Thread: The 2nd mouse sometimes gets more than the cheese

Poppy has been patient but was well over due for a decent walk so today was the day. @bing wasn't able to free up day and @IamGroot wasn't free either. Solo it was to be. That early start just didn't happen,in fact it was mid morning before I left home and drove hour and half south to hunting block.two wagons at carpark but I met both trampers coming out soon enough. It was a tad on the warm side and I will admit to lots of short rest breaks on way up the hill through the gorse. I've hunted this block for thirty five years and I'm not sure what geological mischief is going on but I'm sure the hills get higher and steeper each year. the small clearings have been grazed HARD...that's a gorse bush beside rifle.

The plod upwards continued. Broke out into semi open stuff and the over zealous graizing was still evident. had wee look around then stopped for lunch with a view

Started down the hill spooking a couple of small wobblies until the second one for the day made mistake of standing still to look at me.headshot at a whopping five yards. a second silly hopper was shot fifty yards further on.in almost exactly same place as young fella smashed an arrow the month before. The going was steep and with yesterday's rain just a tad on slippery side.one false step saw me on my arse, fortunately nothing bashed or bruised this time but it made me extra carefully from then onwards. We had heard a goat bleat here a month earlier so I was on super sneak mode so didn't spook anything.picked different route down hill today,won't say it was easier just different lol.Poppy was behaving well,happy to be beside me out on the hill.must be frustrating as hell for dog,they can smell the hoppers and being low down,see them move off in tight cover before I get a glimpse of the prey. We made it down to main creek for good cool drink and swim for her. We carried on slowly and then heard a bleat across creek....we were off towards sound and heard another quiet bleat,so I replied,trying to sound like lonely nanny but probably more like strangled cat!!! Covered about hundy yards giving odd bleat before spotting a suspicious looking dark shape above us about fifty yards away... suspiciously like a neck,head and pokey out ears...scope was zoomed up and target confirmed,a old school 70 grain Speer was sent on its merry way and lo and behold a hole appeared between bleaters eyes.poppy led me to downed animal.

A quick phone call to @RUMPY to try out new starlink iPhone and the knife came out,four legs and tiny back steaks were removed,I looked up from knife work and buggerme there was big wallaby watching us about fourty yards away.up came zastava and number five copped a round a bit far back...go on then I said to Poppy and she was off.straight to where it was then followed in hot pursuit down to creek and grabbed it.first time I've let her do that and couldn't be happier with how she did it.grabbed it and hung on till I arrived and sconed it with rock. Finished up with goat and headed home,stopping in Timaru to drop meat off at Indian work mates place. Happy days indeed.

Nice one Micky, you need your boss to buy you a 4WD tanker for those steeper hills.

gorse is a nursery plant my arse...this is all that survives.

Good yarn, good to get out, well done!

Sounds like a really great day and very good to hear that you got one of those goats we heard last time! It was a crying shame that I could not join you today, I would have loved to be there for this. I'll be along tomorrow evening to see if I can mop up anything left up there.

these open patches have consistently given up wallabies over the years,just a matter of looking hard enough then finding semi stable position to shoot.why I shoot more often sitting with elbows on knees I guess

The area sure is grazed out, no wonder the wallabies are on the hit list.

I got one too yesterday! As soon as I crossed the creek, I heard them all around and got one that was sitting right on the path. First one with the crossbow so I'm really happy! Did not get a chance to get more than one as I had already lost the light when I was done gutting the first one.

That's great news mate.stoked for you.

Nice report and pics mate. Hopefully I will get out for a day sometime before Christmas.

Good on you mate, you will be stoked to get that goat

My two work mates who received the meat off said goat sure we're greatful.