Thread: So very close, but still no Cigar.

Having had a couple of cancelations at work which freed a couple of weekdays up I decided a quick couple of days in the bush, and another chase of that ever elusive first deer was in order.
Armed with a comfy new pack, and the lessons learned from the last excursion I set off.

Having leant my bivy to a mate for a hiking trip I needed a hut for shelter and so the easy decision was made and up at sparrows in auckland had me heading down towards Poronui and on to the Oamaru.
About 10 minutes into the stroll a freindly bee keeper by the name of Dennis picked me up and dropped me right down by the river. Quick walk up to the hut, drop some gear and I was off up the Kaipo a bit for an explore/hunt by 10 30.



Had a crunch around in the bush for a while, not finding much in the way of sign and what I did find was fairly old, so the decision was made to move a bit faster and cover some more ground, no sooner had I started moving faster I was treated to a flash of white and some crashing as I spooked my first of the trip. I spent the rest of the day wandering faces before coming down and sitting on the river until dusk watching a few grassy bit and the opposite face, not much action that avo, but I was probably a bit close to the hut.

Cool camp/biv on the other side of the river:


Next day had me up well before dawn to check a couple of spots I had spooked deer last time out, The wind wasn't playing the game going from still, to in your face, to up your butt every few minutes or so. The mossy stuff at least made it possible to move around quietly so I continued up coming into a clearing/small valley that looked well used and had plenty of sign around. I decided to take a seat and watch for a bit, so found a good vantage point with the wind in my face (for now) and was rewarded with a grazing/crunching sound coming steadily toward me after only about 2 minutes.



Sure enough a hind and a yearling (I think) were feeding down the middle of that scrubby valley always obscured in the brush; rifle up but no shot only a patch of hide, a flick of ear or a foot could be seen. I watched from about 30m for roughly 10 minutes, which felt like hours as they slowly worked down the bank towards clear ground, never offering a shot whilst I was busy telling myself to wait for the yearling and not shoot at that un indentified patch of hide.
Waiting till they got out in the open. They were about 2 m from breaking through and the bloody wind died, SHIT! next thing a single puff from behind was all that was needed to send both scuttling at ward speed 7 back up the scrub valley. after a few cursewords(well more than a few) and an attempted stalk after the yearling, I moved on. Found plently of deer that day but the swirling wind and cornflakes meant they always had the jump on me, and I only got treated to barks and crashing bush as they retreated.

I climbed up to the tops to see if the air was more consitent up there but the sign died out and I got bluffed out before spending the rest of the late afternoon navigating off the bloody mountain.
Back to the hut absolutely knakered and a bit frustrated before being up at sparrows the next moring to get back to reality and dream of what almost was.

Couple of what I think of as deery type spots:

Awesome dude. Sounds like you are doing it right, so only a matter of time. Keep at it

good write up keep it up your not far away from your first deer it took me over a year

A great trip none the less.
What I like about it is the fact you were moments away from shooting your first deer, tantalizingly close where it would have been so much easier to shoot blindly, all the excitement buzzing through your nut yet you held off and never got that shot.
These experiences will make your first one so much more rewarding than if you had cheated yourself

Nice one.

Nice write up mate, I enjoyed that.
You obviously have patience in spadeloads, so it really is only a matter of time

Originally Posted by Pengy

Nice write up mate, I enjoyed that.
You obviously have patience in spadeloads, so it really is only a matter of time

Didnt bloodey feel like it at the time haha, arms were fair shaking holding the howa at shoulder. ALthough that could be in part to do with the fact its a howa in a laminate and weighs about 9 tonnes.

wont be long now

Well done Nick, dont be hard on yourself mate, you where really close there, as others (much more experienced than me) have said, your defo on the right track.......keep at it, it WILL happen, took me over a year to get my first (and only )......

Nice looking area. Great write up.

Great stuff Nick, obviously in the right spot so get back in there.
Bush hunting is a percentage game,the odds have to tip in your favour shortly

Good one nick. Photos are always good. Nice patch of bush that. The walk from helisika to oamaru is firkin boring after a few times. Worse if it is bloody hot. But prob my own fault coz I walk like a man on a mission. Hate taking any more than 2.5 hours in. Only been picked up once, and that was by Bruno from helisika.

That's good hunting despite not coming home with some venison. Your write up reminds me of my last summer trip there. Plenty of deer just hard to get close enough for a shot. I might go back there in early March if you want to jump aboard for a ride?

Originally Posted by sakokid

Good one nick. Photos are always good. Nice patch of bush that. The walk from helisika to oamaru is firkin boring after a few times. Worse if it is bloody hot. But prob my own fault coz I walk like a man on a mission. Hate taking any more than 2.5 hours in. Only been picked up once, and that was by Bruno from helisika.

2.5 is good going man, I smash it out in about 3 and thats at a decent pace. Walk out was a bloody site more plesent with a decent pack, and not hosing down like last time.

Originally Posted by Rusky

That's good hunting despite not coming home with some venison. Your write up reminds me of my last summer trip there. Plenty of deer just hard to get close enough for a shot. I might go back there in early March if you want to jump aboard for a ride?

Always keen mate, was planning a march mission anyway. Ill give you a shout closer to the time.