Thread: Early morning walk with Veitnamcam

The alarm went off at 1.45 am & I'm thinking am I too old for this caper ?
The Boss said it was time to get up, made me breakfast & coffee, shes a good girl
Got to Cams, picked him up after sorting the stuff & we are off.
Got to the road end & off up the hill at about 3.30 am

It was fairly warm with a little wind, much more pleasant than last time & we made better progress.
We got up there on time, was a beautiful sunrise above the clouds.





We moved around to where the Deer "should" be using the wind to our advantage.
We split up to cover more of the open ground Cam went down to look along the bush edge & I stayed up to get a look in the next gully.
I trudged up to the ridge being careful to minimise silhouetting myself.
I parked up & began glassing thinking how much more pleasant it was than the last time I was in the area

I couldn't see anything but keep on glassing, hopeing something would pop in to view, as they do from time to time.
I happened to look down & saw movement to my left at about 80yards, two yearlings were quickly feeding-trotting away from me heading for the sun.
I couldn't believe it

They looked like they were on to me but the wind was good & I wasn't making any noise.
They were in a hurry to get warm, I wanted to get a good rest but didn't want to make any noise on the stones so I had to free hand shoot.
Not my forte at all, but thems the brakes, I chose the lead one & when see stopped about 100 away I shot her angling away from me.
Her mate stopped just before the shot perfect side on, typical I had picked the wrong one again, but I know changing plans like that usually ends in tears.
She was hit very hard by the 6.5wsm & 120 GMX at around 3400 & down she went

Her mate wasn't sure what was going on but got very very lucky.
I had gear failure for the first time in ages, the Alumina front cap had come really loose (no idea how) & swung down into the path of the bolt & jammed everything up, "goodness" I thought "how inconvenient".
I got it sorted & had a quick shot at the other one but was in too much of a hurry as you do as animals are thinking "lets get the hell out of here" & missed, then a round jumped out of the mag as it does from time to time & the cap really jammed the bolt this time, I sorted that & managed another shot at the departing yearling, but with no connection at 150 odd, the joys of it all
I was quite surprised I missed but freehand shooting & added stress isn't at all helpfull
I went down to the yearling & txted Cam, it was just before 7am



Those GMXs work really well, that is the entry wound you can see in the picture, it exited just in front of the offside shoulder & we lost bugger all meat.
Cam showed up over the ridge, he hadn't heard a shot or got my txt so was a little surprised to see one on the ground.
We went over to have a look & make sure I hadn't connected with the other yearling, but found nothing & I "knew" I hadn't hit her.
I boned it out as he went back to the ridge to post stuff on the Forum, technolgy....

Then we loaded up & shared my 26kg pack with rifle & stuff, I did downhill & Cam did uphill.
Three hours later we were back at the ute hot, sore & tired......whos idea was this again, both thinking thank goodness I hadn't got the other one
All in all a great morning & a Nana nap in the arvo certainly makes a difference

We will hopefully go back soon & take the Boss this time so she can carry some stuff