Thread: Peewoks roar

Took a couple of weeks off for the roar this year to have a good crack at it after only getting out for 2 weekends of roar action last year. First trip was a more of a camp/lazy hunt with the Mrs on skme private land to try get her more keen on hunting. Had been reconning it for the previous few weekends. First trip I took the dog and got onto a hind and fawn/yearling but left them and watched them for a bit from 15m while they sussed us out. That was all the excitement for the day as no roars were heard. The next weekend I went alone and heard 3/4 stags. Attempted a stalk into the closest one but the wind changed and he shut up. Shot a yearling on the way out for the freezer so I was happy. The next weekend was when I took the Mrs and dog in. We set up our camp and then I got the .22 out and set up a target to refresh Gems shooting which was bang on ( bloody better then mine but I won't tell her that) then we got kitted up and I grabbed my .223 and we headed off down towards the bush I mainly see deer in. We were about 200m in a straight line from camp and I noticed a brown "bush" on the edge of the native but seeing as how we had just been shooting 10 minutes before I didn't bother having a closer look. Amateur move! A few steps later gem excitedly whispers "there's a deer!" So I spin around to see the "bush" had grown 4 legs and spikes and was on the run, shit!, I dropped to my knee and chambered a round, let out a 'NYEH' and the spiker slowed to a trot so I put the crosshairs on his neck and squeezed off, the little federal fusion 62grain spinner did a perfect job and the spiker dropped on the spot. Bugger If I had been switched on the could've been gems first deer! I let the dog off his line and gave him the go ahead "find the deer moki" and he was off 20 seconds and 130m later he finds it so I told gem to pose so she could brag to her mates
The next morning we could hear only 1 stag roaring too far away for us to go but we hunted half the day up a ridge where one had been thrashing hundreds of trees to bits. We got onto no more animals so butchered up the spike and headed home. A couple days later I headed up the kaimais with the dog for a few wet days with only some quiet moans no real roars and only got onto a few animals with nothing shot. The pup was over it so took him home and dried out my gear for the next trip. On the Monday met up with a mate and we cruised down to helisika and flew into harkness saddle with 2 other mates for a 5 day walk/ hunt to Boyd hut where we were getting picked up. Day 1 at the saddle 2 of us hunted a ridge and had a few roars and squeals but nothing seen. Day 2 was pretty uneventful and we walked down the camp in the tussock for a beautiful night with sika roaring around us. Day 3 I we missioned back up into the bush to my mates previous camp from the Year before which was a good spot apart from the fact the stream he had used was now a muddy trickle but we managed to survive. Me and the bro gav cruised off to check out a few nice looking spots along a ridge. About a km from camp we started to drop down a ridge with beautiful open bush around us so I said to gav go slow and keep your eyes open. 50m later the ridge became a spur with a 300 degree view of the most beautiful lush green grassy clearing and ferns all around that was everything I imagine a deer would want. A second later one squeals down in a lone bush in the middle of the clearing so we get into a nice position with the bush covered, if it goes left I have a shot, if it's right gav has a shot 30 seconds later *BOOM* gav let's rip with his 308 and all hell breaks loose for a few seconds there's deer running around everywhere and then it's silent again. Gav wanders down and finds his deer a nice fat sika hind. We share the load and take it back to camp, light a fire and the rest of the night is spent talking shit and eating venison with the other 2 who both had exiting stalks but nothing shot. I wake in the morning of Day 4 thinking fuckin hell I need to step up my game been here so long and haven't had a chance for a shot maybe I'm losing my touch. I eat as much as I can fit in my stomach and drink water until Its overflowing back out then gear up with the intention of not being back until dark then head out on my epic adventure. After an hour of stalking along the same ridge as the previous night I drop into a nice open gut and hit some really fresh sign so continue my stalk following it. Another hour later I cross a stream and think perfect place to take a piss. So there i go pissing against a tree then I hear a shuffle in the leaves and spin my head, where is it, a twig breaks and I see and small brown object moving along about 15m from me at first I think that's a hare. Then notice the round ears and see it's a hinds head and she's behind a little drop off/shelf. There I am with my dick out and my rifle at my side thinking fuck sake it had to be now didn't it! I keep watching the hind and she's swiveling like she knows somethings not right but I can see well enough to see where she's looking so I slowly raise my rifle and to have a better look but like lightning she dissapears and the only thing left is the sounds of a mob of sika high tailing it the fuck away from the weirdo in the bush with his dick out. I cruise over to where she was and have look around the area finding fresh prints and shit everywhere I look and 2 huge stag scrapes. Bugger! I contemplate life for 20 minutes then continue on my mission. After another few hours of stalking I'm a couple hundred metres down a ridge from the area I planned on investigating but the wind is straight up my ass towards it. After doing nothing for too long I decide fuck it I'll beeline it up there and If the wind is still doing the same the I'll continue higher then make a new plan. I take a few slow steps and stop. Crack. A twig breaks. I hear leaves shifting. I look up to where the sound is coming from and wait. After a minute I see some twigs moving from the bottom of some tree roots. A closer look through the scope and those twigs are antlers. He steps forward and I see his hole head. Then he all of a sudden walks right out from behind the tree into full view broadside at probably 12 metres from me. Crosshairs on vitals. Squeeze trigger. Stag does the classic front legs tuck and hops. Starts running but circles towards me. Stops 5m away and wobbles a bit then falls over in a heap and is dead seconds later. Wooohoo! My first solo sika and it's a nice little 4 pointer.
After hunting only reds I really notice how cool these little deer look and take a few photos. I inspect the bullet hole. The 178 eldx from my 308 has done serious damage the on entry and exit with the exit would being 2 big holes each with a separate chunk of heart falling out. I take the head and meat and wander back to camp for more fire and venison.

The next day it's a big walk to the pick up and a big drive home from an awesome adventure
Sorry about the long read guys!

Great stuff!

Awesome bro!

Sounds like a couple of cool hunts well done.

Wicked storie. Thanks for sharing.

Great write up bro.

This is what it’s about, cheers

Good story,thats what I liked about hunting Sika with a Bow,right there in your face.

Well done mate, the Sika are quite a bit smaller aye.

Good stuff, well done

Nice read & pictures, thanks for sharing!