Helisika Golden Hills 2-8 April
Graham ( 300Winmag )picked me up at home on the morning of the 2nd. Once he got squared away with a quick sight in at the Taupo range we got sorted at the hangar, and were soon setting up in the hut.
Noted a new dunny when we flew in....flushing Stainless steel with a handbasin!!
For the duration of our stay the wind dictated which end of the block we hunted. (Stating the obvious really..)
On our first full day we ranged an animal feeding in a creek at 420m. we watched it for some time then decided to stalk in.......the wind was on our nose.
Then at 90m I got two puffs on the back of my neck, I thought we'd be sprung.....I thought it'd scuttle away along the creek and give us the slip, but it jumped out of the creek and tried to go up the bank, I let out a pretty manky meeeeaaaargh and it stopped, bang, flop, we're on the board Miss Ford!
A foray into the bush didn't go well, it was as dry as a wooden fanny underfoot, so the tussock and glassing looked to be the go.
We headed up to the top of the block and had smoko on the boundary looking into Gold Creek. We were joined by a young fella from that block on his morning beat, we compared notes then he was on his way.... we kept going up, and got up onto Golden Hills, 1340m. It was very dry, we mooched around the tops, with a fantastic view out to the Boyd strip in the distance. We retraced our steps and at last light were within spitting distance of the hut. Graham sat down for one last glass prior to loosing the light. Bugger me if I didn't pickup an animal grazing right to left!!, it ended up being a bloody comedy, I kept on loosing it betwen bino's and scope. It was on a huge face with no easy references to home in on it. I finally got it again and tipped it over with two shots at 354m, the first went high. With a good hit and the animal down, we decided on a morning retrieval.
The weather deteriorated to descent drizzle / light rain for our last 2 1/2 days.
We had a bloody good lookout spot on our second to last day, we had about 240deg of vision, and the wind on our nose. Sore bums, stiff legs had us getting restless just before we lost the light. It was about time to call it quits, Graham stood up and had a sqizz behind us, then I heard.." hey there's a stag behind us, its a 6 !!, no it's an 8!!, fcuk it's big!! ". "well shoot the fcukn thing !!" was my reply, but it was trotting off to cover. I gave it a 'smoke n hope' shot, but shouldn't have.
The cunning bugger had crossed behind us from out of the creek where I got the spiker, and had cut our wind, but stood there, waiting for movement to confirm what the scent belonged to.......what a thrill!!
The trip ended with a sleep-in and some butchery.......we thought we'd be clagged in for a bit, but the 500 was only 20 late.
5 seen, 2 taken.
I think the guys that were dropped in might have copped some crappy weather last week, but at least the bush should be quiet now.
After a Burger and Coffee (not Latte ) at Dixie Browns we headed back to the not so Super City.......Good Times with a GC.
Some piccy's but not of any magnificent trophies regrettfully......
second animal was shot on the far scubby face
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3999.jpg
new dunny and view
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3998.jpg
smoko with the little Swede
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3993.jpg
me
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3997.jpg
him
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3996.jpg
boneyard
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_4002.jpg
home
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3991.jpg
result
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_4007.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_4009.jpg
B
