End of year trip

I had one last trip out for the year this week before silly season starts in earnest. So loading up the ute I headed and hour and a half south, pulling into my first choice the carpark already had 4 hunting vehicles, so decided that 4 groups in one valley was too many, I moved to my second choice an area I have not been into before to find the carpark empty.

Shouldering my daypack I headed in using the walkway for the first half hour before heading off bush, didn't seem to be much sign around initially despite this being an area supposedly holding goats and deer. I wandered along following the river going slow watching all the grassy clearings, eventually I came to a sandy riverside beach holding a lot of deer prints that looked to maybe be a day old as the edges were just starting to crumble.

Two hours in and the sides are crowding in, the rocks are getting bigger and slippery so I stop to eat my evening sandwich, as the evening arrives I turn around having seen or heard nothing, the wind is swirling every which way.

Literally 20m from the walkway track end I stop for one final time and stand totally still listening to the birds and just enjoying the peace before walking out to the mad world beyond, as I take the first step I hear a deer take off up the hill from 10m away, the bush was so thick I never even got a glimpse.

So ends my hunting year of 2025, the year in which I tried so hard to get my first Solo public land deer and failed. I will be back in the new year.

Happy holidays everyone Happy Jack.

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It's that sandwich eating thing.....amazing how often it happens over the years.my theory is we often walk past animals but if we have stopped and do something of non hunting nature,many come to mind,a nearby animal may get curious and just can't resist having a nosey peak.when we stop being "different" and go back to being a threat,they take off... Have often shot wallabies up in tussock country while enjoying lunch. All the best for the holidays bud. That first will happen soon enough.

Yep, I trip myself up repeatedly with just this. No matter how much I tell myself after a sit down snack, that as soon as I get up ready to walk again, it's make sure all senses should be switched on. A couple of steps and there's the flash of red as a deer bolts LOL.
An old flat mate had a good story. Lay down and ended up dozing off. Woken to the sniff sniff of a hind right up in his face. Goodness knows how long it had taken that deer to suss him out and tentatively closing in for a proper check. (The deer lived of course).
2026 will be your year HJ!!

Being in the bush and bumping a deer is better than working, in my book

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Originally Posted by 308

Being in the bush and bumping a deer is better than working, in my book

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It certainly is, I'm starting to really like this semi retired life.

Well done HJ,you are very close.Got back to the same spot,time, walking dead slow looking around,Have yr cupa and befor getting up look around 2 or 3 slowly.Have yr rifle in yr hand ready.Good luck next time,safe travels on the high ways.

I was having a snooze hunting up the Whakatane years ago.
Nice spot in the sun soft underneath me etc.
Woke up with the feeling something was watching me.
A young hind.
Had rifle lying next to me facing the right way.
Picked it up and pointed from the hip so to speak and boomfa.
Fairly easy carry too.
Sitting still I have buggered up a few by not being ready.