Thread: Another Canterbury hunt

We had planned to collect a trail camera from a spot on Friday night, then hunt another location on Saturday. Friday afternoon and evening's weather was going to allow the trail cam mission. So a couple of beer instead.

Saturday morning, at 5:30am, Matt2308 and I rolled out the driveway and headed in to the hills for another mission. Getting to the carpark of our first choice, we found that that spot wasn't going to happen. A quick brainstorm and we came up with another option. Another hour later, another road end. Clagged in so much that I could hardly see the end of the rifle. We set of anyway.

We didn't really have much of a plan, maybe stalk the bush edge until the cloud burnt off and then maybe hit the top? Found plenty of fresh sign around, everywhere! By 9:30 we sat down for a bit to let the cloud sort itself out. after about 45min, no change!

We then thought we should get above it and proceeded up a creak, buffed at the need water fall! Climbed about one, then around into the bush at the next. Eventually we punch out of the bush and being just below the main ridge, there was sign every where again(even on top of the snow from the night before). Topped out into the ridge and glassed the valleys on each side of the ridge now that the cloud had cleared.

It was long until I spotted a nice hind feeding in the open, it was about 11::30 at this stage. Watch her sit down about 800m away.

We climbed down a little and closed the distance to just over half a km. She was siting in long grass, facing away and quartering towards us a little. There were not a lot of shot options. Looked like the only way though was the base of neck and punch all the way through to the lung on the far side. Got set up and took care of the situation. TBR 522m, 23 degrees down hill, slight breeze at 1 o'clock.



After watching her dead on the ground for about 15 minutes(just in case she got up again), we saw her off spring in the valley. We had looked hard before taking the shoot, but assumed she was alone. We left the rifles and other gear at the shooting spot and headed down to bone her out. The hind had finishing lactating, so believe the young one will be fine.

Long walk back to the truck and back at home in Darfield by 9:45pm.