A Bushranger on the tops.
Best mate and I. His Stepson (25), My Son in Law (30).
The lads are good mates and our families have all have been camping, tramping and 4wding together for years. I have known Mates son since he was 4yrs old.
I gained my Son in law around 7 years ago, He has done OK so far.
The lads hit us up on a camping trip a while back saying they would like to tag along on a weekend hunting trip if possible, so not to let an opportunity pass, plans were hatched, dates sorted and eventually away we headed into the Rainbow for a three day weekend.
We pulled into our parking spot, sorted gear and beat the feet to a camp spot we had used in the past.
At camp we dumped gear, threw a tarp up under the trees and headed off up the valley. Almost...
A bolt is missing so the lads run back to the vehicles to locate it, they return empty handed, before digging back through their packs and lo and behold, bolt found.. Ha Ha, that'll keep boys.
We were carrying a 7mmRM for the tops hunting we were looking forward to, a 223 for the son in law who had only been behind a few rimfires in the past. Mates lad was carrying the good ol Bisley Bushranger in 7.62x39 as we were looking to hunt the bush at the end of the days on our return to camp.
We hunkered down on the valley floor and glassed the surrounding guts, gully's and ridges for an hour or so before the wind started to turn on us. the decision was made to make the 250 metre climb up the ridge at the top of the valley and drop over into the next valley to make use of the breeze. Somehow the young fellas fell behind as we neared the ridgeline so they headed around a small rock mound to cut us off and catch up.
My son in law appears from behind an outcrop waving at us frantically. "Five goats in the next valley!!, Zach has them in his binos."
We start to creep over nearer the rock outcrop, but further right than the lads so we can hopefully see the animals from a different angle as they are walking down and around the bottom of the hill.
As we near the edge we hear two shots go off. We pop onto the skyline and the lads are so excited. "Animal down" comes the cry.
Sure enough, 200 yards down the hill is a doe laying in the rocks.
We sit for a minute and watch. No movement so we find a handy scree slope and drop down to the doe and let Zach claim his prize.
A nice entry on the shoulder, the round has broken the leg and taken out the lungs. The Chamois only got 10 metres or so before expiring.
We good dragged her to a flat spot in the rocks, grabbed a couple of photos, removed the head, dropped out the guts and set about prepping for the walk back to camp.
Zach is a big fella at 6'5" and as strong as an ox. "Ill carry it out whole" He says.
"It's steep up here mate, we can break it down and share the load"
"Nah, I want to, I shot her, I'll carry it out"
We dropped down to the valley floor and an hours walk out down the riverbed saw us back at camp. We strung the carcass up in a tree, I sliced up some liver and the boys boiled the billy, and heated up a pan.
A couple of cups of coffee to warm up, but it would seem I'm still the only one that likes liver.
Sunday saw us up in the dark and rearing to go, Head torches on and up the river to check out another valley. 10 am and we pulled the pin, the fog was in and visibility was about 50 metres.
Back to camp for a brew and breakfast. The fog lifted around noon so we shot up a ridge close to camp to check out the neighbouring valley. Nothing to be seen, A small snow flurry passes so we make a move. Mate took the boys and they headed off up along the ridge to drop back down to camp via a good bit of bush. I wandered back down the hill the way we had come and returned to camp. Billy on and I set to boning out the Lads Chamois.
The boys wandered in a few hours later having seen a lone chamois about an hour after leaving me but it was in a spot that wouldn't allow a recovery so it was left for next time.
Monday morning we headed away early and stalked some low bush before breaking out onto the hills and heading up to a good vantage spot were we could split up and glass two valleys at the same time. Nothing but a few hares seen before we have to pull the pin, return to camp to pack up and depart for home. The Lads back to CHCH, and me to Nelson.
Absolutely stoked to see the boys harvest an animal on their first trip out. It would have been nice to pick up another one or two, but the trip away was enjoyed by all. My Son in Law has stared asking questions about firearms licences and rifles so that's another win in my books.
A long winded yarn, sorry. But I enjoyed it.
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