It was a bugger of a wind last night coming from a Nor/NorWest direction that made the main bush difficult to hunt, so I headed up a side gully that I mainly see Fallow in and never Reds.
Anyway, about half an hour before dark I spotted a black fallow grazing on the bush edge with a doe at 350 yards. I wound the Delta 4-24 up to 24 and could see that while he was nice his head was similar to others that I have shot so I decided to leave him. But you know what its like - once you see one its difficult not to keep looking at it - so I gave myself a mental upper cut with the message "look elsewhere".
As soon as I started scanning elsewhere down in the creek I saw the arse end of a Red with heavy and long antlers sticking up. So s shimmied down through the scrub to 184 yards so I could get a good look at him. He had shifted so at first I couldn't find him but in the end he appeared in the clear 100 yards above the creek. He was was a big mature beast and once again using 24 power as a spotting case I could see that he was probably past his best but still a respectable 8 with very heavy wood.
The old chap had obviously stopped rutting and had snuck up the quiet gully for a decent feed away from pesky young chaps and demanding Sheilas.
It was 5.45pm and starting to get gloomy. I lined him up with the 6.5x55 and let rip. He lunged forward 10 yards and then came bowling down through the scrub, landing 10 yards from the creek in the clear.
I switched my attention to the black Fallow, who by now had laid down. He was on his feet and trotted 20 yards into a patch of scrub about 25 meters deep and 50 long. I watched closely for 10 minutes but never saw him again. They are masters at disappearing.
I wandered down to the stag and he was exactly as I expected. Big mature body, slightly off in condition and heavy beam and poor tine growth.
The 140 grn Amax bullet had hit him centre shoulder and had penetrated right through. I found the spent bullet just under the skin on the off side (velocity 2840 fps). They are a great bullet and thank goodness I have 300 left.
By now I had got in contact with Brian on the radio and he appeared just as I took the second back leg off. Thank goodness the shoulders were ruined :)
It wasn't a huge walk out but with a good load of 2 back steaks, a big HQ and the head I was pleased when I put my pack down. Brian had a back leg too, and kindly carried my rifle.
Im taking James my Grandson out tomorrow. Maybe he might be able to catch up with the black buck.
Here's some pics.
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