Thought I would go look for some for steaks for the barbeque the other night. Headed up to the Ruahines to a local handy spot I have hunted regularly over the years. As usual it was blowing it's arse off, no surprise really, glassed my way along the track and within 20mins found a likely victim. I spotted a deer bedded down in the pepper woods, couldn't make out what it was as it was about 700 yards away at that point. Back tracked 5 mins then cut off down a cut hunter track through the leather wood headed for a lookout that should bring me into range. 15mins later I had the deer in my sights at 375y and was looking at a nice plump yearling, perfect. By this time the wind had dropped a bit but was still gusting, I set my rifle and camera up and now just had to wait until it stood up. 10mins later it obliged so I squeezed off a shot. Blang, flop, those 168 VLD's do the magic. Now for the recovery , it took me 45mins to scramble my way over through the crappy pepper woods. Whacked off the best bits and stuffed them in my daypack then headed for the truck, 930pm had me dumping my daypack and was home by 10pm.
Meat is hanging waiting to be sliced up for the barbeque.
The southern Ruahines on a nice summer evening
The 'Barbeque Victim'
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