Thread: Mangaweka Fallow Deer

Left Friday round 11 to drive down to Mangaweka for a fallow deer shoot.
Me and a good mate Roddy Duck and his young fella Dylan.
Got to the farm and found tracks dry enough to take the ute right up to the hut.
Took advantage of that as its a fair way plus saved us making multiple trips on the quad.
Widened the track in a few spots with the side of the trailer but as I told Rod it needed some
character dents in the guards anyway.

Got to the hut set up camp.



Old scrub cutters home. Been there since before Adam was a cowboy apparently.
520 Mtrs ABSL. Views right out to the Ruahines .

6.00pm time to go for a walkie. Split up I elected to go back down the trail as had been sign on the way up.
The others elected to walk round the native a ways and see what they could find.
Watched the slopes on the paddocks around the native hoping something might pop out but no joy.
7.30 I was a fair walk away from the hut so when a hare popped out at 200 mtrs cut it in half with the ex VC M595 Tikka 243. Happy with that for sure.
Got back to the hut having seen nothing around 8.15. The others turned up pretty happy had been watching 7 or 8 at 200 mtrs across a gully and
had a couple jump out in front of them in the dark on the way back. Massive cook up then alarm set for 4.15 and crashed.

Up before alarm and we re off going into a fairly strong breeze that was perfectly in on our side.
Get along the ridge a ways then spied a spiker walking parallel with us around 150 mtrs out .
Decided I d take the young fulla and go up as fast as possible and forward to get ready for a walk in ambush.
Hard work with a 14 year old keen as saying come on keep up fat boy.. ha funny as.
Get to a point where we,re pretty sure we,re above him and crawl out to hang over the edge.
He wanders round the corner and decides to bloody sit down and have a chew. Line up through top of
head was all that was available Bang instant total death bullet down neck into body and then guts it at the same time.
What a mess, we boned out steaks , back half and front legs and we re off. My pack is now heavy as, of course.
Drop down to a well used track and start wandering along again.



Looking down into the native. Huge QE2 reserve block.

Get along for round 30 to 40 mins and then Rod signals he's seen one.
Lines it up bang then theres deer going in all directions. One nearly runs into him.
Missed the first bang again and one hits the deck. Next one nearly runs into him.
Woo Hoo 9am we both on the board.



In nice condition.

By the time we ve done the business wind s changed and we decide to carry these out and get them hung up
Back to the hut clean up , feed the worms, quiet brew .
We decide to take the quad and go down hill to have a look about. Just one gun as not really hunting.
Theres another massive reserve half way back that has not been shot since Shamus,s folks bought the block
We get above and just sit there watching 20 to 30 Fallow just doing what ever they fancy.
Pretty cool.
Start heading back up and Roddy spys couple of goats way off round the corner. Range finder says 450 mtrs.
I say Ill have a crack even if I just scare them off the property,
Lie down perfect spot in the scope straight away aim sort of inch or two above bang miss see the bank behind with the impact too high
they start to leave in a hurry then we give a huge loud whistle front one stops bang over, reload second one bang over.
They guys are like holy shit you got both of them. Followed by me standing up and them cracking up at me.
Guess who laid down in three of the biggest cow pats Ive ever seen. Im literally covered in shit from chest to toe all over and fuck It was rotten..
Take my shirt off huge bits get my arms ,face and every fuckin where. Down to pond strip wash as well as able wet clothes we re on our way
Fuck did I stink. They were told no pics or you die right here.

Find the goats both also blown to bits. Pretty wrapped with the 243 now for sure.
Back to hut get changed and pour buckets of freezing water on myself to clean up.
Started as a man ended as a wee boy of course.

We take the bike to around 500 mtrs from where the boys had spied an nice shelf to lay on and look across a massive gully.
Creep up then lay down. 5 Minutes Rods snoring so Dylan and I elect to crawl off further to get away from the racket.
Spy a white hind in amongst the tea tree 200 mtrs out. Very heavy with Hind so I say nah not her. Look next to her an obviously empty one
250 mtrs bang whack rolly polly down the hill and same thing the place erupts with deer while we sit and watch them take off.
Same again with destruction. Take the steaks and back legs only this time. Happy as to find she was empty, good nick though.

Back to bike back to hut and then we did a fairly lengthy evening walk with nothing seen.

Told Rod I leave it to him and Dylan to have a hunt next morn Sunday so they up at 5.30 and make a racket then leave the hut
Less than 10 mins , bang,bang and shortly after I hear the bike start. Jammy bastards first corner from the hut 100 mtrs Dylan shoots it twice and like
theres two holes 1/2 inch apart. Game over. Then they ride the bike up to it. Cheeky bastards I thought..

Me 2 deer 1 @150 1 @ 250 2 goats @450 1 hare @200 Lots of kills for the new toy..
Rod 1 @10 feet Dylan 1 @ 100



Neat clearings quite noisy walking round.



The boys decided they had to get to the highest point I hate them both ha ha ..

Great weekend hunting, great company, politest 14 yr most positive helpful un moaning kid I know.

Cool Happy, awesome write up. Crack up about the cow shit!

sounds like you had a good weekend, good write up and nice pics

Way to go Happy. Well done.

Brilliant Happy, sounds the bizz, like the honesty over the cow shite........great pics, looks a beautiful bit of country......

Good "shit" happy:thumbup:

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Good "shit" happy:thumbup:

Ha ha .. Yep I heard most of the jokes about shit during the weekend.
That was a shit hot shot ! Gez you re in the shit .. Well that turned to shit ..
and on they go ... It was bloody funny I had no idea until I stood up then it was Holy shit !!!

Fun and games. My reloads seem to do the job as well. Fuck those rounds just decimate things ...
Bought another 200 off Byrn