Thread: a question for the bush hobbits

ive started bush hunting when the freezers full, ive been getting on to deer with only the odd f up, the problem im having is taking to long to shoot. im used to hunting tussock/open country and seeing most or all of the deer and in the bush well im lucky to see more than a bit of neck/chest/bum etc . really keen not to shoot a human, hard to skin mostly not free range and just a horrible thing to do . so the last few times ive seen a bit of deer and then i wait. . . .to see enough deer to be happy thats it's not human. this normally ends in said deer buggering off . so how do you do it ? or should i stick to the open stuff. ?

KEEP ticking the boxes mate
theres a "something"
does it look like a deer?
does it MOVE like a deer?
can I see alert normal head/neck movement?
hind or stag?
clear shot?
5 ticks then a boom

biggest tip for in the bush slow down till think going too slow in fresh sign..then slow down some more.
take RUMPY with you and you will get idea of whats slow enough,he always telling me off for going too quick LOL

If they aren't alerted and just moving away try a quiet hind call?

I'm getting better at that rather than just standing by silently and watching them walk away.

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Yeah what Micky said. ID enough different characteristics that prove it's what you think you are looking at. If you can verify sex and age of animal really confirms it's not a human.

Disclaimer: If you're not sure let it walk. I'm certain I missed out on a huge fallow in the blue mountains years ago because I saw it get up from sitting but through the small window in the trees I was looking through I could only see half a front leg and some chest.

if you can only see brown wait.if I see a deer or a some brown/red ill wait until i can look it in the eye or see its head.if the deer is not aware of you give a little whistle or psst,they will turn there head toward you generally giving you a head shot, if you have alerted a deer with noise and can see movement concentrate on getting into shooting position and when that positive ID is made let rip quickly,the perfect shot is almost never available bush hunting so ya just got to prune some native a lot of the time.dont get caught up waiting for a perfect shot.
spine shots are good in the bush.

As MD and RUMPY stated, ID enough characteristics and you’re good to go. Watch deer or even goats enough and you’ll pick how they move compared to humans, about the only time we don’t ‘bob about’ is when we’re treading softly softly. If you think there’s an animal in the vicinity and you’re going slow, move even slower.

Bush hunting is very rewarding when it goes right but you do bust a few animals and have to let a few walk when you can’t ID them, Better to be safe than sorry!

in hot spots I try to stop beside a tree, helps break up your profile and gives you a handy rest to shoot from, if they are feeding then they will be on the move browsing and you can quite often get another crack at them if they haven’t seen/smelt you, take your sling/bipod off so your rifle is in your hands not on your shoulder and always use the wind, look where you are going to walk first, then do it head up scanning ahead

Hey mate,
That's just part & parcel of bush hunting. I have been fortunate to have bumped into another hunter

Bloody phone playing up, will start again.
I have only once bumped into another hunter while actively stalking the bush, however I am very aware that nobody involved in a shooting accident thought it would ever happen to them. I have bumped into hunters coming down a track (my rifle unloaded) carrying deer on their back & have decided there's no way I'm doing that, I don't want to give someone an excuse in the half light, which is usually when I'm heading back.
As you know, you don't often get a clear view of anything bush hunting. Always ferns, manuka, contorta & other scrub in the way. As others have said sex, age & is it moving like a deer, antler or no antlers (all 4 together obviously). All of these can be identified in a second or 2 once you drill it into yourself. Can't pull that bullet back once it's on its way. If you are moving slow enough & stopping & looking enough, then hopefully you will have plenty of time to ID correctly. About 50% of the deer I shoot don't know I'm there however It's easier to my mind to properly ID a deer you have spooked as I have yet to meet a hunter who runs away & squeals at you (Japs). Ya might come across the odd tramper who does though haha joking.

Posted this before on another thread sometime back. Had a guy shoot a deer I was carrying out on my back. Put me on the deck. Cnut didn’t expect the deer to shoot back in his direction. My hunting mate and I tracked the prick down a day or two later. When he recovered from the hiding I gave him my mate gave him another one. Cops thought he got what he deserved thankfully. Been wary of other people being in the same area as me ever since but never stopped me from hunting. Have met plenty of people while hunting over the years on DOC estate, come across a few poachers/trespassers on private land too. I never go out with the expectation of not coming across someone else, way busier these days than ‘80-90’s’.

Originally Posted by Ned

If they aren't alerted and just moving away try a quiet hind call?

I'm getting better at that rather than just standing by silently and watching them walk away.

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^^ This, you can stop a lot of deer by doing this.

The other think is don't just look for deer iv found alot off deer bush hunting by seeing a tree branches moving on carm days & it a deer feeding branches waving round are easy to see compared to the deer eating them. I don't like carrying a deer out hole this day & age with all the Muppets out there alot safer to bone out & put in a pack.

ok i get what you guys are saying thanks . i spend a lot of time sitting which is when ive shot most of the animals . ive tried fawn and hind calls i think i need to practice a LOT more as it normaly makes them go faster. way back last century i used to mostly spook and shoot in the tarauras but the areas i was in were a lot more open . will keep working at it .

all good replys try a hind call or a fawn bleat to stop the deer if it wants to move off - if it has got wind of you it will likely bolt - yup one needs to see a number of clear views to get a positive ID - but more important to is what you do - stay very still - let the deer make the movements -some will really piss you off by freezing - not much you can do about it - but you can still try to do your ID
look low as well as deer head eye level -can you see its feet - deer legs very different to human - so you can see some skinny deer legs - what length is the animal - a deer side on is what four times wider that a human from neck to arse - it all adds up in thick stuff to a good positive ID - learn to scan left to right and then right to left - break up your profile if possible with a shrub or alongside a tree - deer pick up movement real quick - when stalking I carry my rifle in both hands -hopeless trying to take a rifle of your shoulder and expecting the deer to stay put - but do get a really good ID

Originally Posted by woods223

Posted this before on another thread sometime back. Had a guy shoot a deer I was carrying out on my back. Put me on the deck. Cnut didn’t expect the deer to shoot back in his direction. My hunting mate and I tracked the prick down a day or two later. When he recovered from the hiding I gave him my mate gave him another one. Cops thought he got what he deserved thankfully. Been wary of other people being in the same area as me ever since but never stopped me from hunting. Have met plenty of people while hunting over the years on DOC estate, come across a few poachers/trespassers on private land too. I never go out with the expectation of not coming across someone else, way busier these days than ‘80-90’s’.

Not a dig at you but this is another reason I would never carry out a deer whole.