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How to enjoy the school hols
As a follow on the last week's story.
My girl was hassling he to get her out. Her ultimatum was, "either you take me to catch a marlin or we go for a hunt". They forget at that age that we work.
As I'd been game fishing the week before and we'd had two marlin for the day, I think she thought these were equally easy options. They are not.
So it didn't take much arm twisting to set up a goat hunt.
She also had a great idea to take her bike so that she could bomb the forestry track on the way out.
As it tuned out we didn't get the go ahead for our access u till 9 the next morning which isn't ideal on a hot day but as she was still keen we got going, loaded up on a couple of pies, donuts and her choice of dodgy fizzy drinks.
On getting out of the car, I was shocked at how hot it was. 30degrees plus and no wind. We suffered uonthe first track and up ahead about 20ft in front of the dog is a little black animal trotting down the road toward him. I click that its a cat just as the cat spots the problem. An opportunity missed as this is a pretty good kiwi area.
A few tears as we go up through the pine slash when a spill results in landing on a young broken pine stump. Her tears, not mine lol.
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After leaking a litre of sweat we make the top and spot a mob of 20 or so in the distance.
She wants to go to them. I want to go back to the car. We find a middle ground by heading for shade.
While having a little hide from the sun, Ace starts winding but appears to think something is down wind of us.
Sure enough, 20m away a nanny pops out. She was on the move and obviously had smelt us in the shifting wind. It's would have been easy to bowl her but as my girl couldn't see her properly I let her go with the intention of swinging around her to give the dog practice on finding her again.
As we were doing this, I look down into a gut and spot a yearling. Mini me is ready to get it and starts pushing for the 'dad, we should be able to get close to that one and then I'd be able to shoot'. Since she shot her first goat I've told her she has to get better at shooting and she has somewhat but not to my satisfaction.
A good stalk ensues. We get close and the yrlng has turned into two nannys and a yrlng. One is a perfect eater. We get close and feed into all the wrong places. I risk them getting our wind and set up ahead of them slightly. Mini me points out this isn't a hard shot for her. 15m. For ten mins we piss around trying to get a good rest eventually using a dead punga and both our bags. At this point they spook and a 10min stand off ensues with them unsure which way to go. I set up for the best escape route and when they go this is exactly where the one we are after stops. Bang and she has got a clean kill(if slightly back by 3inches) I drill it in the neck to make sure as I don't want any wounded animal drama putting her off the experience. It also teaches her that a round is inexpensive when compared to the pain an animal might be suffering.
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We share an energy drink and then after she implores me to take the skin, I flounder around on steep ground undressing it and then filling my bag with all the meat. She gets the backies and the skin in hers and it's back to the car.
All in all a fun day, if punishingly hot. We see more but this is about dog and kid training. And others want to shoot this area and I respect the farm managers go ahead(if ya reading this G - cheers).
Back at car, I'm burnt out but we get the bike out and she has a great time riding all the way to the bottom. It's a good life.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Hakmgn9CK..._-8b4KtiQB_ohV
https://youtube.com/shorts/4T16XuK61...z-jLqvdywwB3rE
https://youtube.com/shorts/6-cHUgx1V...gjjZiqjsaXRHTO
