The early bird gets the worm.
As the title suggests the early bird does get the worm. Another nameless forum member came for a walk after new year. I have not been posting because I simply have not been deer stalking for nearly a year. Family commitments and work have kept me down far too long.Any way a plan was hatched and we walked into some heavily hunted DOC land in some average weather. With the forecast set to improve the theory was there should be a few deer about when it broke.
4:45 am the alarm abruptly woke me. A quick glance out the door revealed stars. Right - game on. I scoffed down some brekky threw me boots on and was out the door at 5:20am. Cutting through the bush I made some river flats right on the very first light. I skirted around the bush edge stopping and looking carefully. Nothing but snow hares so far. I cut across into a river bed and began noticing fresh sign.
The sort of sign that says pay attention and slow down. I chambered a round and left the bolt half down on the sako. Following the spoor I cut up onto a river terrace and began stalking through river scrub and light manuka. I looked at my watch 5:37 am. No wind . I mean no wind. Dead calm. I moved forward pushing through some scrub and stopped again to look. I had lost the track but this area looked fantastic. Right in amongst the scrub were little areas of grass with broadleaf and other good tucker for deer.
Four more steps and I popped through more low manuka and stopped and looked. Turning left I quickly saw movement and that familiar red colour. Shouldering sako I looked through the scope and there he was. A young stag feeding head down 20 paces away. Closing the bolt properly I watched him for a few seconds more before centring the cross hair on his front shoulder I touched off the shot and and he ran three paces to the right and collapsed. I could hear him kicking his last behind a bush so gave it a minute before wandering over. I checked my watch again 5:43am. Job done. Taking my time I carefuly removed the back straps, eye fillets and made a pack out of the hind quarters. Having done that I swung my binos further up the hill and could make out a group of hinds and young uns feeding 400 yds off. Leaving them alone I was back in camp at 6:45 am waking my mate up telling him he should have got up.
We went out that evening and saw another three deer but thats another story....
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