Thread: Maybe ive found the Holy Grail of deer!

As some of you might have read on the Hunting section i did a wee write uo on the search of the Holy grail of deer.
Going to new spots and places always drives me to get out there and do it. Well, after that last hunt of 5 hours not to see one mark of anything i was off bright and early today
for a hunt in yet another new spot, in search of that deer heaven.

Arrived right on day break into this new spot that i had high hopes there be a few animals in here. Esp as it be the last day off in awhile.

Weather was mint, not too cold and the bush looked good. Decided on this bush stalking adventure i take the 223 and the bigger Badlands pack.
Been wearing some ridgeline boots for awhile now and i have to give them a big tick as been comfy and have lasted well for the money.

As soon as i started the hunt the wind was perfect, so that was a great start. Straight away i see 2 day old deer marks and some fresh pig marks so what a start!
The bush was great for stalking, low ferm, not too high a tree number and could see quite a distance at times.
The bush was awesome and i crawled along some pretty flat country always expecting to see a animal anytime.
Quick look on the GPs and decided i head for some height as i thought the deer be higher up. Sure enough, wasnt too long in the hunt and i spook a deer!

Darn, was in a hollow and i saw a good size hind race past then i could hear other animals crashing though the scrub. The sound stopped quicker than i thought it should so i figured at least one deer had stopped.
There was a scrub face with high fern and i felt sure one of the deer had stopped there. Couldnt see anything but i stool there for over 3 mins looking hard out for any deer.
Suddenly a see a yearlings head and neck in the fern looking at me..
I had the 223 up and ready to take the shot but free standing for a neck shot at that distance was abit dodgy so didnt squeese off. The deer then bolted up the hill followed by another deer.


I could of had a shot when they went thru a gap in the bush, i was certain i prob hit the second deer but as it wasnt certain it was a kill shot, and having the 223 with the fact i just started the hunt
i let them be.
After they disappeared i was thinking i did the right thing, great to see 3 deer so quick and didnt really need to take the shot and i thought the chances of another were pretty good as i had heaps of country to go.


Well, you wouldnt belive it but after that i went only 60yards and popped out in some open native and spooked another deer!
Couldnt see it but could hear it crashing away from me. Tried hard to see it further out then i saw some legs of a animal moving around 80m plus on the far side.

lucky for me it stopped in a gap, broadside on but could only see from behind the shoulder to nearly the rear end.
Looked like a stag, had the crosshairs on him but with no rest in sight a free standing shot at now around 100m wasnt ideal.

Still, broadside , already turned down one shot earlier i decided i have a crack and lined up the crosshairs just behind the front leg.
Boom, let the 55gr Fed softpoint fly and it disappeared down hill crashing away in the crown fern.

Had no idea if it was a hit or not but i could hear the deer crashing around in the same spot for longer than normal before silence. Sounds to me a animal in the death roll in the fern, lets hope so!

Because of the distance i thought it could be hard to find if it was down, so headed to where i thought i last heard it.
Luck was with me and i saw a good spiker down and out in the fern















You beauty! Was thinking now that was a great shot with the 223. Hit it just above the leg, straight though the lungs and the Spiker didnt end up going far at all.
Yes, im impressed with that 223,those 55gr Fed Powershoks do the business alright.
















Took my time and boned it out in beauiful bush, reflected on what a great spot this is and what a shot.
When i chucked on the pack i decided for some resason my chances of seeing another deer on the way out were good so i unloaded the 223 so i wouldnt be tempted.

I shit you not, heading back the way i came only 200 m walk i spook two other yearlings that were walking my way. As they ran around me it was very open and if i had ammo in the mag im certain i coulld of shot at least one.

Shit, 6 deer in short time, got one, could of shot another and plenty of hunting still to come.
Yes, this could be the HOLY GRAIL of deer!!!!
If its not its bloody close, sign was good, deer everywhere so for the short walk out i chucked one round in, just incase that 12 pointer now appeared.
this was one of those places it wouldnt surprise me!
No, i didnt see any other deer but what a great day out in the native in a new DOC block, and maybe ive found the HOLY GRAIL!!!



Cheers,

Wow sounds like an awesome little spot, lots of yearlings and spikers and some hinds might be a nursery sorts. Good on ya mate!

Sounds like you've cracked the jackpot on that spot. Careful who you tell about it. Great report.

good stuff mate.pleased the 223 is working out for you...so far...and by sounds of it you wont go wrong as you passing up iffy shots (all those years using EBRG has taught you well) enjoy the venison...good thing about this time of year its easy to hang it in garage for a few days as buggerall flies and its cold as a frogs tit.

For the record. Those Ridgeline boots have long out lasted the GTX at several times the retail

Great spot, sounds like it could be "the spot" you are looking for. The 223 works well for it's size alright.

Hell yes good on you !!

Awesome write up too, cheers

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Good shit.
I know its only a couple so far but are you getting exits on shoulder shots with the powershoks?
Skinned pick would be great too.

good stuff mate, I have found a spot reasonably local that holds quite a few deer in the bush also, went back there yesterday for an overnighter hoping to find a post roar stag but no luck, saw hinds and young ones again so I might have to go back and just target a good eater to be able to say im a bush hunter as I have never had any luck hunting in the bush, its quite exciting stuff coming across them in the bush, the first time I went in there (february) I was sidling along a terrace, nice open bush and I could see up ahead was a bit of a gut running down the hill that had plenty of broadleaf in it, there was plenty of sign about so I thought surely if they're in here they will be feeding in the broadleaf, I slowed right down and as I got closer I decided to sit down and just watch for a bit, no action so 10 mins had gone by and I stood up to move off and straight away my eye catches movement, a hind standing there staring straight at me, I was hoping at this stage to catch a pre-roar stag so I didnt quite know what to do, I was worried she was going to start barking any moment but she slowly moved off and stopped to look back at me and I noticed her young one was with her also. I gave them a wide berth still worried she would spook and start barking and carried on my way, went up the valley about 3 hours then made my way back down along the same terrace and when I got back to that same gut that same (I swear it was the same one!) hind and her young one were there in the same place again! I did consider shooting one of them for a brief moment but as I had still not seen a stag I was holding out for that last chance opportunity before getting back to the carpark, the wind was wrong this time and she definately got a whiff of me as she moved off a lot quicker and gave a few grunts to show her disapointment

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Good shit.
I know its only a couple so far but are you getting exits on shoulder shots with the powershoks?
Skinned pick would be great too.

That one hit bone in top of leg in line with the lungs. No exit hole, resaonable hole and foaming blood oozing out of hole when it was lying there, lungs smashed.
The other deer behind the shoulder but did exit other shoulder lungs again stuffed.
3 hunts now with the 223, 4 animals with 4 shots, two goats, one neck, other chest, 1 yearling and now a Spiker,No animal gone ,ore than 30 yards after being hit.