Almost a year on since my last overnight trip I had planned to go back for just more then a night to that special place where the valleys are sparse and the bush open with crystal rivers running through it. The walk in is familiar to those who venture those ways, and Oamaru was the destination. On the walk in during the dark hours of the morning I came to a familiar house on the road. I left a envelope with some good karma inside and a thank you note on a lady's fence. This was repayment for giving me a lift back to the car park when I had busted my knee on the walk out last time which landed me with weeks of rest. Walking in I was whistled at numerous times by hinds with fawns, and counted up to 50 sika running around with some good stags too. This got me all too eager and my pace quickened. I arrived at the hut to find a few hunters who had success days earlier who were about to get a lift out which meant I had the place to myself. A bite to eat, and a destination set I took off for the ridges to work my way back towards the hut with the wind in my face and an overcast sky.
The ground was crunchy, but that was no surprise given the time of year. I made my way to the tops with nothing of interest seen and made my descend down the valley. I was working down the side of a gully with a creek and pepperwood through it, a prime place for deer to relax I thought. Then out of the corner of my eye, a fawn erupts from its resting place and goes up the creek into the cover. I pause, and wait for any sign of deer about. A whistle comes from up the gully, and an instant reply comes from across the gully on the opposing face which is not what I was expecting. The wind was working in my favor for the deer across the river, but not for the one up the gully which was working its way up. The whistling went back and forward with each other for 20 minutes, and I would get a glimpse of the sikas arse or body which was identified as a hind but not enough for a clean shot. During this time, the fawn had run over to her calls but she continued to vocalise with her mate up the gully. During this time, I thought I would play a hind/fawn call on my new AJ caller to see what response I would get. All I got was silence, probably confused, then they would continue there calls. So I had worked out this doesn't scare them when in distress, but certainly doesn't give them confidence. There was one small opening on the opposing face, but I was soon expecting her to trot off into the bush.
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The discussion about shooting hinds with fawns came to mind and I was 90% confident I wouldn't take her if she didn't present a perfect shot, so fate was in her hands at this point. Then she made the move, step by step she was edging closer to that clearing whistling away. A few metres high or low of the clearing and she was safe. I had the perfect rest in the V of a tree so set myself up for the shot. She stepped out into the opening perfectly dead center about to take a few steps more to disappear forever, so I whistled to her. She paused, and looked at me. Game over sorry, then the Brno 223 did the rest of the work. She spun around and ran 10 metres and collapsed into another small opening which I could see. There was no need for a second shot as I could see clearly she had come to a rest. Mixed emotions came to me, delighted I had shot my first ever Sika but also not happy about the fawn situation. Probably something I won't repeat again if I can help it. I walked over to her, and she was certainly a good conditioned animal. Got to work taking every scrap of meat and made my way back to the hut. Other hunters had arrived but hadn't had any luck. The legs felt heavy as well as the eyes so rest came easy that night.
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Dawn slowly emerged, and the body was a bit stiff after walking 13 hours the previous day so lay in bed for a few extra hours as I remembered there was meat in the safe. I'd give these sika another crack today, but a stag would only be on the cards. I decided a top of another ridge was worth a look so set off for that. I found a fresh game trail up it and made my way up. At about 3/4 way up an animal above erupted and ran off. A very heavy animal at that, perhaps the stag I was after? Then 2 sika bolted from within the pepperwood gully next to me. Darn! At reaching the top, I could see far across the valleys, and misty drizzle was making its way towards me. Time to start descending and make for the valley bellow. Before doing that, I spooked several other sika resting up just out of sight off the ridge. Making my way down, I was getting whistled at by more sika in that thick pepperwood. If only they were out in the open! Near the river, the going was easier, and I could see a likely gully ahead with pepperwood tops seen in it. I removed my boots, and tippy toed 30m to the edge, gun at the ready wind in my face, the bush deadly quiet. I popped my head over and there before was a bloody big WALLOW! :D Hah, wasn't expecting that, and there were thick pepperwood next to it. So I sat down and just looked at it, when really I should have gone around and seen what was at the bend of this gully where the wind was going. Then 5 minutes passes and a whistle is heard. That will teach me for being lazy. The rain was just starting to set in, and I still had some walking to do to get back to the hut. Made it back just in time and the heavens began to open up. I was glad I had chosen the hut over a bivy setup as one other hunter had made that mistake and took refuge in the hut looking like a wet rat.
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The next day it continued to rain and I had my heart set on a fallow on my return to Auckland, so I hiked out in the rain and clapping thunder in the hills. The walk out was slow due to the extra weight of venison, but well worth it. Up early again, I made my way to the car park, still dark with headlight on I marched on-wards. I came to a nice gully off the track and no sooner had I left the track when a doe arse on was there for the taking. She turned, I took aim of the head which was about the only good shot and let rip. She took off, and a fawn obscured by a fallen tree also joined her. I checked for blood but obviously had clean missed which is just as well in hind sight. I continued my hunt, but only saw black little faces which when you blinked would suddenly disappear. Sneaky fallow. The sun was turning on the heat, so it was time to return home to the real world.
