Thread: Second solo hunt - Kaimai attempt

This is how my second solo hunt went.
It was the second walk into the Kaimais in as many weeks. The first, largely unsuccessful due to incredibly thick bush cover and the fact that I’d omitted to check DOC’s pesticide map. So, with a new location in mind I laced the boots up at 0600 and shouldered my pack. The plan was to explore a new area and see if I could get onto any sign plus check distances and time to a spot I thought looked good on the topo maps.

The first section of the walk was pretty tough and there was no obvious sign to my untrained eye. Eventually I made my way higher up and started to spot things, making some mental notes and taking a couple of GPS points.
Nearing my endpoint for the day I was back on the main track plodding along when I heard a rustle and snap off to my left. I immediately stopped and swung my head around, but couldn’t see anything. Thinking to myself, this must be a deer… surely. I crouched, trying to get a better look while thinking I’m exposed, maybe making my profile smaller will help. What felt like minutes go by and I’m just waiting, listening. Then, step step, rustle, stop. That’s definitely a deer, but where the hell is it!? Straining my eyes into the thick bush with heavy amounts of supplejack I’m wondering how can the deer even move in there. My heart is thumping in my chest. There’s a slim change this could be my first deer. Breathe, bring your heart rate down because if you have to put crosshairs on this thing, you’re not going to hit shit with a hammer going off in your chest. I creep forward about 3 steps and wait again, feeling the wind swirling above I hope my scent isn’t blown into it. Another step to try get my head around a tree for a different angle and thud thud, crash, snap. Darn, it’s bolting, but no… it stopped again. I estimate it’s probably 30 odd meters away but I still can’t see it. How is this possible? Do I take the pack off and push into this supplejack? That might make more noise so I opt not to, but I have to do something. Trying to be as light footed as I can with a big pack on and dry twigs and leaves underfoot I decide to push in. I make it about 5 steps and hear a loud bark. Damint, now it really knows I’m there and it takes off and goes much farther this time. After it stops and barks a second time, I decide against pursuing any further.

So that’s the closest encounter I’ve had in my short time hunting solo. Pretty exhilarating. Learnt a few things about the area too so maybe it’ll produce something for me next time.