Post by donk on Nov 4, 2010 7:35:31 GMT -5
G'day guys. I've been a bit slack on here again lately, but it's all good because I've been out hunting again. A confirmation phone call from a mate down in Vic on tuesday, had me packing the bags that night and driving down the next day. We were off into the bush for 6 days of hunting, fishing and 4WDriving. The weather was real sh*t and I even bought a tent before hand. Glad I did, though it leaked a bit. The rain was a nuisance, though I still got out everyday, even putting in a 13 hour effort on monday.
Heading off on our first hunt of the trip
And found this old rub not long after starting and only a few minutes before I pulled the trigger
I shot a hind on the 1st full day in the morning with my 308, not even an hour into hunting. I smelt the deer before I saw them which made it easier. I waited about 5-10 minutes after the shot and 2 more deer came out aswell, a yummy and a mummy. I let them be.
My hind which holed up in a creek
The area in which she finished up
Aaron from our hunting party came and helped me with the cut up
Then we lugged it out of the bush and came across this wallow on our way
I hunted the same system the next day and saw 4 more deer and could have shot the lot too. I got to within 20 metres of the first 2 without being seen, but didn't shoot them as we had plenty of meat already and we still had 4 days to go. If the rain wasn't pissing down, I would've taken a photo of them. Instead, I threw rocks at the hind and fawn which had her puzzled big time. She had no idea what was going on. After rock number 3, she thought it best to leave. I enjoyed that. Half an hour later, 2 more popped out the creek and stood broadside at 40 metres, before giving me my first honk :shock: I let them go too.
Monday was my big hunt day, stags only. Rain, hail or shine, I was gonna make the most of it. I followed a ridge line up early in the morning and heard sticks cracking behind me. I thought it was another hunter at first, but ended up being a spiker only 20 metres behind me just casually walking along. When he cut my scent, he took off, but didn't go far and I heard him creeping along for a while after. That happened at 9.20am and I didn't see another deer til 4.20pm at about 25m in thick regrowth country. I topped a ridge and scanned about for a few minutes. Then off to my left, a mighty crash and I see a flash of antler barreling down the hill, offering about .5 of a second to get a shot in, no chance. I followed his tracks, gee he was crafty bugger, doubling back and trying to fool me, which in the end he did :banghead:
The country he was in
An hour or so later, I was going a bit too quick and saw a hind at 80m which had spotted me first. Standing dead still, I let her be, but when she took off, an unseen stag went with her(about 20-22 from what I saw) and I snapped off a shot to no avail. If the country was a bit more open, I may have had a chance, but the shot had to be rushed big time and I knew I missed as soon as I pulled the trigger.
Another half an hour, I see 2 more deer before I walk the plank across the creek. Coming out onto a flat, I see another hind doing the bolt. She hit the road and stopped near it. I drilled one into her and she hit the deck doing a full roll over in the process, before regaining her feet and taking off. It got too dark for a follow up right then and there so me and 2 other headed back in the morning to find her. Following spot after spot of blood for a good 600m, she hit the thick stuff which made the tracking a bit harder. We found where she had lay down and blood had pooled out of her and congealed on the ground. After that, the blood trail dried up, her tracks mixed in with other deer tracks and we admitted defeat after a lengthy search. We did see 4 more sambar in the process which was all good.
The pool of blood where the hind had laid down
That pretty much ended the trip and we headed home not long after. Some more pics of the trip...............
The country hunted
Someone forgot the dunny, so Aaron made this up for the women(and us blokes too)
Our camp
Our group of vehicles
Some 4WDriving while we were in there
Plenty of river crossings too
All up, a bloody great trip and one I'm keen to do again.
Heading off on our first hunt of the trip
And found this old rub not long after starting and only a few minutes before I pulled the trigger
I shot a hind on the 1st full day in the morning with my 308, not even an hour into hunting. I smelt the deer before I saw them which made it easier. I waited about 5-10 minutes after the shot and 2 more deer came out aswell, a yummy and a mummy. I let them be.
My hind which holed up in a creek
The area in which she finished up
Aaron from our hunting party came and helped me with the cut up
Then we lugged it out of the bush and came across this wallow on our way
I hunted the same system the next day and saw 4 more deer and could have shot the lot too. I got to within 20 metres of the first 2 without being seen, but didn't shoot them as we had plenty of meat already and we still had 4 days to go. If the rain wasn't pissing down, I would've taken a photo of them. Instead, I threw rocks at the hind and fawn which had her puzzled big time. She had no idea what was going on. After rock number 3, she thought it best to leave. I enjoyed that. Half an hour later, 2 more popped out the creek and stood broadside at 40 metres, before giving me my first honk :shock: I let them go too.
Monday was my big hunt day, stags only. Rain, hail or shine, I was gonna make the most of it. I followed a ridge line up early in the morning and heard sticks cracking behind me. I thought it was another hunter at first, but ended up being a spiker only 20 metres behind me just casually walking along. When he cut my scent, he took off, but didn't go far and I heard him creeping along for a while after. That happened at 9.20am and I didn't see another deer til 4.20pm at about 25m in thick regrowth country. I topped a ridge and scanned about for a few minutes. Then off to my left, a mighty crash and I see a flash of antler barreling down the hill, offering about .5 of a second to get a shot in, no chance. I followed his tracks, gee he was crafty bugger, doubling back and trying to fool me, which in the end he did :banghead:
The country he was in
An hour or so later, I was going a bit too quick and saw a hind at 80m which had spotted me first. Standing dead still, I let her be, but when she took off, an unseen stag went with her(about 20-22 from what I saw) and I snapped off a shot to no avail. If the country was a bit more open, I may have had a chance, but the shot had to be rushed big time and I knew I missed as soon as I pulled the trigger.
Another half an hour, I see 2 more deer before I walk the plank across the creek. Coming out onto a flat, I see another hind doing the bolt. She hit the road and stopped near it. I drilled one into her and she hit the deck doing a full roll over in the process, before regaining her feet and taking off. It got too dark for a follow up right then and there so me and 2 other headed back in the morning to find her. Following spot after spot of blood for a good 600m, she hit the thick stuff which made the tracking a bit harder. We found where she had lay down and blood had pooled out of her and congealed on the ground. After that, the blood trail dried up, her tracks mixed in with other deer tracks and we admitted defeat after a lengthy search. We did see 4 more sambar in the process which was all good.
The pool of blood where the hind had laid down
That pretty much ended the trip and we headed home not long after. Some more pics of the trip...............
The country hunted
Someone forgot the dunny, so Aaron made this up for the women(and us blokes too)
Our camp
Our group of vehicles
Some 4WDriving while we were in there
Plenty of river crossings too
All up, a bloody great trip and one I'm keen to do again.
That river crossing was crazy. Looks like an awesome trip!
Just another night at work for me and Monty will be back here again bright and early. 
