Thread: Christmas goes not so well for Bambi

So I don't do Xmas and think to myself - what's one of the days when everyone else will be out of the bush? - aha!
Xmas day hunt it is..
So on the 24th I'm into spot x in the Tararuas, 2hrs walk in, damn hot, put the fly up. Next morning I get up and see a frog hopping by the tent - never seen one in the wild before. Not native but amphibians are always a sign that the bush is in good health I reckon.The dawn chorus was pretty loud too.
I hadn't been to this spot before and reckoned that about 3 areas around the camp looked likely to hold deer at this time of year so off I go looking for sign, toting my rifle more as a means to not curse later that I could have got that animal if only I'd brought it rather than thinking I'd be onto any game.
I'm stomping along being non-quiet following a river terrace into the hardly-there breeze, there's plenty of sign but it looks about a week old so I'm just trying to cover ground and sort out the most likely spot for the future.
All of a sudden up pops a hind and bounds away - fark fark farkity-fark - what do I do now? I can't see too much so think - oh well, I've spooked it but I'm going this way anyway and it's sure proof that this area is hot so I'll just keep on, maybe I'll see another this trip.
Keep in mind that I got into this deerhunting lark fairly late in the game and though I've fluffed a shot at the only other pair I'd seen up close before, this was my second chance so far of being in range of a possible kill.

So I push past some vines and get alongside a big tree thinking that my ruminant friend has gone and legged it, lift the scope and what do I see but a deer looking straight back at me? The silly bugger had to stop and look back.
Off with the safety and squeeze the trigger at about 30 paces - deer now has only half a head. I hear thrashing so I get over there and put the mercy shot into what's left of her head - bugger me that was loud - only then do I realise I'd not even flipped open my sight covers - good thing they're see-through.

Take the backsteaks and get to use my new gutting knife,sweet. Learn a new trick - use the tail to pull the poo-tube out after cutting around it - that works well. Take the arse end and the back steaks (er, why did I bother gutting that again? never mind) and I've got it wrapped in muslin stocking and back at the camp by 10am - I'm beginning to like this Xmas malarkey.

Manage to fit the back legs into my pack and the 3 hours out are punctuated by lots of rests - packing the bits into a chillybin on the back of the ute some kids come over and have a look - one mother says "You've done this before"

For sure lady, I'm a professional.


So last night I raised a quiet toast - "To dumb deer that look back, thank you"

Well done 308
Seeing as you went to the trouble of gutting it you should have taken the eye fillets
un shot shoulders would have made beut salami, sausages or stews too!

+1 but we live and learn. Great stuff!

Ray.

Awsome even with the len's cover's on two!! nice story 308.

good stuff, wish I was hunting instead of watching the inlaws burn my good homekill black angus to a crisp on the bbq

well done 308. Good to see someone out there doing it while most of us were over eating.

Originally Posted by Shaneo

wish I was hunting instead of watching the inlaws burn my good homekill black angus to a crisp on the bbq

I would be stopping that nonsense and taking over the BBQ Shaneo.

If I bring prime steak(veni usually) to a BBQ and its being ruined chef gets elbowed out of the way Most friends/family have now learnt to do it well or hand over the reins

And I must say good to read some hunting storys on here, been a bit slow for a while

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

And I must say good to read some hunting storys on here, been a bit slow for a while

+1

Well done!!!!

Originally Posted by Rushy

I would be stopping that nonsense and taking over the BBQ Shaneo.

ha yea but for some reason I love watching "know it all" brother inlaws fuck up a simple thing like cooking a good steak and getting grimmed out by the others. Hence why myself and the wife had eye fillet for breakfast and took rump to the bbq.

Any more pics from the hunt ??

Good read 308 . Deer will often run 50m & stop.Even come back for a look to see what scared them.
A little trick to have up your sleeve when you see 1 bolt is to whistle ,often stops the dead in their tracks.
They throw the picks on & spin head round to have a look.

Dunno if I attached these properly - the Ratas are out in full bloom looking great.The tape on the rifle is to hold a bit of white cotton thread so I can see what the wind is doing - not much good when it's raining..

VC - good point about the neck meat - I'm a bit of a noob who hunts more with enthusiasm than skill haha but will remember for next time - I looked at the price of venison in the supermarket today and that will remind me..
Chris - thanks for the tip re whistling - that's a good idea

I've learned one trick for overnight hunts - I buy 2 or 3 bags of ice and chuck em in a chilly bin on the back of the ute with a few Bundabergs - usually the ice is good for a couple of days so I can store any meat taken in there and the thought of a cold ginger beer (or whatever y'all like to drink) is a good motivator for making it back to the ute.

Cheers all

The white thread? Never heard of that before...bit like using an indicator on your fly rod...

I use a cigarette lighter for wind direction. That Rata is as good as Pohutakawa for smoking fish etc,mix it with Manuka 50/50.
I'll shud up now .