ssga
27-06-08, 07:15 AM
Well as you know I headed up to the high country for a few days. We (mother, el and I) packed the car Sunday night for a 4am start on Monday. All went without a hitch until we reached Licola. There are road works happening on the Tamboritha Rd and it supposed to be closed Tuesday to Friday 1pm. However due to the previous weeks weather the road was open until the 1st June. App cold and wet is not conducive to dynamiting rock wall. Basically pays to ask the locals. Also the images are low quality otherwise the page is too big to open, sorry to the “specialist photographers”…..
We arrived at the proposed destination on the map only to find the weather would not make it suitable for camping with a 7yr old being to exposed to the icy wind and rain. So we choose to look for a new camp. After trying a few roads and snig tracks we decided on a nice sheltered spot.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_3529eee.jpg
I didn’t hunt on the Monday and it wasn’t till the Tuesday afternoon at 12 that my mum asked me why I had come up……. “to relax and go for a hunt” I replied. “Well she said go, I’ve got El you’ve cooked dinner, go off and tell me what you see.” I guess sometimes one needs a little “shove”. I packed the two packs and headed off, before anyone queries it I packed a rifle in the pack and carried the longbow loaded. The rifle was for emergencies (in hindsight it should have been used…).
The gear ready.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5850eee.jpg
That afternoon I tracked a big stag, I followed his marks starting 80m from camp, and due to the heavy rain we had got that night all the tracks were fresh. One thing I notice was the lack of stag activity. He seemed to be eating and had bedded that morning in a sheltered gully with plenty of sun but no rubs and only one visit to a wombat wallow. But visit only, the rest of the prints were hinds. Not that I was fussed carrying the bow one isn’t picky, I found it interesting. Some pics on tues arvo. I also noted that it was dim at 5pm and a head lamp was required. I had pack all the gear for an overnighter but looking at the map I was only 1.2k’s from camp I decided to head back in the dark. Was an easy trip back and the “best mum in the world” had dinner warmed as soon as she had seen the headlamp coming!
The visit to the wombat wallow on the left are his tracks in and on the right he has laid down and flattened the fresh dug earth. It doesn’t show it very well but his elbow and knee marks could be seen in 3D.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5886eee.jpg
The tracks in to the wombat wallow more visible he was only 2hrs in front…?
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5883eee.jpg
All his visits to the other wallows in the area….. showed he seemed to be just looking? That night sitting by the fire I was a little confused, chatting to my mum I explained the lack of stag sign other than prints and pellets. Now most of you know I am not a “stag” hunter, I’ll take what comes, however stags are so much easier to track, they wander leave prints and signposts saying “HERE I AM!!” whereas hinds mostly spend time feeding and bedding in the sheltered gullies. Mum joked “Knowing what you’ve told me in the past, maybe they just aren’t ready yet”. I replied “Couldn’t be it is winter, usually now they are going through the minor rutt” The wind picked up, the sparks from the fire cut through the air as fast as the chill went through our jackets, there were no stars. Time for an early night, we hit the tent not waking El just as the first heavy rain started to fall.
Weds we awoke to a foggy morning, the ground was wet and the temp gauge said 1d. Bit of kero on the unburnt wet logs and the fire was going. I sat around camp cut wood and thought a lot about things. This time El said “Dad put your pack on and go for a walk I’ll take some photos of you going…… so I did and I left camp at 1pm again. Though this time I had a plan, knowing what that the prints from the day before would be gone I also had a heads up to where the deer would have gone and where to cut them off “at the pass” as they say.
Els Photos the originals are great!
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3593eee.jpg
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3590eee.jpg
Also what be a write up be without his own achievements LOL
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3562eee.jpg
As happy as a hunter with his animal!
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3565eee.jpg
Well I hiked off quickly to the spot I was fairly sure would have the deer in all the fresh sun and it wasn’t long before I hit fresh sign. I followed the sign to the “spot”.
Standing on a log I saw a wombat about 100yds ahead, this being the first mammal I’d seen I decided a quick stalk was in order, I climbed off the log and started a stalk. The fresh growth was high than I expected which made stalking from sight a little easier there were no wombat tracks I seemed to be tracking big stag prints from yesterday…….. I got to 50yds of the wombat and stood up on another log. Oops that is one big wombat to be taller than the undergrowth……then the wombat looked back over his shoulder!
This explained everything!
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5953eee.jpg
I drew the bow, let it down and took a photo. He hadn’t spotted me, yet something was amiss so he “prance walked” his way down to his bedding grounds for the arvo. I sat on the log, what a great experience and what a relief that all the sign had now been explained. Hey I could have tried to arrow him when he broadsided and walked off but 50yds with the longbow is an ask, or I could of pulled the rifle out loaded it before he was out of sight, HOWEVER the pic tells more of a story than a dead deer……
I sat until the last of his tips had gone off the edge, then I hopped down and continued to find another “spot” it wasn’t long before I came to a deer feeding his way up a spur head down into the wind. I picked a spot, and started my stalk. I got within 10yds, pulled out the camera and took a photo. It didn’t have time to focus and the deer seemed to be moving faster than I had thought, as soon as I had the photo……
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5959eee.jpg
I dropped the camera and drew the bow. I waited no more than a second before he stepped from behind the burnt trunk before an arrow went straight through both his air sacs and into to great unknown….. I watched him run about 50yds before he turned back to see what had made the noise and startled him. I could see he wasn’t in any visible pain and blood was running profusely (this is when I should have pulled the gun from my pack and finished it there and then!). I stood completely still but for some reason he started to move of at a pace, without thinking I gave myself to a quiet chase……. It was 4.30pm
The blood trail was easy.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5967eee.jpg
Here is where he stood for a minute or two wondering what had happened…..
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5973eee.jpg
Something was amiss……. Oh crap this is the end of the spur after that is a rock face to the creek some 200m below……?
To make a short story even shorter I followed the trail to the edge and around a little contouring edge until his prints and the blood stopped, it was dark and with the headlamp on it was obvious that something had gone wrong! Looking back now he must have fainted and gone over the edge……… it was a very angry and frustrated hunter that trudged his way back to camp for 2hrs in the dark…..
I planned a return trip the next day, yet it seemed the gods didn’t want me to find the deer because that night I heard funny sounds in the tent and awoke to this…..
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5996eee.jpg
I was annoyed but one thing I knew was he was dead and the other I knew was the light, weather, terrain and timetable had all beaten me. There was nothing more that I wanted than a photo of me with the deer but I knew safety was a factor now and I wised up to the fact that a decision of what was going to happen had been “firmed” by the factors……
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_6000eee.jpg
Driving out, mums as the can said “Chris remember I asked you why you’d come up, well did you do those things?”
“Yes” I replied
“Did you get your “good hunt”?” she queried
I thought for a second or two…
“Actually I did”
“Well that is all you can ask for” She said looking out the window as the flakes flew past horizontal…….
I can’t say I am happy but I can say I had a great time, and remember alpine conditions whatever they are can occur at anytime!
SSGA
We arrived at the proposed destination on the map only to find the weather would not make it suitable for camping with a 7yr old being to exposed to the icy wind and rain. So we choose to look for a new camp. After trying a few roads and snig tracks we decided on a nice sheltered spot.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_3529eee.jpg
I didn’t hunt on the Monday and it wasn’t till the Tuesday afternoon at 12 that my mum asked me why I had come up……. “to relax and go for a hunt” I replied. “Well she said go, I’ve got El you’ve cooked dinner, go off and tell me what you see.” I guess sometimes one needs a little “shove”. I packed the two packs and headed off, before anyone queries it I packed a rifle in the pack and carried the longbow loaded. The rifle was for emergencies (in hindsight it should have been used…).
The gear ready.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5850eee.jpg
That afternoon I tracked a big stag, I followed his marks starting 80m from camp, and due to the heavy rain we had got that night all the tracks were fresh. One thing I notice was the lack of stag activity. He seemed to be eating and had bedded that morning in a sheltered gully with plenty of sun but no rubs and only one visit to a wombat wallow. But visit only, the rest of the prints were hinds. Not that I was fussed carrying the bow one isn’t picky, I found it interesting. Some pics on tues arvo. I also noted that it was dim at 5pm and a head lamp was required. I had pack all the gear for an overnighter but looking at the map I was only 1.2k’s from camp I decided to head back in the dark. Was an easy trip back and the “best mum in the world” had dinner warmed as soon as she had seen the headlamp coming!
The visit to the wombat wallow on the left are his tracks in and on the right he has laid down and flattened the fresh dug earth. It doesn’t show it very well but his elbow and knee marks could be seen in 3D.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5886eee.jpg
The tracks in to the wombat wallow more visible he was only 2hrs in front…?
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5883eee.jpg
All his visits to the other wallows in the area….. showed he seemed to be just looking? That night sitting by the fire I was a little confused, chatting to my mum I explained the lack of stag sign other than prints and pellets. Now most of you know I am not a “stag” hunter, I’ll take what comes, however stags are so much easier to track, they wander leave prints and signposts saying “HERE I AM!!” whereas hinds mostly spend time feeding and bedding in the sheltered gullies. Mum joked “Knowing what you’ve told me in the past, maybe they just aren’t ready yet”. I replied “Couldn’t be it is winter, usually now they are going through the minor rutt” The wind picked up, the sparks from the fire cut through the air as fast as the chill went through our jackets, there were no stars. Time for an early night, we hit the tent not waking El just as the first heavy rain started to fall.
Weds we awoke to a foggy morning, the ground was wet and the temp gauge said 1d. Bit of kero on the unburnt wet logs and the fire was going. I sat around camp cut wood and thought a lot about things. This time El said “Dad put your pack on and go for a walk I’ll take some photos of you going…… so I did and I left camp at 1pm again. Though this time I had a plan, knowing what that the prints from the day before would be gone I also had a heads up to where the deer would have gone and where to cut them off “at the pass” as they say.
Els Photos the originals are great!
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3593eee.jpg
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3590eee.jpg
Also what be a write up be without his own achievements LOL
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3562eee.jpg
As happy as a hunter with his animal!
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_3565eee.jpg
Well I hiked off quickly to the spot I was fairly sure would have the deer in all the fresh sun and it wasn’t long before I hit fresh sign. I followed the sign to the “spot”.
Standing on a log I saw a wombat about 100yds ahead, this being the first mammal I’d seen I decided a quick stalk was in order, I climbed off the log and started a stalk. The fresh growth was high than I expected which made stalking from sight a little easier there were no wombat tracks I seemed to be tracking big stag prints from yesterday…….. I got to 50yds of the wombat and stood up on another log. Oops that is one big wombat to be taller than the undergrowth……then the wombat looked back over his shoulder!
This explained everything!
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5953eee.jpg
I drew the bow, let it down and took a photo. He hadn’t spotted me, yet something was amiss so he “prance walked” his way down to his bedding grounds for the arvo. I sat on the log, what a great experience and what a relief that all the sign had now been explained. Hey I could have tried to arrow him when he broadsided and walked off but 50yds with the longbow is an ask, or I could of pulled the rifle out loaded it before he was out of sight, HOWEVER the pic tells more of a story than a dead deer……
I sat until the last of his tips had gone off the edge, then I hopped down and continued to find another “spot” it wasn’t long before I came to a deer feeding his way up a spur head down into the wind. I picked a spot, and started my stalk. I got within 10yds, pulled out the camera and took a photo. It didn’t have time to focus and the deer seemed to be moving faster than I had thought, as soon as I had the photo……
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_5959eee.jpg
I dropped the camera and drew the bow. I waited no more than a second before he stepped from behind the burnt trunk before an arrow went straight through both his air sacs and into to great unknown….. I watched him run about 50yds before he turned back to see what had made the noise and startled him. I could see he wasn’t in any visible pain and blood was running profusely (this is when I should have pulled the gun from my pack and finished it there and then!). I stood completely still but for some reason he started to move of at a pace, without thinking I gave myself to a quiet chase……. It was 4.30pm
The blood trail was easy.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5967eee.jpg
Here is where he stood for a minute or two wondering what had happened…..
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5973eee.jpg
Something was amiss……. Oh crap this is the end of the spur after that is a rock face to the creek some 200m below……?
To make a short story even shorter I followed the trail to the edge and around a little contouring edge until his prints and the blood stopped, it was dark and with the headlamp on it was obvious that something had gone wrong! Looking back now he must have fainted and gone over the edge……… it was a very angry and frustrated hunter that trudged his way back to camp for 2hrs in the dark…..
I planned a return trip the next day, yet it seemed the gods didn’t want me to find the deer because that night I heard funny sounds in the tent and awoke to this…..
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_5996eee.jpg
I was annoyed but one thing I knew was he was dead and the other I knew was the light, weather, terrain and timetable had all beaten me. There was nothing more that I wanted than a photo of me with the deer but I knew safety was a factor now and I wised up to the fact that a decision of what was going to happen had been “firmed” by the factors……
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/IMG_6000eee.jpg
Driving out, mums as the can said “Chris remember I asked you why you’d come up, well did you do those things?”
“Yes” I replied
“Did you get your “good hunt”?” she queried
I thought for a second or two…
“Actually I did”
“Well that is all you can ask for” She said looking out the window as the flakes flew past horizontal…….
I can’t say I am happy but I can say I had a great time, and remember alpine conditions whatever they are can occur at anytime!
SSGA