Thread: Skunked AGAIN

Having a bit of a run of it lately....last three trips out after deer Ive been within 50 yards ofthem in thick bush and had them move off...first time I had dogs with me..deer were through a big patch of windfall on STEEP hillside,by time I had gone around bottom of windfall they were gone...last trip out had animal walking around on top of wee rise no more than 30 yards away and I was in sticky stick sticks galore...snap crackle n pop like rice bubbles.... dead n dry sticks laying all over the ground isnt easy to get past...went back there today worked in from higher angle but nobody home....then headed waaaaay up de hill slowly stalking trying not to make too much noise,found fresh deer wee still wet ground but nobody around,kept going and popped out in semi open gorse...have I ever mentioned how much I detest that bastard of a plant??? the deer are more than happy to live in it...stalked carefully through couple of hundred meters of the prickly crap,heard one move off but couldnt see it even after moving into clearish bit..tried stalking right to where the noise was coming from but nothing visible or heard..... carried on through more prickly crap and really thick regrowth then decided it was time to head homeward back down de hill....well semi sidling as dropping altitude,got into big area of deer sign,like stock yards but man was it thick.... 10-20 yards at best visibility...couple of hundred yards of challenging going and spooked some more...I mewed at them and moved quickly towards them but no dice....and they had gone back into area of gorse so..nah not going there. stood and watched for 5 minutes but nothing seen or heard so carried on down hill... got well down and creek was there on my right...but I hadnt crossed any creeks when heading along bottom of hill.....hmmmmm OK got fair idea where I am...can pull out phone and check if need to but bugga it I m too stubborn and will nut it out..carried on down stream and after half n hour things got interesting as large semi open area was seen across creek...can t be the carpark..that should be km away and I hadnt crossed track....didnt panic,had chuckle to self and kept my altitude and kept sidling only dropping a little as went down stream..heard voices across creek...bingo..now I was 99% sure of my location so just kept boogeeing along in old deer tracks till popped out on my ingoing track...absolutely shattered after anothe big day on the hill.... got back to car and turned my cellphone back on...fellow forumite had suggested calling in for cuppa tea on way past..so I did..highlight of my day
so no deer shot again..but my fitness is getting better and Im enjoying myself...its nice to explore new bits of country..the wife is suggesting she will have to buy meat.......better get something soon.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Having a bit of a run of it lately....last three trips out after deer Ive been within 50 yards ofthem in thick bush and had them move off...first time I had dogs with me..deer were through a big patch of windfall on STEEP hillside,by time I had gone around bottom of windfall they were gone...last trip out had animal walking around on top of wee rise no more than 30 yards away and I was in sticky stick sticks galore...snap crackle n pop like rice bubbles.... dead n dry sticks laying all over the ground isnt easy to get past...went back there today worked in from higher angle but nobody home....then headed waaaaay up de hill slowly stalking trying not to make too much noise,found fresh deer wee still wet ground but nobody around,kept going and popped out in semi open gorse...have I ever mentioned how much I detest that bastard of a plant??? the deer are more than happy to live in it...stalked carefully through couple of hundred meters of the prickly crap,heard one move off but couldnt see it even after moving into clearish bit..tried stalking right to where the noise was coming from but nothing visible or heard..... carried on through more prickly crap and really thick regrowth then decided it was time to head homeward back down de hill....well semi sidling as dropping altitude,got into big area of deer sign,like stock yards but man was it thick.... 10-20 yards at best visibility...couple of hundred yards of challenging going and spooked some more...I mewed at them and moved quickly towards them but no dice....and they had gone back into area of gorse so..nah not going there. stood and watched for 5 minutes but nothing seen or heard so carried on down hill... got well down and creek was there on my right...but I hadnt crossed any creeks when heading along bottom of hill.....hmmmmm OK got fair idea where I am...can pull out phone and check if need to but bugga it I m too stubborn and will nut it out..carried on down stream and after half n hour things got interesting as large semi open area was seen across creek...can t be the carpark..that should be km away and I hadnt crossed track....didnt panic,had chuckle to self and kept my altitude and kept sidling only dropping a little as went down stream..heard voices across creek...bingo..now I was 99% sure of my location so just kept boogeeing along in old deer tracks till popped out on my ingoing track...absolutely shattered after anothe big day on the hill.... got back to car and turned my cellphone back on...fellow forumite had suggested calling in for cuppa tea on way past..so I did..highlight of my day
so no deer shot again..but my fitness is getting better and Im enjoying myself...its nice to explore new bits of country..the wife is suggesting she will have to buy meat.......better get something soon.

Great write up, bugger you got no deer but surely there must be some meat in those 3 freezers

we arent starving...or anywhere near out of meat...but she likes to keep them full LOL.

That's why most people resort to paddock hunting Mr. D.
I was "out there doing it" today as well.
Dog wants to track pigs all day, maybe that's all that's here?
Bugger it, I'll let her take me into the cutover, yep sign galore but how the f... am I going to sneak up on anything in this crap.
Pulled out my secateurs at one point only to have them disintegrate on the 4th gorse branch.
That said, a tired dog is a happy dog, I'm on my 4th bourbon so happy too.

mate..when dog gets you into a nest of pigs all still asleep..you will feel like a million bucks...if you dont miss LOL.

Dear micky, several yrs ago I had a go at training you to be a tussock hunter, pls go back over our successful journeys and apply them to your future meat gathering expeditions.

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

Dear micky, several yrs ago I had a go at training you to be a tussock hunter, pls go back over our successful journeys and apply them to your future meat gathering expeditions.

One step away from paddock hunting

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

Dear micky, several yrs ago I had a go at training you to be a tussock hunter, pls go back over our successful journeys and apply them to your future meat gathering expeditions.

Im starting to believe I might just have to.....LMFAO..... my leg muscles sure know they got a work out today

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Im starting to believe I might just have to.....LMFAO..... my leg muscles sure know they got a work out today

youve obviously learnt from me!

Mate & I looking at flying in to Te Puke Hut....anyone been in there lately....what thoughts? Thanks.....probably my last fly-in I would say....

Oops wrong species.was stalking in on two hinds bedded down,still 400 yards away and this fatty showed up..... Well what's a fella supposed to do? She went down across creak below is and started up opposite face. I tracked her in crosshairs,she wasn't big when stopped at 150 yards.dropped within five steps.in just behind one leg took out both lungs and out offside leg.there was actually a bit of lung on outside.go old-school 130 GRN silvertips

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

Dear micky, several yrs ago I had a go at training you to be a tussock hunter, pls go back over our successful journeys and apply them to your future meat gathering expeditions.

Funny thing @SmokeyJason, the last deer he shot was in tussock/open country. Had some of the backsteak for breakfast this morning, very tasty.






Good to hear there's a few in there @Micky Duck, workmate told me he spooked one further up the hill while he was on the track.

Originally Posted by RUMPY

Funny thing @SmokeyJason, the last deer he shot was in tussock/open country. Had some of the backsteak for breakfast this morning, very tasty.

Good to hear there's a few in there @Micky Duck, workmate told me he spooked one further up the hill while he was on the track.

Micky looks younger than I had imagined...

Nice looking rifle!

Good exploring. Maybe it would pay to cut out a few tunnels in that vegetation so you can stalk the Key spots a bit more easily while making a bit less noise.

You know the rules, you are closer to a result next trip. You know where they are, you just need to keep on persisting. Funny how you can go through a lean patch, then a mean run of deer on the deck. Sounds like one of those sit down and listen spots!