Tekapo #3

The same crew as last trip https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....apo-2-a-77778/ headed back to the same place last Saturday morning. Weather forecast was excellent with the promise of some different areas to investigate. We set off for a recce about with an arranged meet up just after dark two of us wandering the matagouri clad valleys on foot while the other two did a drive, scoot and shoot.

It was a zero for both of us on foot by the scheduled meetup, but as the sun was dipping below the horizon I started to see movement and tracked down a wobblie to nail with the 223 followed shortly by a couple of bunnies just as the wagon arrived. Gadget was on the board.

With everyone aboard we headed over to the other side of the farm where there had been good success the previous trip. It didn't take long till we were into it, moving from grassy patch to grassy patch, popping rabbits and wallabies at a reasonably regular pace. We noted that most of the wallabies were pretty young.

I spotted some different 'reflectors' beaming back at us at one point so we made our way over that way. It turned out to be a fallow spiker but it kept wandering into cover. We made our way round the scrub and spotted it again, still moving. Mate and I hopped out and followed the fallow, it was constantly moving,, into cover and out of cover. Finally it wandered into the open at about 140m and mate was standing there trying to take a freehand shot when I dropped to my hands and knees and suggested he use my shoulders as a steady. That worked well with the shot making the sound of a solid hit at about 9:00pm. Once we found the animal, dropped on the spot, we set to cleaning out the carcase to discover the shot had split the heart open.

After cleaning up we got under way again. Shortly after we were into a good pockets of rabbits and wallabies. About midnight I snotted one right between the eyes as it hid on the matagouri. It looked a little odd so a couple of us got out to see, and it turned out to be a big wallaby, no ...., don't believe it, another fallow spiker. Gadget has his first deer. Cleaned it up and added it to the roof rack.

A few minutes later and we come across another spiker which AJ deals with and adds to the roof rack.

A very good trip with 104+ pests dealt with and some meat to take home as a bonus. Not many pests got educated which is how we like to operate.

Well done GM

@gadgetman awesome stuff 3 fallow for the night and plenty of pests dealt with :cool: I love fallow best eating venni there is imo

Brilliant!

I’m envious!!!

So, it was the .223 took the fallow, and broke the heart out of 140m in low light condition. Very nice shot, and placement and it gives me more reason to have a .223 for multipurpose rifle.

Note the placement of the shots on the larger (relatively speaking) fallows @Black Rabbit.

There’s plenty of debate here on .223 for larger game animals. Accurate shooting is vital. This was an example of right calibre for the target species. If there were Reds or larger pigs it’d be a different kettle of fish

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Originally Posted by SiB

Note the placement of the shots on the larger (relatively speaking) fallows @Black Rabbit.

There’s plenty of debate here on .223 for larger game animals. Accurate shooting is vital. This was an example of right calibre for the target species. If there were Reds or larger pigs it’d be a different kettle of fish

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Absolutely. With small game shooting at similar, or greater, distances we're all fairly good on shot placement. Of course there is no such thing as 'low light' with us.

Mmmm...great wee shoot. We shot alot less than usual as first area was well shot out, but second site was a surprise. It was very overgrown compared to last visit, but in a few hours spotting from truck we picked up 25 wallabies, another 60 or so bunnies, and 3 deer. Some very nice venison on the cruiser roofrack coming home. 223 excellent IF AND ONLY IF you get shot placement 100% - which these boys did. Direct heart/head shot from a lean position worked well.

Delightful trip. Alot fewer bunnies than usual but this time a nice little haul of other animals - wallabies and deer. We have alot of ground to explore next trip on a new station, but the 100+ from this evening was alot of fun.

Went for a lovely wander down to lake by the Good Shepherd church in Tekapo - some interesting artwork there. Left some of our own.. Tekapo is a great place to go..

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Originally Posted by dannyb

@gadgetman awesome stuff 3 fallow for the night and plenty of pests dealt with :cool: I love fallow best eating venni there is imo

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They're solid little things. Got a huge pile of bits cut from torso and neck. That will be going into the casserole pots with bacon bits. Great score going into winter.

I'm still in the naughty corner cos the boss said I wasn't to bring any vennie home because the freezer is already pretty full. :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by SiB

Note the placement of the shots on the larger (relatively speaking) fallows @Black Rabbit.

There’s plenty of debate here on .223 for larger game animals. Accurate shooting is vital. This was an example of right calibre for the target species. If there were Reds or larger pigs it’d be a different kettle of fish

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Right. I have seen three guys I knew were using two 22-250 and a shotgun with bird shot against a boar on a private land one day, that was not a good view to watch. Actually, I am small game hunter (like to save deer hunting with my wife together when time comes), rabbits, hares etc. 223 is cheap to shoot and with enough energy to kill a goat. Are you from invercagill area? how are rabbits down there with new K5 virus?

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Originally Posted by gadgetman

They're solid little things. Got a huge pile of bits cut from torso and neck. That will be going into the casserole pots with bacon bits. Great score going into winter.

I'm still in the naughty corner cos the boss said I wasn't to bring any vennie home because the freezer is already pretty full. :thumbsup:

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I had to play freezer tetris this morning too :D

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Originally Posted by gadgetman

..
I'm still in the naughty corner cos the boss said I wasn't to bring any vennie home because the freezer is already pretty full. :thumbsup:

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Yeh, I've been "advised" that I'm not allowed to go out and shoot any more. I interpret that as only a guideline (at my peril).

@Black Rabbit.
Yes I’m invercargill area and maybe some of the other Southland guys might have some thoughts on local rabbits.

My personal experience is limited to the farm - and rabbits have reduced (due to high velocity lead poisoning) whilst hares have appeared to take over.

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Originally Posted by SiB

@Black Rabbit.
Yes I’m invercargill area and maybe some of the other Southland guys might have some thoughts on local rabbits.

My personal experience is limited to the farm - and rabbits have reduced (due to high velocity lead poisoning) whilst hares have appeared to take over.

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Thank you. It seemed the K5 is gradually talking efforts. Hares is good, much bigger. I have seen some in Two thumbs range area, near 45cm in size

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Originally Posted by gadgetman

That will be going into the casserole pots with bacon bits.

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Snap, dinner for us last night was fallow casserole, with some bits of ham added.

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Originally Posted by gadgetman

when I dropped to my hands and knees and suggested he use my shoulders as a steady.

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I umm, I keep coming back to this and am having trouble visualizing if you're on both hands and knees how he used your shoulder?

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Originally Posted by dannyb

I had to play freezer tetris this morning too :D

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Hahaha, I know what you mean, just picked up 12kg of sausages from the butcher a couple of days ago. Amazing how moving stuff around makes it fit better.

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Originally Posted by vulcannz

I umm, I keep coming back to this and am having trouble visualizing if you're on both hands and knees how he used your shoulder?

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"If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can't I paint you ...."

I'm on hands and knees (stable position). Mate approaches from side with rifle pointed up, kneels beside me (another stable position) and lowers fore-end over my back of my shoulders. Much better than trying to stand up and shoot with the barrel waving about.