I'm not the best at writing stories but thought I'd give it a try. Tried not to make it too long.
So the original plan was me and the missus to had up to Blenheim for a couple of weeks to see her family but to cut a long story short she went and I stayed behind. With nothing better to do I packed my gear and went for a few hunts.
Hunt 1. Went for an night up to the place where I shot my first deer a couple of years ago. After slogging up a big hill in some rather hot weather, (I seem to this often, one day maybe I'll learn) and sweating like a gypsy with a mortgage I found the flattest part of a 45 degree slope I could and put the tent up. Quick feed and with couple hours of light left started to glass. Within 10 minutes I spotted a yearling 350m away. Heart rate started going up but so was the wind right up my arse. She buggered off down a wee gully pretty quick. Sat for another hour glassing and spotted 2 young stags a fair distance away, with light fading and the wind against me there was no chance for me to attempt a stalk so sat there till dark and called it a night. Then the rain came. And stayed for 16 hours. I had planned on staying 2 nights but last weather report I read wasn't looking to good for the next day and the fact I had never been so uncomfortable due to a very piss poor camp site, I decided to pull the pin and head down. After packing up in the rain and starting the walk out I was pretty quickly soaked. Turns out my waterproof jacket isn't. What made it worse was halfway down the rain stopped and the sun came out. What made it even worse was 3/4 down I slipped and rolled my ankle pretty badly. I was not in the best of moods by the time I reached the truck but at least I had seen some deer.
Hunt 2. After a couple of nights at home drying out and resting the ankle packed up again and headed out to another spot a good mate had put me onto where I'd had a bit of success before. Again I walked up a hill but the weather was a lot cooler and made walking more enjoyable. Found a flat campsite this time and went for a hunt. I found a spot where I could glass a wallow down below and felt it might be good. But the only animal I saw in 3 hours was giant hare that could almost be as big as a fawn. It took a while to actually determine it was a giant hare and not a really small fawn. The next day spent the whole day hunting both sides of the ridge I was on but only spotted a stag way over the other side of the valley. Body wise seemed fairly big but don't think up top was much to write home about. Was a little bit dejected that evening but went to bed and up early again before dawn to glass again. Managed to spot a hind feeding her way back into the bush below me wiht lifted the spirits and confirmed that as i suspected was a bit high. Decided to pack up and hunt down the hill. Took my time and spotted a couple about 500m in front of me but they also saw me and buggered off but enjoyed the walk down.
Hunt 3. Last night of the year and again threw the gear in the truck and went out. Drove into a spot not been before. Tried once but got the truck stuck in a river and no hunting took place. Anyway found an area that though could be good and decided lighten the pack and walk up a short way and glass for the evening. The wind was pretty strong and cloud low so figured would be easier walking back to the truck on dark and sleep in that. Walked up few hundred metres and had a look, nothing. Walked a bit higher so could loop round and check out another gully and on the way up 2 spikers appeared out of nowhere. Out on the tops in the tussock with nowhere to get a rest I considered taking a standing shot but wasn't feeling too comfortable with that, especially had lots a little bit of confidence in my gun after a recent tahr hunt. Managed to get my pack off and have a semi decent rest, lined one up, held my breath and pulled the trigger. Click. Fuck. Misfire. Cycled the bolt and lined again, rushed the shot a bit but smacked him through the front shoulders. Saw him jump and wander off all of 30m. Looks like not much wrong with old .270. Cut him up and threw in the pack, limped to truck (ankle still not good) and drove home. Planned on being out 2 nights, managed 9 hours but bloody happy.
And that's Bigred's Holiday Hunting done and dusted, sorry stories bit longer than I intended. With the missus back in a couple of days should probably do everything I said I would while she's gone.
Finally Tally:
9 deer seen
1 shot
1 buggered ankle
1 not waterproof jacket
1 buggered set of gaiters
1 broken camelback
1 very happy hunter.
Cheers
