Isn't it obvious Gibo. We need someone to fetch the Waikato.
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Goes to show how times have changed...nowadays we use a short rope to lead the horse and a long one to tether, that way we make the horse carry the extra rope instead of it dropping in loops around our feet.
The clearing is actually an old pa site about a third of the way to the top...what you see as a shelter belt is the first row of trees of a forest over a very steep slope...soon they will all be gone.
This is the photo of up top...horizon (Mayor Island) is on an angle due to curvature of the earth or me holding camera on angle
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This might sound like a dumb question and I know for a fact that my Grandad was in 'The Mounted Rifle Brigade'.
But how do the horses react if you fire a shot at a deer? Or do you dismount tie the hag up then go for a hunt?
That was always a dilemma 'dundee' The fact is that deer will let you ride right up to them. I guess they don't recognise the horse rider shape as a dangerous combination. So taking a shot was always a temptation, but I never had a horse I could shoot off and mine would have headed for the tall timber if I did. I knew guys that could shoot off their horse.
Also ours were equipped with pack saddles, not riding saddles and if your lost your balance you would end up impaled on one of the 4 U shaped, sharp metal hooks they were quipped with.
Mostly it happened like this, see deer, panic, jump off, drop reins, shoot deer, carry deer back to vehicle and then drive one hour back to last gate to catch runaway horse.
If you dismount and loop the reins through your right arm and then take the shot, it is like a double kick from the recoil...if you loop the reins through your left arm and your rifle is a semi, there is a good chance of shooting your horse with the second shot.
Thanks guys:D Those horses in WW1 must of been used to the gun fire I guess.
Horses tend to pick up on deer before you do so are facing directly at them with their head held high and ears up and forward making a shot over the head a bit tricky. A high powered rifle will literally flatten them, I as sure as hell wouldn't fire my STW over the horses head...using flat-bang rifles like 30-30, .375, 44 mag, .357 or something similar wont startle them as much...I have yet to see someone take a crack with a muzzle brake from the saddle. Most times I use the horse to get me to my hunting area and then tie it up and go for a stalk.
Thanks spook