Thread: The week that was roar 2023.....

With camp set up on the low country we made our way to another face I've had success on in the past, we hunkered down amongst the Manuka scrub to help keep us concealed, as the afternoon sun dipped behind the hills we saw a group of 4 hinds followed by a stag emerge accross the ridge opposite us, they were on the move heading for the scrub but stopped short of the tree line long enough for a quick range, 340yards, I dialed up the correction on the scope and set my mate Lee up behind the 30-06ai giving him last second advice about point of aim before pushing my ear plugs in and telling him to shoot when he was comfortable. The report rang out and the stag froze before running off, a clean miss fortunately and on checking, whilst Lee was trying to get comfortable behind the rifle he had in advertantly dialed the scope back to the zero stop thinking he had bumped it.... oh well at least it was a clean miss. No photos as it was too dark but this face will feature again later in the week.

Dinner was sausages, chicken tenders and slaw in wraps before a couple of cold speights and bed, we intended to watch a different face Monday morning after putting a shot over the face we watched that afternoon, so alarms set for pre dawn for another early start.

Tired eyes emerged from tents, although greatful the weather hadn't turned yet, quick coffee then off to the glassing spot not far from camp, only got 1 pic of that face, but someone put a very pretty firearm in the way so apologies about that


the mornings glassing face with a very pretty rifle in the way !


Anyways, by around 9am nothing seen and sun starting to heat up and we thought deer will be heading for cover during the warmer part of the morning, just then I took a look up the hill way above where we were glassing and to my amazement there where what I assume was the 4 hinds and stag from last night. They hinds were feeding in the open but also moving at a steady pace accross the face with the stag following. Quick range check confirmed 975 yards a bit far for a long tricky uphill shot, so after quick discussion we grabbed the tripod, rifles, and range finder then almost ran up hill out of sight of the group of deer to try and close the gap to get Lee a second chance, the stag wasn't huge but again looked to be a 10pt but still not as big as my pb 10pt hence we wanted to let Lee have a crack at redemption.
We crested the ridge puffing and panting and it became apparent the deer were aware of our presence, we were still 680yards away but at a higher elevation so even though the deer were still higher than us it wasn't such an incline between us and the deer like it was where we first spotted them from.
With the deer aware of us the hinds in particular were looking very nervous ears up, looking in our direction and making there way towards the ridgeline and cover, whilst the stag seemed a bit more relaxed went on feeding but also regularly looking in our direction.
It became clear we were pinned down and any further movement in their direction would likely result in the hinds bolting and the stag following them.
Lee asked if I would take the shot as he was still nervous after last nights miss and as a novice no way should he attempt a shot at 680yards. I said I wouldn't be that comfortable shooting an animal at that range with a fairly new rifle I was still getting comfortable with, so Ant offered to shoot it for him, as previously mentioned Ant has competed in long range shooting matches and is very comfortable with his huntng rifle so we got the tripod set up and did double check on the range whilst Ant got comfortable kneeling behind the tripod, when he was ready I confirmed the range again then Ant put on a show of truly good marksmanship slotting the 180gn eldm neatly behind the front leg for a perfect double lung shot off his knees on an awkward uphill shot. The hinds bolted over the ridge whilst the stag ran about 40yards downhill before doing a little wobble dance then cartwheeling another 40yards before piling up on a bit of scrub dead as a dead thing.
Fortunately the stag piled up about 50 yards above a disused track so we took the landcruiser up and then rolled the stag down to the relatively flat track. Although unable to take the shot this was Lee's last day with us so Ant gave him the stag as he had already shot 1 and Ant and me still had a few days left to try find me 1.


looking up hill to where Ant pulled off an amazing kneeling 680yard shot the stag was right up at the top of the highest point on the left just below the scrub, we made our way up to where the track first dissappears that is where the shot was taken from


Lee with the stag Ant shot for him


From left to right me, Ant and Lee


Thirsty work we had a couple lunch beers before bidding farewell to Lee