## Dougie

> Thats interesting. 2208 works best with 55 grn in my little Savage lightweight too. 27grns & 55 Tipped TSX


Winning combo there mate. Go the .233s!!!!!!!


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## gadgetman

I must admit I'm really liking my little 223. The accuracy is just nuts and it does a fair bit of damage for its size.

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## mikee

my .223(s) are only rattleguns, don't get much use anymore now i have a real gun  :Have A Nice Day:

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## kiwi39

I love the 223 .... It's a fantastic calibre. 

Does awesome damage and is super cheap to run  ... and the accuracy ... dont start me on the accuracy.

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## veitnamcam

> I love the 223 .... It's a fantastic calibre. 
> 
> Does awesome damage and is super cheap to run  ... and the accuracy ... dont start me on the accuracy.



Nearly as good as its big brother the 308 :Wink:

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## sako75

Has it only been 1 year? You have certainly packed a lot in that time  :Cool:

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## veitnamcam

> Has it only been 1 year? You have certainly packed a lot in that time


I think its a couple :Wink:

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## Dougie

Been two or three years since that trip eh cam ? But the last year I have gone nuts with the amount of hunting and learning I've done.


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## veitnamcam

> Been two or three years since that trip eh cam ? But the last year I have gone nuts with the amount of hunting and learning I've done.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


yea and about time :Grin: 

Shame we don't hear much of it on the forum (don't have am appropriate smiley on phone)

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## Dougie

> yea and about time
> 
> Shame we don't hear much of it on the forum (don't have am appropriate smiley on phone)
> 
> Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2


Only so much time in the day mate, I am a shocker for getting my articles in on time for my paid job, always busy traveling and hunting 


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## possummatti

> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


For a minute there i though you had a dog in the bag dougie haha

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## mikee

> For a minute there i though you had a dog in the bag dougie haha


you weren't the only one, I thought it was the poochs new sleeping bag.   :Have A Nice Day:

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## Boulderman

Great write up, thanks for sharing! I too have dropped more than one teeny goat after coming up short on the deer front. Moroccan style curry= mean. Reads like this keep me keen, not having any luck getting out over here. Keep it up!

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