Can't be stuffed...

I can't really be stuffed writing this but there is so much negativity around, and this being a hunting/shooting forum , I guess if there's something positive going on we should share it.

So son Craigc and I have just spent 3 full days and a couple of fly in/out days at Otutu Hut in the Kawekas. The goal was a decent head, but we fell well short on that with the biggest we saw being a 4 or 6 pointer (it was hard to tell) which we could have shot but left. We had one very wet night and day (the night we camped out of course) but the other days were good.

We saw about 17 Sika and could have shot several but only shot one young meat animal each.

On the first fly in day we hoofed it over to the Manson Country and I ended up on the side spurs of Spion Kop, and Craig went more towards the south. I had forgotten dog tucker for Tilly so we agreed we would shoot a meat animal for the dogs at least. In the event, I spotted a yearling stag and dispatched it at 251 yards with the 7mmsaum, and when I was able to radio Craig later on he said that he had shot pretty much the same with his .284. They were all we shot for the trip. I had a bit of a climb out of the gully I was in and it was well dark by the time we got back to the hut. It was actually dark before we got off the tops.

We did a trip over to the "burn" for a night and saw a few deer over there, and on the last day Craig did a big loop up the and down the 2 Manson tracks (I had to pull out and go back to the hut after an hour because I twisted my old arthritic knee).

It was a wonderfully refreshing trip and we've booked the hut for the same time next trip.

Here's a heap of pics (they might help break the boredom of social isolation).

Craig glassing on the Manson Tops

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Looking back to the Otutu Clearing.

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Looking down on Manson Hut

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Looking onto the Spion Kop Ridge. I shot the deer on the bottom left shadow line. 6.30pm.

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Here 'tis if you can spot it

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Deaded

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Looking back to the saddle I had climb to get the deer back onto the main ridge

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There's one!

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The thing has stopped uploading so will add more later...

Awesome , nice pic,s very envious of all the sun shine !! .

Thanks for report and something positive to read. that are is one of my favourites

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Heads up @Tahr your out there doing it and your posts help others pull there chin up!
Just remember it isn’t all bad. If you feel it is then just visit the campfire humour page;):thumbsup:
Thanks again for the hunting posts.
I won’t be out for awhile by the look of things here. Full lock done for us looks to be here soon:(
Well at lest with my job I can’t unblock them toilets from home:wtfsmilie::XD:

Guns, Camo, you know Nash calls you right wing extremists right? :D

Congrats getting out, very interesting looking ground. You wont catch any bloody virus out there. Thanks for posting.

don't stop your contributions @Tahr
Your posts are some of the ones I look forward to reading......................especially now in these trying times

Looks like an awesome time.

Do you dial up for 250 yard shots or is the reticle on your scope have hash marks for drop compensation.

I find that the mil dots on my IOR are not always the best for the random hunting scenarios. Don't get me wrong. It's a great reticle the mp 8. Sometimes I prefer dialling as you get a bit more margin of error as its exact.

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Originally Posted by mikee

don't stop your contributions @Tahr
Your posts are some of the ones I look forward to reading......................especially now in these trying times

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And all the pic's of flash harry knives eing used

Nice looking country

Nice one. I could do with a trip away. As I cant at the moment its good reading about others. cheers,

As always, very well done.

Nothing beats that type of self isolation. Keep up the great posts.

Absolutely the medicine we all need! Bet you didn't see a single COVID out there!

Told you the weather was going to be atrocious crap :thumbsup: :D

Actually - looked like you guys got no wind and central NI was almost in a vacuum over those days I forecasted doom and gloom.
Surprised to see you did get 1 day of rain as it looked good whole trip while that bomb tracked Eastward

Well done, with all the shit going down I can’t wait to get into the hills for a week.

I would think you might have a few weeks for getting out in the hills, Outdoorlad.

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Originally Posted by Russian 22.

Looks like an awesome time.

Do you dial up for 250 yard shots or is the reticle on your scope have hash marks for drop compensation.

I find that the mil dots on my IOR are not always the best for the random hunting scenarios. Don't get me wrong. It's a great reticle the mp 8. Sometimes I prefer dialling as you get a bit more margin of error as its exact.

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@Russian 22. My rifles are sighted in for 200 yards so I don't dial until I get to 275. Only and inch or so variance out to there. Especially with a 7mm 162 ELDM @ 3K. So with that deer, even it was little and laying down, I just held dead on in behind the shoulder at 18 power. It didn't move at the shot - in fact I thought at first I had missed it. Cheers.

that looks like such nice country to hunt in

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Originally Posted by mikee

don't stop your contributions @Tahr
Your posts are some of the ones I look forward to reading......................especially now in these trying times

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Hah, @mikee I was in a hurry to get that one butchered and be back onto the main ridge by dark so I just whipped out my common old Cold Steel folder and dealt to it with that. I thought at the time that the flash Harry knife in my pack would have been sulking. The folder did just fine.

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Originally Posted by gimp

that looks like such nice country to hunt in

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Its wonderful @gimp. Big open spaces, enough cover to hold deer near the feed faces and generally quite dry. And the Sika are amazing little deer.

Awesome I need to go there one day

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Another great trip,love chasing those little fellas also,Tilly looks a bit miserable :)

Nice one. We're booked to go bush on the 5th. Couldnt come soon enough. Im just crossing fingers it gets to go ahead and helisika dont stop flying or anything. Three weeks in the bush will be the perfect antidote for trying times though i will be worrying about the fam. Maybe we could all add some stories to keep every one feeling keen.

@Tahr your an inspiration mate, i mean it.

I'm always keen when i see your contributions.

So please keep being stuffed [emoji41]

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i think theres a few on here myself included that need a good week or so back in the bush to help re balance ourselves good seeing others out there tho

Good onya Tahr
Rather jealous, doubt I’m going to get a roar trip in, this year.
Magic country.

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Originally Posted by Sauer

I would think you might have a few weeks for getting out in the hills, Outdoorlad.

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@Sauer two months to start off with! got two weeks hunting planned in April, might do a week after Chamois in May and maybe a tahr trip if I can find some liked minded folk. Then I might need to brush up on my French.......

Great work in some familiar country. I always look forward to reading your reports Tahr, good stuff

Sure are tuff times and more to come but your posts lighten the day. Keep it up it's what makes us feel "young " again.

I see Tilly has brought along her own personal sun shade....clever girl that one. awesome to see the photos,keep up the posting mate.

Get stuffed @Tahr. I mean stuff off, no please be stuffed.
Ah, good stuff. :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Tahr

@Russian 22. My rifles are sighted in for 200 yards so I don't dial until I get to 275. Only and inch or so variance out to there. Especially with a 7mm 162 ELDM @ 3K. So with that deer, even it was little and laying down, I just held dead on in behind the shoulder at 18 power. It didn't move at the shot - in fact I thought at first I had missed it. Cheers.

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I suppose if you encounter a deer in the Bush you would aim for the lower half and still smack it over.

200 M zero may be worth a nudge then. Sounds like a lot less hassle.

Good recoil management if you could retain sight picture at 18 zoom!

Awesome photo's and write up!!