Thread: Waitangi Weekend Success

Just got a PM prodding me for a trip report from the weekend walkies

So……….. 13 months ago I got a PM from a member on here asking if I wanted to come for a walk and have a look for a deer. Now I pretty much gave up hunting when I was 22 as life went in another direction and although I still was involved with the shooting sports , hunting was not one of them.
Well long story short it was a good excuse to buy a new gun however I also discovered some of my other hunting gear had shrunk whilst it was away in storage and although I am shape (round is a shape you know) it’s not necessarily the best shape for a hunter.

Anyway after a 3 of trips out with Cam one successful (Cam got a deer) and 2 not so much and the Forum hunt I was still looking for that elusive deer No2. The last deer I shot (which was in fact the only deer I have shot) was when I was 20 on Mt Somers and I am somewhat older than that now.
Anyway I bumped into a mate who had been trying to t up a trip to take me out for nearly 12 months after I took him fishing. So a plan was finally hatched for a Day hunt and then a bit of a “waving round the artificial moon” to follow and home Sat. The only stipulation was I had to bring my dog as he usually hunts with one but unfortunately is currently “between dogs”.

I nervously agreed but not really sure how she would go given I am not a dog trainers left testicle and she had never seen a deer ever.
Well we got on site by lunchtime Friday and then off for a quick recce round the property. Morning was spent hunting the faces along one area of the property with no luck apart from some hoof prints and deer smell at one point (dog got very pointy about here) but we could not catch up with them.
We relocated via 4x4 to the other side of the property and kept looking everywhere but apart from a dozen or so goats still never managed to see anything resembling a deer.
Very pleasant though sitting there

Best mates

After stopping for a bite we relocated to the last area before going back to the hut for a bite to eat and then out with the spotlight.
After ¾ of an hour we were sneaking up the head of a basin and the place looked like a good spot for a deer. Awe were stopping every 50 yards or so to scan for sign. Then my mate hissed “deer; and standing out here I had just looked was a deer watching the dog.

Looked for a rest, while my mate said “yearling, can still see faded spots “ I could not use a Bipod as angle was too steep so I lined up sitting with elbows on knees, Mate called range at 150 yards and I fired. Deer dropped, bugger me. Dog looked to where it dropped but waited till we moved before working its way up to it. Although se was a little unsure at the last meter or so of what it was.

I somehow managed a neck shot, (I could say this was where I aimed) but I would be lying. Never practiced shooting off my elbows and I had a bad case of the “wobbles” too.
After photos

Anyway nice 2km downhill drag had the deer on the truck and back to the ht for food. 2 other deer were spotted with the light but one hind was in an awkward spot to recover and we could not be sure she didn’t have a fawn . The other was a Fallow which didn’t wait round for us to get organized.

Next day (today) was round to my mates for a processing lesson
Before

After

All in all I had a great time and hopefully will get another invite.
Dog worked really well and will be coming more often too as it really adds another dimension to hunting.

Really I owe a big vote of thanks to the forum and most especially VC and Kiwi Greg for helping rekindle my interest in hunting and especially to my mate (who wishes to remain anonymous but since he is a builder I'll call him Bob) for his help this weekend.