just because its "slow around here"
last weekend we got a Maori day off
a public holiday to remember the signing of treaty of waitangi
white fellas/horis ----Maoris----native brown skinned Kiwis

well as SWMBO said we could bugga off hunting we did just that.
Ive been promising Nathan a tops trip for ages so thats where we went(and before Bushy/Slim/Gel start asking no photos) as everything was getting carted by shanks pony the loads were kept as small/light as we could manage one set of poly props one set polarfleece a pair overalls and a coat was all clothing we each took plus fart sack/tent/food/cooking stuff and good old plurry heavy H2O(when someone works out how to make that lighter they will make a fortune..and NO dehydrating it doesnt work )
I had 4 liters/1 gallon water in my pack and others had similar amounts
we left wagon and climbed up through bush for about an hour.
when we finally broke out into open all covered on sweat it was great to stagger along without feet hooking up on stuff,we sat down and glassed first creek headwaters and dead eye dick/Nathan spots a hind
we have really good look at her and after explaining to young fella that NO we arent going over there to shoot it as I havent carried pack all the way up here just to go back to wagon we carried on up the ridge to out camping spot right on treeline. we got camp set up,had tea then headed up for a glassing session which didnt pan out as cloud came in and rain started
a restless night was spent tossing and turning on hard cold ground but rain stopped about 0400 so perfect morning greeted us.
quick cuppa tea and feed and we were off like a dog shot up the bum.
first lookout spot only 500yards from camp and AJ (brother in law) spots a velvety stag below us, in range for .270 but as its windy as heck no go for him with wee 7.62x39mm so we try to get closer. Nathan stays put eyes glued to binos. no joy had as stag moved off before we got close as wind was swirling as we got lower down slip
never mind, when we got back to Nathan he had 3 more deer spotted in distance over a mile away so very safe...we spotted a hind oppisite us about 8-900yards away and watching her revealed another hind and then a fawn, we kept eye on the 3 of them for over an hour as we moved our way up side of ridge.
we climbed for about 2 hours before reaching top of gully where we finnaly got to water..yip thats right we CLIMBED for 2 hour ABOVE camp to get to water
thats why this spot is not hunted much
we sat and had lunch beside wee creek filling up all water bottles before moving off up to ridge top, when we crested saddle we were 1km/100meters/1100 yards ABOVE vehicle and about 3.5 kms away.
we spotted another single hind down in headwaters of another creek and two chammy soon after. Nathan and I tried a stalk in on one but cocked it up at end spooking it at about 75yards. Nathan got ready for shot as it paused at 150 missed high then twice just in front as it stopped at 200 and 300yards first time he has fired the big cannon/.270 so never mind( I didnt want to carry it out anyway) we staggered back into camp in 30ish degree heat for much deserved cuppa tea
no sooner has Nathan sat down than he has boots off picks up binos and says he off to spotX (first deer seen there earlier) to have a look.
AJ and I had just boiled billy for 2nd cuppa than we hear thump thump thump of young fella running back to camp. a spiker had waltzed across slip below him so he came back for uncle and rifle...off they went but soon returned as deer had gone
the old bugga/Me cooked up big feed of dehy tucker (man has that improoved over the years) and we had another cuppa tea a fella has to keep liquids up and beer was too heavy to carry and would be warm
we pulled boots back on and headed up to spotX again after tea was finished.
I said we should move over onto "sniping rock" which is located across/above shingle slide that clearing is situated on. I no sooner got up on rock than spotted silly plurry spiker below us. a quick hiss to lads had them on rock with me eyes glued to deer feeding in waist high scrub.
after quick quiet consultation it was decided the old bugga would have to do the deed with the old cannon from there right now. I got steady across knees and was getting all ready to get all braced etc etc when it just felt "right" cross hairs floating on crease of shoulder so I squeezed trigger and absolutely flattened deer...it looked like it got thrown down. hit right smack bang in middle of NECK with 170grns of speers finest will do that
after a bit of hassle finding it in high scrub as lad didnt stay put to guide me he forgiven as he found it we grabbed it to start procedings only to have AJ get stung by wasp...deer had fallen on/by nest so we dragged it away quick smartly for about 10 meters where I did super quick poohs n wees removal (quicker than norm with hot ars#$% German Luftwaffe BUZZING AROUND MY REAR END) another quick drag and I got serious with knife breaking it down ito two loads.
Nathan grabbed one I another and AJ went and got rest of gear and we headed back up to camp for another cuppa tea.
we slept very very well that night. finished boning out meat next morning packed up and headed home. 1/2 hour up hill to ridge crest then 2 1/2 hours down hill to wagon. I was very footsore even got a blister for first time in memory...I blame the heat it was 31 degrees on way out.
so thats what we did on our long weekend sorry it took so long to read I cant type fast
10 deer and 2 chammy seen for weekend is by far the most animals Ive seen and all on public land too. time to get fitter/less fat before roar as we will go back up again then and see if we can find a deer with head gear.

That sounds like it was a great weekend hunt with Nathan mate. That was some walk, certainly beyond my abilities these days. Best part is you were able to share a great hunt with Nathan.

You mentioned being cold the first night mate...easily fixed. Most of the miserable cold you experienced comes up from the ground. Get yourself either a closed cell foam sleeping mate or a self inflating Thermarest mattress. Both role up to about 50-60cm wide and maybe 12-15cm roll. I have used both in very cold (almost snow) country and I was quite comfortable using a quality sleeping bag. They won't offer you a soft bed, but either will insulate you from the cold in the ground.

When it comes to carrying water, give serious consideration to a large Camelbak as well as separate 1 or 2 litre bottles/containers. The advantage of a Camelbak is you can carry a significant amount of water with ease when out walking. A Camelbak also helps engender a little "water discipline" because you are not taking big gulps like you do with a bottle.

Reading this post I'm not really up on the vast knowledge. The knowledge of the other's position.

yeah Mate the closed cell foam mat helped but I think my down bag got a tad damp when wee tacka moved in his sleep pushed me partly out of fly into rain for a bit foot of bag was damp in morning. nothing to dry it out in the heat next day thank goodness.

And he didn't have room for one lousy wee camera...

Epic Elvis.
Thanks for the write up, it sorta firing up my desire to go out again.

Well I guess it's slow here because you guys are out havin fun again. Thanks! Great story, good times and adventure and I was right with you all the way being a receptacal of your perfectly painted picture (or some #$?@! like that).


Made my day!
Suz

Elvis, carry your own fly in the form of a military hootchie mate. It folds and rolls into a very small size, is waterproof and very light to carry. A hootchie is only big enough for one man, but if the KIWI ones are the same as the Aussie ones, you can clip two together to make room enough for three guys, albeit cosy though.

Mate I have one of those and another one same size. we had great huntech bivy/tent just hadent sorted our selves out very well.

:-DHey Vince-I know that your Oz form of hootchie is not the same as us mericans,but is that the same as a military "poncho"?

"...military 'poncho'?" Yup. I have one of those. Keep it in my pickup.

TRBLSHTR wrote:

:-DHey Vince-I know that your Oz form of hootchie is not the same as us mericans,but is that the same as a military "poncho"?

We've been this one before Troubles...basically a hootchie is similar to a poncho, although our hootchie is a dedicated single sheet shelter, not doubling up as a poncho.

and wee Kiwis refer to them as a "fly" as in fly camping just taking the bare minimum.

Good day for hunting with you & the family.