Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

Darkness Delta


User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 24
Like Tree12Likes

Thread: A first "family" hunting trip

  1. #1
    Member JoshC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Southland/Otago
    Posts
    3,718

    A first "family" hunting trip

    Seven years have snuck by and somehow I have never got around to taking my partner Sarah away on proper hunting trip. She's been with me when we've shot deer, was even with me when I shot my best red stag in 2010, but was always keen for a "proper" overnight trip. In recent months she has reminded me constantly about not taking her on "that trip

    After a bit of thought I decided to visit a familiar haunt of mine, where I knew she would get to appreciate alpine hunting at its best, but also be relatively safe from the type of country that would put alot of first timers off hunting for good! I knew fitness wouldn't be an issue, she does enough hours of crossfit to make me feel pretty bloody lazy, but makign sure we weren't scrub bashing, or cliff scrambling was important.

    Last week shot by quickly, and before we knew it we'd packed the truck with a few extra luxuries (pillows and fresh food! ;D) and were bouncing our way up the chosen valley in the Cruiser, making it to camp around midday.





    We had a feed, then packed up some gear and headed off into the bush. I expected to make the tops within a couple of hours, enough time to have a scout around late avo, and evening, then make our back to camp with head lights. On the way up we got into some really neat beech forest, the type that alpine red deer love to hang out in;





    So we went into stalk mode, and progressed up the valley slowly but purposefully. Pippa seriously winded the breeze a couple of times, so I was expecting to see a deer any moment. Soon enough we saw light through the trres and duly broke out into the open. Within seconds of scanning our surroundings I had picked up a couple of deer on a slip above us, apporximately 250 yards away;





    I was stoked. Couldn't have asked for a better example of hunting deer in the tops. Sarah was infactuated by them, as they fed happily, totally unware of our presence. She took charge of the camera and snapped a few pics. The hind, looking a little light on it was clearly in calf, with a bulging belly;





    After a while of watching the deer, we continued up the valley.Some scree silding posed no problems, and we eventually reached a saddle with full view of some neat tops country. We'd timed it perfectly, and had plenty of huntable time up our sleeves;





    We found a prominent rock to sit on, from which we could glass the areas I explained as being likely to hold chamois. I could barely believe it when I literally put my binos to my eyes and immediately spotted the white faces of a nanny chamois and her young one sitting a few hundred metres above us. They sat watching intently, not worried about us at all. Sarah was stoked to finally see a Chamois on the hoof;





    The hills around us screamed chamois, and it wasn't long before we noticed tracks in snow, and eventually more animals. With my bino's Sarah spotted this buck sitting on a rock, also looking down on us, and she keenly planned a stalk for me, and put the challenge out there for me attempt the stalk and have a shot at it :





    So leaving her and Pip sitting on a rock with the gear and camera, I took off up the hill reaching my shooting position after a few chest heaving breaks;





    I took a few moments before crawling the last 20 metes over the crest of a steep ridge, ready to take a shot. The buck was nowhere to be seen initially, but as chamois so often do, he appeared 150m away on his rock, steering intently down at me. A single shot from my 280 had him cartwheeling off the rock and down a scree almost to the valley floor. I made my way down to him, gutted and carried him back to the team;





    We soaked up the moment, it was pretty cool to be honest. While not a trophy 10 inch buck, he was a trophy in a different way. We took a few pics to add to the family album!





    Sarah was more stoked than me!





    We sorted the buck out, and and then decided to make our way back to camp early, leaving the rest of the valley for a hunt on another ocassion. A couple of hours back down the valley and we had a rest before dropping back into camp. Homeward bound;





    A decent feed was eaten that night (Sarah's a mean cook) and we planned our morning hunt before hitting the hay. About 5am the rain started and didn't look like letting up, so we flagged the morning hunt, packed up early and drove out before the river came up too high to cross, managing to getting home in time to watch the AB's test.

    It was an awesome trip all round, already looking forward to the next one. Next goal, firearms license and first rifle?! 8-)





    Cheers
    JoshC
    Last edited by JoshC; 01-10-2012 at 02:13 PM.

  2. #2
    Member Raging Bull's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Manawatu
    Posts
    894
    Brilliant trip. Good on ya Josh.

    Cheers.
    Rule 1: Treat every firearm as loaded

  3. #3
    Gone But Not Forgotten Toby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Wouldn't you like to know
    Posts
    11,099
    Awesome story, thanks for sharing.
    VIVA LA HOWA

  4. #4
    Member Bryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Tauranga
    Posts
    864
    Great report Josh, cheers for sharing. Nice looking country too!

    Trips like that make it all worth it, especially whe you are getting gormet meals prepared for ya!
    Hunting is not a hobby.....its an addiction

  5. #5
    Tim
    Tim is offline
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Lower Hutt
    Posts
    304
    Good stuff Josh and Sarah
    Getting older is compulsory, growing up is entirely optional.

  6. #6
    OPCz Rushy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Nor West of Auckland on the true right of the Kaipara River
    Posts
    33,564
    Excellent stuff Josh. You are a lucky man having a missus that will participate in your pass time.
    It takes 43 muscle's to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger pull.
    What more do we need? If we are above ground and breathing the rest is up to us!
    Rule 1: Treat every firearm as loaded
    Rule 2: Always point firearms in a safe direction
    Rule 3: Load a firearm only when ready to fire
    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt
    Rule 5: Check your firing zone
    Rule 6: Store firearms and ammunition safely
    Rule 7: Avoid alcohol and drugs when handling firearms

  7. #7
    Almost literate. veitnamcam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Nelson
    Posts
    24,745
    Nice one Josh My other half has been showing a bit of interest lately but with two young kids(and nobody who likes to babysit) Its a bit tricky to get out together.
    "Hunting and fishing" fucking over licenced firearms owners since ages ago.

    308Win One chambering to rule them all.

  8. #8
    Fisher and Hunter leathel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Waikato.
    Posts
    793
    A farst of many I hope
    Fishing ... Hunting its all good

  9. #9
    Caretaker
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Hawkes Bay
    Posts
    8,757

    A first "family" hunting trip

    Great writeup, super nice dog.
    A big fast bullet beats a little fast bullet every time

  10. #10
    Member Dundee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Way East of D'Vagas
    Posts
    17,440
    AwsomeTakes me a long time too put pics and words together that was a bloody good read. Cheers 4 that
    "Thats not a knife, this is a knife"
    Rule 2: Always point firearms in a safe direction
    CFD

    tps://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20180505T00&p0=264&msg=Dundees+Countdo wn+to+Gamebird+Season+2018&font=cursive

  11. #11
    Member Pop Shot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Rangitikei
    Posts
    1,266
    Cheers for posting mate.

    Some good photo's in there - esepcially like the last couple!

  12. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    2,182
    You're a lucky man to have such a keen woman! Good stuff

  13. #13
    Fisher and Hunter leathel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Waikato.
    Posts
    793
    Quote Originally Posted by leathel View Post
    A farst of many I hope
    "First" .... not Farst ....
    Fishing ... Hunting its all good

  14. #14
    OPCz Rushy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Nor West of Auckland on the true right of the Kaipara River
    Posts
    33,564
    Now that is just being picky. Clearly the man has an accent.
    It takes 43 muscle's to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger pull.
    What more do we need? If we are above ground and breathing the rest is up to us!
    Rule 1: Treat every firearm as loaded
    Rule 2: Always point firearms in a safe direction
    Rule 3: Load a firearm only when ready to fire
    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt
    Rule 5: Check your firing zone
    Rule 6: Store firearms and ammunition safely
    Rule 7: Avoid alcohol and drugs when handling firearms

  15. #15
    Fisher and Hunter leathel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Waikato.
    Posts
    793
    Quote Originally Posted by Rushy View Post
    Now that is just being picky. Clearly the man has an accent.
    I quoted myself so I should know my accent
    Fishing ... Hunting its all good

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Taking the "Boss" hunting
    By Kiwi Greg in forum The Magazine
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 30-04-2012, 09:19 PM
  2. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 31-03-2012, 05:38 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!