Thread: Nelson lakes fourum hunt 7 8 9 Nov 2014

Met Munsey and Antsman outside my place for a ride up to lake Rotoroa where we met VC, mikee and Stingray. Good not to be driving, I was still recovering from half an hours driving the previous day and just about lost my lunch on the wharf as it was. We put our meagre collection of gear (there is nothing like travelling light, and we were nothing like travelling light) in the back of mikees boat and set off to the other end of the lake where we met up with tikka.

On arrival we stowed our gear and made plans for an afternoons adventure. I paired up with Stingray who showed me some of his old stomping ground, exactly the area that I thought looked promising to me a couple of nights earlier as I looked over my new map. Once we got into the zone we saw heaps of fresh sign; fresh prints and scat on the track. Smooching around the flats there was even more sign. Heartening stuff! After covering the territory we wanted we headed back to the hut for a rest and a feed. This knackered, out of shape old body needed the rest but with plenty of encouragement from Stingray I made it.

Plenty of old pig routing.



Few deer prints. This one next to a 243 round.



The plan was hatched to return to the promising spots from the previous day so we again headed off. On the clearings we found heaps of fresh sign and a few very well used game trails. We picked on one and followed a trail of fresh droppings and hoof prints up a spur. Stingray checked the wind, in our faces, perfect. There were very fresh deer turds; I could tell by the wet glossy surface, soft texture and the fresh nutty taste. Further up we tracked, ... flies on the scat. Further up and we were beating the flies to the scat. I could hear sticks breaking and feet sliding less than 80m ahead of us, the animal wasn't in a hurry. Then the wind swirls around and blows right up our arses and a few seconds later we hear we hear hurried hoof steps and out quarry crashes away quickly and noisily up. So close! We are heartened by our progress for a couple of rookies.

Fresh and shiney. Get them while they're hot!



Three lane deer highway.



We wander slowly 300m vertically back down to the clearings and have a bit of a squizz around again before heading back to the hut. Damned nice spot.



After a couple of days good slog it was a well earned lie down after a feed and heaps of talk from the other guys; everyone relaying their stories. The last morning was mainly talking and listening before we loaded up, cleaned up and left. No deersies were injured in the making of this story (unfortunately), but I can attest to the fact that some had the shit scared out of 'em. I learned heaps and a big thanks to everyone for making this happen.

And goodbye to some of the friendlier locals before we left.