Thread: What did you learn on your last hunt?

On my way back from my last trip I started thinking that may day out was a total disaster. I saw very little sign, the wind switched 180 degrees on me and I didn't as much as get a whiff of any deer (actually I did, but could easily have been my breath). I'm pretty new to this so thought I would reflect on what had happened during the trip and if there was anything to learn from it.

So these were some of my learnings:

1. Get a scope cover: the scope was wet and I tried to wipe it and it made it worse. I could barely see 100 m in the shady spots.

2. Have a plan A and a plan B (C,D...) : I was new to the area and didn't know how the forecasted wind was going to behave at the spot. I had the wind right for the first half and then when it changed I was stumped and was wandering around like a headless chook. I didn't have a pan B.

3. Take more food and have more breaks: I'm used to doing big distances and big days with minimal breaks on minimal food when tramping. While hunting however, I find that 6-8 hours in the bush and I may as well be a write off the next day. All the focus and concentration really takes a lot out of you!

Those are some of my learnings.

What did you learn on your last trip?

FYI when bush hunting in gullys and guts etc the wind is almost never constant it does 360degree swings all the time.the wind will whistle over a ridge an swirl back up that gully.get used to it, its the biggest factor to deal with.

I suck at hunting

That a complete stranger today,might well become a buddy worth hunting with in future. Reach out and say gidday,you never know where it may lead.

I'm not as fit as I once was...

If it makes you feel any better I’ve done over 60 hours of walking (day trips) in the bush of late and not taken an animal. Seen a few and spooked a few more.
You’ll get a knack for it once you’ve spent a good few days in an area, I’d recommend to get out for over nighters more than day trips if you want to bag animals.


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well when ya boss takes you out to the block in his fortuna and its his side by side but you have arranged the hunt and access he will expect to fire the first shot despite the fact you saw the deer first ( just seems something wrong )

That this time of the year a Bull Tahr can turn up anywhere. They go walk about and can cover a lot of ground.

Originally Posted by blip

I suck at hunting

lol. a common thought that crosses my mind regularly as well,and a lot of other bush hunters id suspect.

Bring a hiking pole. It was pretty slippy after heavy rain. Ended up on my arse a couple of times. Got clonked on the head hard by my suppressor the second time. Not fun, but luckily the gun and scope were unscathed.

My last trip out week or so ago to Ahuriri Valley, was a new block to me and I've learned that first visits are generally "get a feel for the place with no expectations" (We're not talking about my first visit to Lindis when two young spikers walked within 40 metres of me, all of us in plain view of each other whilst I was sitting in the snow making a brew with the 243 over there------------------------------------------>)
Anyway my plan A was solid...and then I changed my mind to a plan B that only came into being after changing my mind.....I've NEVER seen so many people in a doc block, it was like being in a city park! Plan B was ok and I found some sign but not heaps, although what I did find was maybe a day old so definitely animals in the area. During my plan B i spotted a hanging valley waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay tf over there and it got me thinking on a hunch, returning home I fired up google earth and explored the hanging valley from the comfort of my desk with a cuppa and I'm pretty sure my hunch will bear fruit on my next trip which will be another 2 nighter under canvas.....I'll report back with my new learnings.....which may be that I suck at hunting! lol

Keep still and game might come to you!

@Waitati Hunter, on point (excuse the pun). Dog had me within 3-5 paces of two reds in the thick on Friday. First time Kai locked up, I was a couple of paces behind, was tangled up in supplejack pretty badly, pack was caught, in windy, noisey conditions. Trying not to panic, I pushed through, wind dropped and boom off a hind boosted, bedded 3 paces away. Should have waited. Second time he was on point, thick Kiekie. Waited, waited, and then decided to push past him as quietly as I.... crash.. of went another deer. Should have waited. Then waited some more.

The key to hunting is consistency, and I consistently refuse to learn from my mistakes.

Went out again a couple of days ago. Bumped 2 deer and saw 4 in total!!

What I learnt:
1. Bedded down deer are really hard to see. To be fair I hd just had a break and in my mind was saying to myself that I either needed to focus or just go home when the deer sprung up and took off. All I saw was it's head pop up for a second and go crashing through the bush.

2. I need to learn deer calls: About half hour after the first deer I managed to spot two deer cruising through 20m away (my god they moved so silently I thought it was a ghost). They didn't know I was there at all but they moved so swiftly I had no chance to get a shot off. I have been told making a deer call can stop them sometimes?

3. What @Snoppernator said. Wait, wait, then wait some more! There was a third deer that was further behind the two above which had stopped. After waiting for one of the two deer I had seen to show or make some noise, I started moving forwards when the third one just sprung out and got out of there.

Boy it was exciting and good confirmation for me that I was going to the right place and I had the wind right. Time of day was also useful to note. I also discovered some really neat terrain and found three wallows and an abundance of palatable feed. Was grinning ear to ear telling my wife about my evening.

Edit: Tidied up the speeling