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Roar tag along offer ...the story!
Today was the day i offered a forum member a day hunt for a stag in my spot x and show them some pointers.
A worthy good fellow was picked, 19 and still was waiting to shoot his first red deer.
I picked him up extra early as its a DOC block wanted to make sure we were going to be there first. Arrived to a cold start, but fine day and started the walk in by headlamp.
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Walk in was pretty uneventful , lots more over grown since i was here a year ago but the good news saw some big stag marks that i knew were heading to where
we were going to start the Roar hunt proper.
The weather was too good thou, perfectly fine and i do prefer overcast days for good roar action and it seemed to be the case.
The bush was silent, not a moan or roar anywhere and no reply to ours on our travels.
The young fellow was good, pretty fit and seemed to take it all in while i showed him the signs and told him the plans etc.
When we arrived at the bottom of the terrance where theres always a stag i let out a couple of roars with the Graf caller but nothing.
Still, i had faith as i knew from the signs that a good stag was here and he be up there somewhere so i told him we may still get
some action and if we dont we just do some good old bush stalking and find him.
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So of we climbed onto the terrance, keeping right for the wind and let out a roar or two when we arrived.
Suddenly it was on, a reply about 100m up the ridge from the terrance....just knew there was going to be a stag here and i bet its a Big boy!
Battle stations , got him in postion by a tree and let a couple of more roars go but straight away knew there was going to be a problem.
The stag replyed ok but he had moved towards us but away from us at the same time, thats not good.
First the wind was all over the place and i knew we had to move right quick to make sure he doesnt wind us so we were off.
After getting well right the stag was silence, didnt reply to any of our roars and nothing.
Considering he was moving away and now nothing i thought hes either smelt us or has a hind or 2 and getting out of here.
Told the young fellow hes not coming, he maybe still up the ridge and we should go stalk him if he hasnt bugger off so of we go.
Got a fair way up the ridge and no sign of him so i stopped for a roar.
Put the rifle down and the young fellow was 30 yards to my right with eyes peeled and his 30/30 waiting for action.
i roared and suddenly 70 yards away a very big stag appears and heading up the hill. He didnt have a great rack but he was a big boy.
If i had hold of my rifle i prob could of shot him but i didnt and unforuately the young felllow only saw the top of his antlers and he was gone never to be seen again.
Stag 1 Hunters 0
Oh well, shit happens and we headed high to see if anymore action. Near the top we heard a distance roar then after another blast with the Caller another stag answered on the opposite
ridge and was getting worked up.
I knew straight away as the stag changed to a agro call he was coming in for a fight.
Sure enough, the stag was very vocal and moved in quick and we waited for him to appear. Problem was there was a very steep gut between
him and us and we wont see him until hes righton us.
While we waited suddenly 30 -40 feet straight below us breaking branches as the stag was coming up but then disater as the wind swirled and he was gone.
Stag 2 Hunters 0
Crap, so close but another one missed . So we went over to the ridge he was on and headed down the open ridge to see what we can pick up.
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As we got lower down i was just telling him heres a good place for a deer and keep your eyes peeled and then we both saw a hind .
Busted us thou and even me couldnt take a shot in time and she was gone. (we decided after stag 2 that he may want shoot any red , his option)
Not much happened on the way out, some marks but surprisely no other deer seen but we had one hail mary to go.
Theres one very steep piece of bush on the way out that often has deer, esp a stag so i still had hope even thou the day was getting on.
I gave out a roar (BIG HINT..roar often when they not!) and YES, another stag answered not far away and he was vocal.
He looked like he was going to come in, very vocal and we were in a perfect shooting postion between 2 guts.
Battle stations!
The young guy set up lying down watching the other gut where the stag should appear and gave him so agro calls.
Stag was going nuts, booming his aggresion around us and i could tell my new mate was getting excited.
The stag came one gut closer and that was it, he wasnt going to move anymore after waiting him out for ages.
Ok, plan b, when he roars we off, head straight thru the gut to the next ridge was the instrustions.
when he stops, we stop, i roar and when he goes nuts again we off. The plan worked perfect, we soon go on the ridge opposite where he was but we couldnt see him.
He was only 70 yards away but he wouldnt appear. So plan c came into action.
The young Guy will slowly move forward, esp when he roars and i keep back and do the odd roar. He get within 50 yards and see if we get him.
He got there ok but he couldnt see him and neither could i.
So i headed a little down and moved forward and suddenly i saw him as plain as day about 60 yards away standing broadside on.
He was a good stag, older, 8 pointer maybe with average headgear thou but reasonable in body size.
I had him lined up, perfect rest, crosshairs on middle of shoulder, i couldnt miss but he was still standing still and i let the finger of the trigger to give kane
every chance to see him so he can shoot his first red, and a good stag at that.
i waited for what seemed ages, i knew the stag knew something was up, i nearly squeesed off but i waited some more as surely hes going to see him soon.
Suddenly the stag turned his head, thought he was going to move so the finger was back on the trigge then BOOM!! Kanes 30/30 broke the silence.
The stag went forward and disappeared but i thought you beauty, cant see him missing from that range, he should be down.
Mmm.. when i asked him you hit it ok, he said hope so but i only saw its head when it moved and fired a high neck shot.
Mmm.. oops, think you missed then, if you hit him in the neck or head hes not heading down the hill without dropping
We headed over and sure enough, abit of buck fever set in, he had missed, no deer, no blood then we heard him do a half roar a couple of ridges over and heading away from us.
Oh well, im sure after his nightmares for the next week or 3 lol on missiing he learnted a few good lessons and knowledge.
Plus im should he had a great day and got some close up action on roaring stags and you cant beat that.
Yes, i could of shot it , a few times over but sometimes you have to let them go for someone else to have a chance and he certain got one so was just abit unlucky.
Anyway....had a great day, 9.5 hours on the hill....time for a beers
Hot barrels
