make sure you did sharpen your knife ,, not just think about doing it
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make sure you did sharpen your knife ,, not just think about doing it
Didn't learn it on my last hunt, but it was something I figured out while hunting.
Weather permitting, take your breaks where you have a view, where you might see animals. And when glassing, look, look and look again. Sometimes I see them first thing, but often I see them after looking at them for a while. Thats why it's good to take a break when you have a view.
Another day out and another new spot. Saw three pigs and a deer this time but again no chance getting a shot off. The pigs were on a mission and gave me a hell of a surprise. I heard a very "basey" hum and there they were three of them with their head down steadily moving across right in front about 20m away. The deer gave itself away with a snap of a twig. I was alert to it but it ducked down to a creek and then I saw it scramble out of it.
I'm seeing animals more consistently, which tells me I must be doing something right. Now just to learn how to stop them (I almost yelled out oi you! at the pigs) and catch them feeding as opposed to changing locations.
Learnings:
1. Make sure you have all essential gear BEFORE getting to the car park.
2. Head torch is a must this time of year.
3. 4 p.m. seems to be when all the animals are on the move in my area.
Appreciate any tips and/or any feedback!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nots0sane
I have a little list just inside the gun safe. (Bolt, sling, ammo, bipod, pull through, suppressor, mag). It has slowly grown over time.
I also have a similar list in the cupboard where I keep my hunting gear, but it relates to gear. It has also grown.
You have nothing to loose but possibly something to gain by yelling at a departing animal. Sometimes they haven't seen you buy know you are 'around' and are getting out of the area. If you yell at them they might stop to have a look at what/where you are and make a decision on which way to go next. Best method is to have rifle at shoulder before you yell or whistle or do what works. It seems to work about 1/5 times for me.
If you are seeing animals this consistently, it is only a matter or time until you shoot one.
That chocolate fish can't swim.
Need to be more onto it with motorbike maintenance
What did I learn on the last hunt, not sure it was either a reminder to only shoot animals above the track or thank god for the the winch on the polaris :D
This ^^^Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducksnchips
Got my gumboots full of water, took them off and hunted in my socks.
Learned that socks are very quiet in the bush, ill be bush hunting barefoot, or with socks from now on id say
I hate paradise ducks more today then yesterday.
What I learnt?
Well as I'm new to the sport of Deer Stalking, I discovered my inner hunter. Trust you're gut and follow you're nose.
Also, I learnt I live with two psychos. My 7yo daughter's favorite part of hunting was the sound of the neck braking when removing the head and my son was probably too keen to gut the deer. hahaha
Things I learned from Hunting, not necessarily on my last hunt, but in the last few years:
1) That Murphy, Fate or your malevolent Deity of choice can be carefully manipulated into accidentally giving you exactly what you want:
- Neglecting to sharpen one's knife will dramatically increase the odds of shooting the Tahr cape of a lifetime.
- Failing to pack lunch for a 'Morning hunt' can almost guarantee the sighting of a magnificent Stag on the far horizon (spurring an eighteen hour adventure)
- Bringing a nine kilogram ELR rig with enough magnification to independently verify the moon landing is an excellent way to generate a lot of close quarters encounters and is thus a reliable bush stalking technique.
Conversely, if hunting the open country, taking a crudely shortened .303 that predates Gallipoli is an infallible method which can be used to ensure many animals are spotted on the other side of vast ravines.
2) In the same vein; I believe there exists a roughly linear inverse relationship between Hunter preparedness and quantity of meat to be packed out: A deer shot within a hundred yards of the truck at dawn will invariably be a Yearling or Fallow - the drag will be downhill, and your abundantly victualled pack will be of no use.
On the other hand: An animal shot five miles from camp at dusk, by the perceptibly waning light of an Aliexpress headlamp, will be a strapping monstrosity of Paleolithic provenance - Also, you will have miraculously avoided any meat damage whatsoever.
For bonus additional mass, you ran out of water three hours ago and are being chafed by your K-mart undies which ripped as you vaulted a log.
3) Fresh powder snow possesses many of the qualities we seek in a good quality Toilet paper: Soft, Plentiful and naturally the purest white, helpfully allowing us to track our progress toward cleanliness - Yet it seems the crystalline structure of the stuff has a remarkably abrasive nature, regrettably concealed by the numbing cold until it is entirely too late.
4) Sufficient Red Deer numbers can make even the most incompetent fool (me) look like a seasoned and wily bush stalker.
I have by sheer geographical luck found myself in an area where I'm usually successful despite blundering about the understorey sounding like the critical phase of a ram raid. Full shank boots, wind at my back, singing loudly to myself while munching animal crackers from a bino harness which hasn't carried optics in years.
Generally, an individual among the bewildered bow-wave of fleeing Cervids seems intrigued enough to stop for a fateful moment.
It is at this point I manage to coax the bolt into producing an as-yet undiscovered form of stoppage, shrug, and do it all again half an hour later.
I'm certain my father, who is a certified master Supplejack Houdini and carefully taught me the finer points of North Island bush stalking throughout my childhood, will thrash me with a jandal if I ever tell him...
Socks over the top of sandals actually works quite well.Quote:
Originally Posted by NewbieZAR
Don't get your camp gumboots wet inside on the first day of a multi day alpine trip.
Learn the difference between deer and goat grunts and trust your sense of smell.