Thread: Mid Week Clements Hunt

My diary farming mate wanted a hunt before calving so we picked a gap between the storms and went down yesterday.
We only saw two cars on the road so it was nice and quiet like it should be mid week in the winter. I dropped him off and went along the road a little. Holy crap it was cold, that damp right into your bones cold. I thought about staying in the ute but without the motor/heater going it would get cold so moving seemed the best plan.
I hunted a spot that has been good to me in past winter hunts and the sign was encouraging, after a few hours i hadnt even got a squeal and my enthusiasm had definitely gone. With so much 'minutes old sign' around i figured the stupid lazy, drifting breeze was moving the deer off. Plan B was put in action, if sitting still is a action. I sat watching an open area where the deer cross a stream and waited for my scent to flush all the dumb deer across. ummmmmmmmmm now what ? after an hour i was frozen again and my knee that got a tweak had seized up to a point i could hardly put any weight on it. Plan C. sulk and go back to ute. On the way back i thought the only place not possibly scented up was some terrace country above the steam and i should really have a little look.
I had just climb up when a half hearted roar came from the first terrace ! As i stalked in i noticed a bit of young stag sign so knew this was a bachelor group and took extra care not to spook its mates. Then i spotted them, two spikers having a sleep while their mate pretended he was the man roaring in the thick shit. I waited as long as i dared giving the roarer time to show its head but had to make the call or risk spooking them all and going home empty handed.
The bush wasnt bad but i had a bit of trouble threading my shots through the beach poles and maybe used a couple of shots more than i wanted.
Now with two deer on board my knee was really complaining and the poor AR15 that had done its job well was now relegated to a walking stick for the 1.5 km carry to the ute.
My mate had shot a hind so with three deer on the back it was a happy drive home