hunt or be hunted
12-07-08, 05:47 PM
This morning Tom (Tomshaw, my good luck charm;)) picked me up around 7am and we set off to see if the goats we hunt were back in the bush. We turned off the maine road onto the dirt track. We were looking in every gully hoping to spot some coloured shapes on the hills. After driving a few km's we turned off onto our favourite track that the goats seem to cross all the time. We drove along the track for maybe 2-3km's (could of been more) when we came around a corner and spooked a mob from in the middle of the road. We parked the car, got our gear on and set off in search of the mob. We walked for a couple 100 meters and came up empty handed, they are good a slipping away in this thick country. After getting back to the car we looked at the prints they had left on the road and took a couple of pictures.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/IMG_0238.jpg
It was good to see them again, i was thinking the rifle shooters might of given them a hard time. We took off in the 4wd again keeping a close eye out for any more mobs. We came to a nice little clearing that looked like a good grasing spot so we pulled up and had a look around. There was a couple of big billy goat prints that would only be a couple of hours old, if that. We left the scene and turned off onto another little track, it came to a dead end and after a little bit of bush bashing we were back on the maine track. We drove higher up not seeing anything else so we decided to head over and have a look at where the deer are ment to be. We got out of the car and walked across the crop, and through the dry creek. We walked for a fair bit. trying out Toms new Tenterfield fox whistle. It sounded good but nothing came in. After circling around the hill and seeing nothing but a couple of bunnys we headed back to the car and took off to another spot to look for some goats. We hit the dirt road and tunred off to a dam to have a quick look....nothing, back in the car. We drove along some more and couldn't help but realise all of the burnt trees through a few of the gullies from the burning off. We drove through some great deer country, keeping our eyes pealed for any movement. We didnt see anything so we drove along a few more tracks and came back out at the start of the road we saw the mob on at first light. We drove back down it hoping that the goats would cross the road again at some stage. I was thinking about how it had been a pretty good day out with Tom when he pulled the car to a stop. i looked out the front windscreen to be greeted by 3 goats standing on the road and the rest of the mob on our right. They were only 35-40meters away looking at us so we sat in the car, letting the engine run out. We were surprised to see a nanny goat feeding up the side of the road towards us and not having a care in the world that we were there. It wasn't until the engine stopped when they bolted into the bush on our right. When they were out of sight we got out of the car, got our gear and went in hot persuit of the mob. We walked for a bit and things were looking like before and i thought they might of given us the slip again. We walked up a little track that the water running down the hill had created. I was looking at some small saplings that had been rubbed by billys when Tom stopped and pointed to our right. I looked over to see a mob of black, white, brown and grey goats standing there looking at us. the billys didn't seem that fussed but i noticed that the nannys wouldn't look away. After sitting for a while, time was getting on so we slowly attempted to close in on the mob. we got to maybe 60-70meters when they trotted back towards the road in single file. Tom and i went in their direction and crossed the road aswell. We walked through the bush a bit more but once again they had managed to slip away, damn. ohwell it was good to see them for a second time. We got back to the car, put our gear on the back seat and set off for my house. We pulled up in the drive and we thanked each other for the morning.
Even though we didn't get any shots away it was still an enjoyable outing and now that we know they are in that area again we can hopefully plan things a little better and get the drop on them.
Here's a picture i took of the goats on the road. billy to the far right and part of another nanny on the far left.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/IMG_0239.jpg
Thanks again Tom and hopefully next time we can get a shot away.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
Dan.
P.s Tom feel free the post up the pictures you took of the prints and goats.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/IMG_0238.jpg
It was good to see them again, i was thinking the rifle shooters might of given them a hard time. We took off in the 4wd again keeping a close eye out for any more mobs. We came to a nice little clearing that looked like a good grasing spot so we pulled up and had a look around. There was a couple of big billy goat prints that would only be a couple of hours old, if that. We left the scene and turned off onto another little track, it came to a dead end and after a little bit of bush bashing we were back on the maine track. We drove higher up not seeing anything else so we decided to head over and have a look at where the deer are ment to be. We got out of the car and walked across the crop, and through the dry creek. We walked for a fair bit. trying out Toms new Tenterfield fox whistle. It sounded good but nothing came in. After circling around the hill and seeing nothing but a couple of bunnys we headed back to the car and took off to another spot to look for some goats. We hit the dirt road and tunred off to a dam to have a quick look....nothing, back in the car. We drove along some more and couldn't help but realise all of the burnt trees through a few of the gullies from the burning off. We drove through some great deer country, keeping our eyes pealed for any movement. We didnt see anything so we drove along a few more tracks and came back out at the start of the road we saw the mob on at first light. We drove back down it hoping that the goats would cross the road again at some stage. I was thinking about how it had been a pretty good day out with Tom when he pulled the car to a stop. i looked out the front windscreen to be greeted by 3 goats standing on the road and the rest of the mob on our right. They were only 35-40meters away looking at us so we sat in the car, letting the engine run out. We were surprised to see a nanny goat feeding up the side of the road towards us and not having a care in the world that we were there. It wasn't until the engine stopped when they bolted into the bush on our right. When they were out of sight we got out of the car, got our gear and went in hot persuit of the mob. We walked for a bit and things were looking like before and i thought they might of given us the slip again. We walked up a little track that the water running down the hill had created. I was looking at some small saplings that had been rubbed by billys when Tom stopped and pointed to our right. I looked over to see a mob of black, white, brown and grey goats standing there looking at us. the billys didn't seem that fussed but i noticed that the nannys wouldn't look away. After sitting for a while, time was getting on so we slowly attempted to close in on the mob. we got to maybe 60-70meters when they trotted back towards the road in single file. Tom and i went in their direction and crossed the road aswell. We walked through the bush a bit more but once again they had managed to slip away, damn. ohwell it was good to see them for a second time. We got back to the car, put our gear on the back seat and set off for my house. We pulled up in the drive and we thanked each other for the morning.
Even though we didn't get any shots away it was still an enjoyable outing and now that we know they are in that area again we can hopefully plan things a little better and get the drop on them.
Here's a picture i took of the goats on the road. billy to the far right and part of another nanny on the far left.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/IMG_0239.jpg
Thanks again Tom and hopefully next time we can get a shot away.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
Dan.
P.s Tom feel free the post up the pictures you took of the prints and goats.