Power of positive thinking

I've been meaning to write something about this for a while now, so here goes.
Used to hunt a bit and a fair bit of fishing back in varsity days. And a bit here and there afterwards but with little success. Lucky to get taken to some great spots with a mate to tip over a couple of deer, but going on my own steam, no joy.
Anyway, after looking at my hunting gear a couple of years back I decided I either need to get back out there, or just sell the lot of it. It's just taunting me stashed away in the garage. The fitness has always been there, just needed to make time to get out there. So the summer before last I got out for a couple of long weekends back in Central NI. First trip what was I thinking?! It had obviously been way too long because what I managed to pack and carry in would have lasted me 2 weeks in any kind of weather, let alone a late summer jaunt with a mint forecast and only needing a couple nights food. Haha. Did see a deer though, albeit too far away to get in close before it had buggered off back into the bush. Nice confidence booster anyway. So a couple of weeks later, back out there and picked up a fat as spiker the first evening out. Sweet, back to base and a day wet wading one of the smaller Taupo rivers on a stinking hot day for a fun day chasing trout with a heap of meat hanging back at the bach and cold beers in the fridge and the family coming over the next day for a couple of nights chilling.

So Spring and summer just been, a few more trips away from the family. First one was back down to the Tararuas which I've been missing a lot. Now after reading up and actually absorbing more tips from this site, I thought a lot about my previous short comings at bush stalking. And set off for a full day full of confidence. I'm gonna get me a deer on this trip. Well managed to stay on fresh sign for most of the morning with good breeze direction. Not long after midday I sat down for a bite and decided I'm going to push on to a good looking slip I'd picked on satellite imagery and was heading in that general area. 10 minutes later, stood up, took about a half dozen slow steps, stopped for some reason, then not 15feet away a solid looking stag that had just been down below me out of site in a shallow fold upped and was gone in a couple of bounds. As with a previous such encounter I stood there totally mute. Like literally the last time I'd been in the bush in the Tararuas, the very same thing pretty much happened although then the stag was probably about 40ft away from where I'd been eating my tin of sardines. And about 15 seconds after it had vanished thought maybe I should have let out a mew, just like last time I'd thought and not done the same. Carried on for the rest of the arvo anyway and at least got a good feel for this area. Found some nice benches and the slip I'd tagged so got a good mind map for whenever I get back there.

Well, positive thinking. Back to Central NI and my camping kit has had a fair update by now. Some gear needed replacing anyway from years ago, some got a bit of an upgrade. Full of confidence back into the camp spot. Wow was it dry. The water creek was barely a trickle and disappearing under ground here and there. Hmm, this might change things a bit. Making my way round the usual spots didn't see any fresh sign at all and barely any old sign either. But I was still confident having tagged a great looking spot where I'd seen one and missed out last year. So got tucked up just at the bush edge early afternoon and had a great time stretching out, tucked out of site but still getting as much sun as I wanted. Shoes and socks off. A good book to read. A bit of snoozing. Peace and quiet. Bliss. A bit before 8pm decided it was time to get into it and make my way down through the clearings. A bit of checking around me with the binos and hello. there's a hind literally just popped out of the bush onto a big slip. Ranged in at just over 680m. No hurry, still plenty of daylight left. Made sure she was busy and got my way over to some cover and managed to get all the way down to just short of the creek just below the slip without getting busted. Range now about 210m ballistic range, but probably about 240ish given the angle up. Plenty of time to get set up and comfortable. Now I've never shot anything out at that sort of distance, but I'd been on the range and was confident in the zero 2" high at 100m so just hold bang on for 200m. Gotta say, she looked small in the 7x magnification. All relaxed now and just wait for her to stand perfect broadside with head up between browsing. Sloooow squeeze on the trigger. She dissappeared straight away then a couple seconds later I see her feet pointing to the sky as she's rolled down a few metres and stone cold dead. Easily my best day hunting ever given how cruisey and relaxing that afternoon was and now having meat on the ground. Boned out and it was a good bit of work still ahead to get back to camp. A tricky bush bash to start with. Back to the tent just before midnight in what was a ridiculously hot night. Sweating buckets with really not that big a load to carry. The one downside was even after drinking plenty on the way back to camp I could obviously have done with some electrolytes. About 10min after getting into my macpac cocoon tent, both hamstrings went full cramp. Fuuuuuu!!! You can not sit upright in those things. I was a prisoner in there until eventually they released a bit and I could get the mesh zipper down enough I could pull myself out of there and have a decent stretch. Some more to drink and thankfully that was the last of it.

So, positive thinking and this is kind of for the benefit of those that have started to build up some experience but still hanging out to really get underway. The following things I reckon really made a difference the last few trips compared to several years ago when I was still bumbling around a lot. I knew the areas pretty well and that the time of year I'm going in is good. So going in expecting to see animal(s). Confident in my fitness. Garmin inreach and epirb (plus map, compass etc) so I don't feel totally alone out there. Knowing the areas well enough that in these cases I'm happy to stay where the good sign is right up to dark, even though its going to mean a longer more careful walk back to base in the dark. This has probably been the biggest boost of all. It's one thing to think it, but to get out there and practise it in familiar spots has been a real change for me. Probably a bit of trail running through bush at night time with torchlight has helped with this change in mindset too.

Anyway, feels like I've dribbled on a bit now. Getting geared up for some later winter, early spring trips now. Can't wait.

Pic is offside/exit wound. 308 hornady superperformance interbond.

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Cool story, thank you

Great read, A positive thinking mindset is the only way to be in the bush, less things to worry about and let’s you focus on the job getting to a hill top, a good area holding animals, climbing around a buff in torrential rain, sitting out a snow storm etc. Learning from mistakes means you will do whatever out come differently and the positive you won’t do that again.
Technology and gear have come a long way, torch’s and headlamps are brighter and last most of the night now days and PLB’s/ Inreach for example.

Good one mate , i do know myself what its like to get cramp while you are in ya sleeping bag and cant stretch out and have to just lie there writhing in agony till it eases LOL . cheers

Enjoyed that. Good shooting and background to your comeback!

Cheers tikka you summed up what I was trying to get across in just 3 lines there. Yeh the confidence in gear, fitness, homework on the area means that I'm not worrying about the stuff I used to and the mental energy is now nearly totally focussed on finding the animals. Glad I didn't sell my gear now :)

Good effort Ned. A very nice eating young hind you've got there. A few of us in Canterbury carry our sleeping gear with us so that we can sleep on the hill right where we finish our evening hunt and dont have to battle back to camp in the dark down the wrong ridge, falling down waterfalls and bluffs in creeks. Domex Halo 1kg plus inflatable sleeping mat and bivy bag or tent or fly 2 - 2.5 kg total.

The more you keep at it the easier it will get especially as you learn your hunting areas better, well written yarn, good on ya.

Thanks Ned - you're a good describer of events

There is a fix for cramp I think it is called NoCramp and it is a atomiser that you spray under the tongue
Tastes disgusting apparently so it's bound to work

Otherwise take a gander at this
http://safershooting.co.nz/wp-conten...%E2%80%93-.pdf

I've used this cheap electrolyte and found it works well

Well done Ned, good write up

great story Ned. I wouldn't feel to worried about stumbling on to animals right in front of you. Had the same sort of thing recently. perched on a ridge so my boy could knock over a fallow he hed seen. Laying down all set up waiting for the deer to pop back out ,around 140 mtrs away, from the bush it was behind. out it pops and goes right behind the next one. for 45 mins we kept lined up waiting for a shot. it started getting a bit frustrating. sun was starting to go down so told the lad we would come back next morning and try find it again. stood up. threw on our bags and 2 fallow shot out of the bushes on the other side of the ridge not more than 3 mtrs away. could have thrown a stone at them . must have been there the whole time hiding. it happens....

you have put venison in freezer.....miles ahead of many folks right there....
being relaxed surely helps,being fit sure WOULD help....some of us carry a spare tyre.
enjoy your venison.

Its amazing sometimes when im out sneaking around the family farm , how you can get inside your own head and be negative as fuck which then takes your mind off the task at hand....
Then you miss seeing a rabbit hiding less than a meter away and you curse and swear as it disappears.
Pays to always be mindful of your surroundings and not be "so busy in your mind " that you miss easy targets.