First hunt with TR and her first centrefire
Well the plan was hatched TR and I would get her new rifle out for a wander when we visited TR's aunty up the Wairau. It had been sighted in and her grouping was OK'ish. http://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.n...ip-range-8557/
On unpacking the rifle up there I had trouble winding the zoom level down from the range trip. Closer inspection revealed that the scope ring screws had worked loose and the ocular bell was now in contact with the weaver rail. Well that was that bit buggered, need to rectify and do another trip to the range. Never mind my rifle was still fine.
The plan was hatched Monday night to get up at 6:15, grab a snack, get the gear ready and head off at 7:00 and go for an armed walk. About 6:45 I shake TR awake, "You coming?" With a negative answer I was off on my own, lazy ratbag! I grabbed a quad and headed off to the paddock the deer frequent.
I parked up the quad and wandered the last 1/2km to the paddock and see 6 reds grazing 400m away. Quietly I sneak to within 250m and settle behind a gorse bush, pull out the bipod legs and settle myself behind the rifle. The crosshairs of the scope are neatly lined up on the shoulder of my first deer, a stag with some nice looking furniture on his head. What a magnificent animal! I control my breathing and everything is just about perfect. I think to myself, "Oh I wish TimeRider was here!" I rested the butt of the rifle on the ground and sat and watched them continue to graze for an hour before they eventually jump the fence back into the forest. "For another day when I can experience it with the girl" I tell myself and wander off with a big smile.
What an experience, and hopefully the girl will be up next time, ... and with her rifle!
