A first "family" hunting trip
Seven years have snuck by and somehow I have never got around to taking my partner Sarah away on proper hunting trip. She's been with me when we've shot deer, was even with me when I shot my best red stag in 2010, but was always keen for a "proper" overnight trip. In recent months she has reminded me constantly about not taking her on "that trip
After a bit of thought I decided to visit a familiar haunt of mine, where I knew she would get to appreciate alpine hunting at its best, but also be relatively safe from the type of country that would put alot of first timers off hunting for good! I knew fitness wouldn't be an issue, she does enough hours of crossfit to make me feel pretty bloody lazy, but makign sure we weren't scrub bashing, or cliff scrambling was important.
Last week shot by quickly, and before we knew it we'd packed the truck with a few extra luxuries (pillows and fresh food! ;D) and were bouncing our way up the chosen valley in the Cruiser, making it to camp around midday.
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020428.jpg
We had a feed, then packed up some gear and headed off into the bush. I expected to make the tops within a couple of hours, enough time to have a scout around late avo, and evening, then make our back to camp with head lights. On the way up we got into some really neat beech forest, the type that alpine red deer love to hang out in;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020434.jpg
So we went into stalk mode, and progressed up the valley slowly but purposefully. Pippa seriously winded the breeze a couple of times, so I was expecting to see a deer any moment. Soon enough we saw light through the trres and duly broke out into the open. Within seconds of scanning our surroundings I had picked up a couple of deer on a slip above us, apporximately 250 yards away;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020460.jpg
I was stoked. Couldn't have asked for a better example of hunting deer in the tops. Sarah was infactuated by them, as they fed happily, totally unware of our presence. She took charge of the camera and snapped a few pics. The hind, looking a little light on it was clearly in calf, with a bulging belly;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020457.jpg
After a while of watching the deer, we continued up the valley.Some scree silding posed no problems, and we eventually reached a saddle with full view of some neat tops country. We'd timed it perfectly, and had plenty of huntable time up our sleeves;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020484.jpg
We found a prominent rock to sit on, from which we could glass the areas I explained as being likely to hold chamois. I could barely believe it when I literally put my binos to my eyes and immediately spotted the white faces of a nanny chamois and her young one sitting a few hundred metres above us. They sat watching intently, not worried about us at all. Sarah was stoked to finally see a Chamois on the hoof;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020497.jpg
The hills around us screamed chamois, and it wasn't long before we noticed tracks in snow, and eventually more animals. With my bino's Sarah spotted this buck sitting on a rock, also looking down on us, and she keenly planned a stalk for me, and put the challenge out there for me attempt the stalk and have a shot at it ::)
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020525.jpg
So leaving her and Pip sitting on a rock with the gear and camera, I took off up the hill reaching my shooting position after a few chest heaving breaks;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020538.jpg
I took a few moments before crawling the last 20 metes over the crest of a steep ridge, ready to take a shot. The buck was nowhere to be seen initially, but as chamois so often do, he appeared 150m away on his rock, steering intently down at me. A single shot from my 280 had him cartwheeling off the rock and down a scree almost to the valley floor. I made my way down to him, gutted and carried him back to the team;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020572.jpg
We soaked up the moment, it was pretty cool to be honest. While not a trophy 10 inch buck, he was a trophy in a different way. We took a few pics to add to the family album! :P
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020598.jpg
Sarah was more stoked than me!
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020606.jpg
We sorted the buck out, and and then decided to make our way back to camp early, leaving the rest of the valley for a hunt on another ocassion. A couple of hours back down the valley and we had a rest before dropping back into camp. Homeward bound;
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020622.jpg
A decent feed was eaten that night (Sarah's a mean cook) and we planned our morning hunt before hitting the hay. About 5am the rain started and didn't look like letting up, so we flagged the morning hunt, packed up early and drove out before the river came up too high to cross, managing to getting home in time to watch the AB's test.
It was an awesome trip all round, already looking forward to the next one. Next goal, firearms license and first rifle?! 8-)
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...9/P1020524.jpg
Cheers
JoshC :)
A first "family" hunting trip
Great writeup, super nice dog.
Re: A first "family" hunting trip
nothing like a hummer on the hill a josh! hmmm bugger the missus doesn't like hunting :-(
good story and great pics mate
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