Thread: Deer numbers

Is it just me or is there a heap of deer around at the moment ? It’s the best I can remember it in the last 20 years. This is my fourth trip into this spot. I went in March , May, October and last night. I picked it off a topo map because it looked deery. It’s on DOC land and 2 1/2 hours from the road end.
Left the truck last night and hoofed it in with an overnight pack. Got up into where I wanted to be and started stalking into the wind. Third slip and there’s a familiar shape. Sure enough a quick check through the scope confirmed a hind feeding. Took my pack off lined her up and drilled her. Suddenly there’s a spiker running around not sure what’s going on. Bang - miss. Bang - mmmm did I get it?
Wandered over to the first deer and got my pack off and knife out.

Went over to look for the spiker kind of hoping I had missed. But no here he was and the poor bugger needed a finishing shot. I tried to cut his throat and got a hefty kick in the upper thigh for my troubles. Dragged them together and got the knife to work.

I butchered all the meat and packed up. It was only 8:30 pm. Bear in mind it’s not dark here til 10pm at the moment. Having an extra 30 kegs on board slowed me down. Contemplated walking out but didn’t feel up for it in the dark. As I headed back down river I could have shot another two deer. Lucky for them and me I only took 4 rounds in. Any way I had a flycamp set up by 10pm with the meat cooling properly.


Woke up at first light and saw another deer from camp. Packed up and began the trudge out. Home by 12. There’s adventures still out there.

I have been seeing plenty too, but I just thought maybe I was getting better at finding them
certainly plenty of feed about which doesn't hurt, every animal I have taken in the last couple months has been in great condition

There’s certainly lots of grass down here. Summer hasn’t arrived and it has not stopped raining.

Not seeing as many on the island as I have in the past. Although the animals were a month or so late is starting to move around on the cameras after winter so maybe things are just slow kicking off.

Or its backwards like the island....

Originally Posted by 223nut

Not seeing as many on the island as I have in the past. Although the animals were a month or so late is starting to move around on the cameras after winter so maybe things are just slow kicking off.

Or its backwards like the islanders....

Fixed it for you!

One of my rellies was mayor of the island decades ago.

Nice one Only thing i suggest esp for a overnight trip should of taken more rounds in.
Yes, 4 plenty, but if a stuff up happens, ie one extra shot and have a wounded animal you cant finish off because you out of ammo thats just cruel and dumb. Also you may get a dud and mis fire etc, always pays to take more than you need, weight nothing.
I always have extra in the pack, could be useful if something happens and people looking for you as well if no plb or doesnt work etc (ie 3 shots evenly spaced apart etc etc .
Enjoy the venison thou, they be fat as mud!

Good adventure.The new gun is mowing them down.

Is it only me who can see a persons' face in your sleeping bag @Nathan F ?

Originally Posted by Nathan F

. It’s on DOC land and 2 1/2 hours from the road end.
Left the truck last night and hoofed it in with an overnight pack. Got up into where I wanted to be and .

That is a LONG way to walk to find a deer on DOC land if you are in Southland !

YES, there are a lot of deer around at the moment but the real challenge has been finding a weather window to get out.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Good adventure.The new gun is mowing them down.

Is it only me who can see a persons' face in your sleeping bag @Nathan F ?

Just noticed that. Random isn’t it.

Good on ya Nathan. You've got to be stoked with that.

A good haul of meat there, and yep plenty of deer around if one puts in the effort.

One of the best times of year to see deer and when the weather comes right after a rough patch.... deadly! True test of numbers is finding the buggers in winter

Originally Posted by Hiawatha

One of the best times of year to see deer and when the weather comes right after a rough patch.... deadly! True test of numbers is finding the buggers in winter

Yep meant to say in the report 4 trips March , may , October and last night for 5 deer.

There’s plenty of them alright Nathan. I drove 15 minutes from my house last night and walked for two hours in some public land. I saw over 20 deer; unfortunately most of them on a farm that backed onto the public land.
This years not over yet, but I’ve seen and shot more deer this year that ever before.
I’ve been hunting for over 30 years and these are the ‘golden years’ alright. If this continues I might run out of A-Maxs! I thought I had a life times supply.
:-)

Originally Posted by Tahr

Good adventure.The new gun is mowing them down.

Is it only me who can see a persons' face in your sleeping bag @Nathan F ?

Well i missed it till it was pointed out, i was more interested in the aparrent lack of flies!