With how bad the weather has been the last couple of days I wasn’t the only one desperate to get out in the hills, I have always had good success hunting the fine breaks in the weather directly after a bad storm. Deer will make the most of the opportunities to feed and stretch their legs after bedding up in horrendous downpours.
I was up at 04:00 this morning to be greeted by clear and calm skies. I knew my window of opportunity was slim as the bad weather was coming back through again.
I decided on a bush hunt looking up into some creek beds and open guts where there is a bit of fern and grass scattered about. I sneaked up to a likely area and immediately saw movement. With the sun not quite rising yet it was still fairly dark but I could clearly see a yearling sized deer broadside walking slowly, I was unsure if it was a hind or spiker but it didn’t really matter either way.
I took aim on the front should and let fly with the 7mm-08. Mr (or Miss) red skin hit the ground like it had been hit by a bus. Definitely a yearling as it wasn’t huge, and a spiker, the antler spikes were very small and stubby, consistent with first year growth.
A nice easy carry back out, got to love those yearling deer on the shoulders!
I found an old leg hold trap nailed to a tree on the way in as well, one that was got forgotten about I’d say. It looked to have been there a very long time (years). It was still in working condition despite how rusty it was, I left it where it was, yah never know, someone may find it again one day, and I have a heap of nice shiny ones at home anyway.
Attachment 88136
Attachment 88137
Attachment 88138
Attachment 88139
