Haurangi Stag(s)

Three of us have been in the Haurangis for a couple of days. We got a roaring stag each and a couple of pigs.

I put in a hard day yesterday. It was all new country for me. Started walking at 6am and staggered out of the bush at 10pm. The last 3.5hrs were in the dark bush bashing my way down to the main river. I knew where I was but was unfamiliar with the topography so my GPS came in handy.

The day started with Tilly and I walking up a creek and then climbing onto the main northern ridge and then sidling right through the creek's watershed and onto the main southern ridge for home. This took all day.

The stags were pretty quiet but at about noon I heard one roaring strongly about 300 yards away so I targeted that. Once in the general area (which was high up in the watershed) Tilly hooked onto its scent and took me in really close. It hadn't made a noise for the last 30 minutes so I wasn't sure where it was, but she was, and she she gave me her "its over here" look. Sure it enough, there it was laying down in a little clearing. I was so close I could see its chest going up and down from its heavy breathing, not doubt caused by its roaring activity. Plus it was hot.

So I quickly shot it in the neck with the reliable .243 at under 10 yards, and that was that.

He was in good average nick so I boned out his big hind quarters and took the back steaks. His head was poor.

It was a hell of a load and I had a big walk in front of me and a lot of climbing, and I had to move quickly because I wanted to be above the main river by dark.
We made it, but not before hanging the head in a tree (I don't know why I was carrying the damn thing anyway), and taking a bad fall and dislocating a finger badly. Putting it back in was quite an Ouch! moment.

I got buggered up a bit dropping down to the river - travelling in the right direction - but somehow losing the ridge and traversing though some serious shit. Still, I had the right gear and from experience I knew that I had just had to grit my teeth, not make any stupid decisions and to just keep going. I had picked up my mates on the little hand held radio when I was about an hour from home, so one came down to meet me at the river. That was a huge relief.

Here's some pics:

The stag where it was shot.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...psqwz8q4kq.jpg

Taken standing where I shot it from.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...pskxn3uocm.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...psvg0zljyq.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...pswrtdikbr.jpg

Ready to go. Another stag had started up roaring reasonably close by while I was butchering the stag, and Tilly is catching its scent a bit on the breeze. We had a bit of a play with it but in the end it shut up. We had a big enough load anyway.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...psxkxtopsd.jpg

Having a rest during the carry out.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...psatlflcce.jpg

The country.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...psr7digsbl.jpg

Awesome. well earned stag:). Looks like my type of country.

Nice, I've searched that country for deer, pigs and a boy... :-)

Nice work. You've been getting around.

Good stuff.
You put a lot of younger fellas to shame.

Good ole Tilly dog, big day, well done!

good one mate, i loved hunting the haurangis and this makes me want to go back.

Great stuff

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

Cool. :cool:

You can tell a joker's put in a good day when his dog is stuffed.

Showing how it's done. Awesome stuff.
All under control by the sounds of it, just a detour.

I've been tempted to do the mad panic run a few times when you get misplaced. Seeing my dads head torch on otutu tops was such a relief in the dark one night.