First for the year

For the first time in about 4 years, the freezer is completely out of venison. That's something that I call not ideal, so on Friday I packed my gear and headed on a mission to see if I could rectify the situation. It was also going to double as a scouting mission for the roar into an area I'd not been before even though it's not far from where I live. With the truck loaded I set off with the usual sense of excitement for what lay ahead. Arriving at the carpark I kitted up and began the uphill trek. The first part of the walk was an old 4wd track that was pretty rutted out in places and washed away in some due to the recent rain but it was still easier than going uphill through the tussock. The weather though wasn't making things easy. I'm a balding overweight ginger that sweats like pig at the best of times let alone with a heavy pack in 30 degree sunshine. Luckily there turned out to be plenty of water of the hill so at least i could keep putting everything that was leaking out back in. It took a little bit longer than I was anticipating to reach the end of the track but it was early afternoon so I wasn't overly concerned. Rounding a corner, the track came to an end and the country in front of me opened up. Fuck me dry, it was big country. I sat down for a break to take it all in and start glassing wondering where to begin. Everywhere I looked there were guts and gullies and with a quick count over a million different places for deer to be hiding in.

With nothing spotted after 15 minutes or so I carried up the valley, my pace slowed down somewhat as I was now trudging through waist high tussock. It's amazing how quickly you forget how slippery dry tussock can be until you're back in there with 15kgs on your back trying to stand up straight. I spent the next while stumbling and swearing while making slow but steady progress. I stopped every 10 minutes or so for another quick glass, not really expecting to see anything as it was only 3pm. And that's exactly what I saw. Nothing. With the country slowly opening up in front of me I could see a rock formation in the distance and decided that it would make a good camping spot as it appeared to be about halfway up the valley. After a pit stop of a museli bar and a handful of nuts I shouldered my pack again and carried on with an end point in sight.

I wasn't really glassing anymore as I figured I would soldier on, make and head out for an evening hunt. Imagine my surprise then when just a scan round with my eyes I saw the unmistakable colour of a red deer down on my right. I froze instantly. It wasn't far away, with it's head down i dropped behind a tussock and got my pack off my back. Through the binos I could see what looked like a lone hind. I spent 5 minutes or so watching her trying to see if there was a fawn or any other hinds around all the while wondering what the heck she was doing out at this time of day. Fuck it I thought, I came here for some meat, quick range check, 207 yards. Easy. I was above her and at no time had she looked close to my direction, I set my pack up on a tussock in front of me and got comfortable behind the rifle. I turned the scope up and settled the crosshairs. Unfortunately the hind was now front on to me, head down feeding. I waited to see if she would turn side on, and eventually she did. Squeezing the trigger the rifle did it's job and I heard the hit. I looked up to see the deer take one step and collapse. Can't argue with that.

I sat down and took stock for a moment. Hunting really can be one of those right place right time things. If I hadn't looked over at that point I may have never seen that deer and walked straight past it. As it happens things worked out in my favour. When I got down to it it wasn't the biggest deer but the shot had only damaged part of one front shoulder so I had plenty of meat. After boning it all out I was in two minds as to what to do, I didn't really want to go home as I'd planned on being out for the night but at the same time it was bloody hot and I didn't want the meat to go off. Something in the back of mind then came to the front. I had a quick look around and 30m away was a creek. I wrapped all the meat up in a couple of pack liners and burried it in the creek and covered it with more tussock grass than you can shake a stick at. It was about as cold as a fridge. Perfect.

With one part of the mission complete, I carried on and set up camp. Not quite where I intended but with such big country it didn't really matter, there was no chance I was going to see all of it. I spent the evening and next morning glassing and exploring, there were so many guts that I couldn't possibly see into all of them. I did spot 5 or 6 deer which is always promising and I'm sure there are more in there so the roar scout out part of the mission also looks good.

The walk out was a slow one, it's amazing how soon you forget how 30+ kgs on your back slows you down. Add that to the fact I didn't realise how far i walked in, it was late afternoon by the time I got back to the truck. It was a welcome sight. On the drive home I pondered over something in my head. I've already equalled last years deer tally and this is the earliest I've shot a deer in a calendar year. Surely this will be a good year for hunting.

Well done. That looks like some great country.

Awesomeness

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Great trip, hunting in this heat can be hard work. Good you could keep the meat cool in the stream. Good luck in there for the roar.

awesome bro!

them littler deer taste plurry good bud....enjoy every morsel.

Surprised that you saw it without binos. If have walked right past it and the 6 other deer