HOOD
23-05-05, 09:04 PM
This was to be one of my last trips away before the baby arrives. So I wanted it to be a good trip, and that it was.
I was going to leave Friday arvo but decided to leave Sat Morning instead. Was up at 4am with the ute already packed the night before. Needless to say I didn't get much if any sleep Friday night.
On my way to the property some 150km away I was going over the never ending possibilities of what may be on this trip. I got about half way when a feral moggie had an argument with the ute and lost.
I arrived at the property at 6.30am and the owners had already left for the markets so i proceeded to head for the back paddocks. With a very heavy fog still about I went really really slowly and was checking out either side of the car to see what if anything was about. For some reason I decided to stop at a water hole just 100m from the house and have a look and around the edge of the bank was some fresh deer tracks. And the first ones that i have seen there ever so I tried to follow them as far as I could to see what direction they were going in, and sure enough they were heading for the back paddocks.
It took me nearly 30min to get to the last paddock before I get to my camping spot (normally a 5 min trip).
I got to the last paddock and decided to stop the car, no sooner had I done that I saw three heads pop up out of the knee high grass and jump to their feet. I was BUSTED. I finally got to see the fallows that I was told where there over a year ago. I didn't know what to do as they stood there staring at me. So I waited for what seemed forever for them to move off. I gave them a few minutes before I started the stalk. 2hrs later I was still no closer then I was when I started. It didn't seem to matter which way I went or what I did they just seemed to disappear like ghosts. Then I look again and there they were. They were happily eating the new growth on some small bushes so I used this time to get around the hill and on the other side of them which would have given me more of a chance to get with-in shooting distance. So around I went and emerging on the other side I stuck my head around a lone tree to sneak a peak at their position. And wouldn't you know it they had moved further away again. I managed to close the gap to around 65m and as Murphy would have his way a car came flying down the dirt track 100m away that very rarely has any traffic on it and spooked the deer. Before I could even curse the driver the deer had covered 200m and over a fence and onto the next property and were last seen disappearing into the distance. So I just sat and pondered what may have been and what I had just learnt about these 3 ghosts of the grass lands.
I then started to head back to the car and stopping under one of the few trees around for a drink and a look around. Got the binos out and glassed the area with no luck. I had been sitting there for around 20min when I caught movement out to the right at 65m. It was a lone fox doing her morning rounds of the rabbit holes. So I nocked up a GT carbon tipped with a Outback Hunter and waited to see what she was up to and where she was going. And to my surprise she just kept coming my way. I knew where she was heading as there was another few rabbit holes to my left, when she got to 30m i put the bow up while she had her head down in the grass and traced her with it as she got closer and closer. With my heart in my mouth and a million and one thoughts going through my mind I tried to stay calm and cool about what was unfolding in front of me. 30, 20, 15, 10m then she stopped quartering away so it was now or never, I drew back lined her up just behind the front left leg, then as I released and before the arrow had cleared the shelf she turned my way a bit more but it was to late the arrow smashed her left shoulder blade both lungs and then the right shoulder blade. Quickly putting another arrow onto the string for a back up shot but it was not needed as she fell on the spot not being able to run from both shoulders being taken out she was pinned. I waited for a few minutes before I approached her as she was snarling and growlling and I didn't want to get bitten. In no time she had expired on the spot that she was shot. I had secured my first ever fox with any bow and a recurve at that.
I stood over her not knowing what to do now from all the excitement and adrenalin in my body. I was a happy little camper.
I then took her back to the ute and drove on to my camping spot, set up camp and then skun the vixen which was a challenge (for me anyway) then salted the pelt and put it in the shade.
I sat and had lunch but could not be live the morning that I had just had.
I then went out for another look around 3pm as Phil and Jane said the fox's were coming in around 4pm to harass the chooks and ducks. I made my way to the top of what I call "BunnyWood Hills" But didn't see one bunny ( it has been so dry the rabbit numbers had dropped especially with the increased number of Fox's in the area despite a fox baiting program on the neighboring properties) Sitting the glassing I saw him the one and only "RUSTY" a fox I have been after for a year now. He has the nicest deep dark rusty coloured fur with a white tip on his tail. He has out smarted me more times then I care to remember. So it was game on. I noted the direction he was heading the dreaded boundary fence line. So I quickly made my way to the foot of "BunnyWood Hills", from there I had the chance to get behind a tree and wait for him to go over the rise of a small sand hill and come my way. I waited and I waited but he never came. So I decided to make my way around the sand hill which is about 8 foot high, I got to the edge of it and looked over the top but he was no where to be seen. I knew he had to be there somewhere as I could see all other escape routes and there was no way that he was heading back to the farm house as the dogs had just chased him from there. So I slowly made my way to the top of the sand hill I stopped and looked but still no fox, I hadn't even got to put my foot down for my next step and like a fire cracker he shot up from behind a spinnifex bush and bolted for the safety of the neighbors property and I could do nothing but watch as he covered the next 300m while stopping every so often to look back to see where I was. Rusty wins again.
As it was getting late by now I started back to camp. I decided to have one last glass aver the area from "BunnyWood Hills". Yet again to my disbelieve I saw 2 fallow down near the farm house only 60m the house.
Oh what to do, with no cover not even a single tree or bush between them and I and light fading fast. I decided to try my luck with the knee high grass as cover. Once I was of "BWH" I had the small sand hill as cover for half the stalk but they where still another 300m away from me and still no cover. Crawling on my gut for near on 200m (ouch) I had to call it off as being so engrossed in the stalk I had not noticed the sun had set and what little light was left was fading fast, so headed back to camp and took some nice sunset photos on my way.
I got up nice and early Sunday morning hoping to catch the deer still out feeding before bedding down for the day on the neighboring property (personal note "must get access to the neighbors property").
With a good glassing and walk of the area they were not to be seen this morning Sad
And only seeing 4 rabbits so far for the two days I didn't like my chances of getting any poor mans mutton on this trip. So heading of to sit under another tree about 250m from camp it gave me a chance to rest and glass for some prey. After 30min I saw him again "Rusty" was back "GAME ON" I thought. I watched him from 200m for about 3min to sus out his plans then luck was in my favor this time as I had a nice sized tree between him and I so it was the 100yard dash for cover for me. I got to the tree to look around it but he was no where in sight he had made his way across the salt pan to the grassy area and was well hidden. I decided to move towards where I had last seen him, I got to 40m form that spot when he came out from under the fence and out of the grass I froze with nothing for me to hide behind. Lucky for me he hadn't seen me. As he headed for the middle of the salt pan sniffing around the salt Bush's looking for what food he could find there was a lone teatree in the middle as he moved behind it I used the tree as my cover. Each time I could see his colour from the left side of the tree I took one or two steps to the right to keep the tree between him and I, but to my own demise i think I may have been to hasty in getting to the tree and the noise of me pushing my feet through the 10" tall grass he must have heard me and bolted in the opposite direction from where I was coming so I never did see where he went as he had the tree between him and I to hide his escape route. "Rusty" 2 Michael none.
At this point I had decided to cut my losses and head for home.
I was so happy with the trip over all with having finally being able to see the fallow deer not one not two but FIVE of them after 12 months of looking for them and scoring my first fox ever, to say that I was happy is an understatement.
I am just now all to eager to get back there after those deer again.
Hood 8)
The Three Stooges
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/NotquiteRHood/IMG_0109.jpg
The Vixen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/NotquiteRHood/IMG_0119.jpg
and the sunset
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/NotquiteRHood/IMG_0123.jpg
I was going to leave Friday arvo but decided to leave Sat Morning instead. Was up at 4am with the ute already packed the night before. Needless to say I didn't get much if any sleep Friday night.
On my way to the property some 150km away I was going over the never ending possibilities of what may be on this trip. I got about half way when a feral moggie had an argument with the ute and lost.
I arrived at the property at 6.30am and the owners had already left for the markets so i proceeded to head for the back paddocks. With a very heavy fog still about I went really really slowly and was checking out either side of the car to see what if anything was about. For some reason I decided to stop at a water hole just 100m from the house and have a look and around the edge of the bank was some fresh deer tracks. And the first ones that i have seen there ever so I tried to follow them as far as I could to see what direction they were going in, and sure enough they were heading for the back paddocks.
It took me nearly 30min to get to the last paddock before I get to my camping spot (normally a 5 min trip).
I got to the last paddock and decided to stop the car, no sooner had I done that I saw three heads pop up out of the knee high grass and jump to their feet. I was BUSTED. I finally got to see the fallows that I was told where there over a year ago. I didn't know what to do as they stood there staring at me. So I waited for what seemed forever for them to move off. I gave them a few minutes before I started the stalk. 2hrs later I was still no closer then I was when I started. It didn't seem to matter which way I went or what I did they just seemed to disappear like ghosts. Then I look again and there they were. They were happily eating the new growth on some small bushes so I used this time to get around the hill and on the other side of them which would have given me more of a chance to get with-in shooting distance. So around I went and emerging on the other side I stuck my head around a lone tree to sneak a peak at their position. And wouldn't you know it they had moved further away again. I managed to close the gap to around 65m and as Murphy would have his way a car came flying down the dirt track 100m away that very rarely has any traffic on it and spooked the deer. Before I could even curse the driver the deer had covered 200m and over a fence and onto the next property and were last seen disappearing into the distance. So I just sat and pondered what may have been and what I had just learnt about these 3 ghosts of the grass lands.
I then started to head back to the car and stopping under one of the few trees around for a drink and a look around. Got the binos out and glassed the area with no luck. I had been sitting there for around 20min when I caught movement out to the right at 65m. It was a lone fox doing her morning rounds of the rabbit holes. So I nocked up a GT carbon tipped with a Outback Hunter and waited to see what she was up to and where she was going. And to my surprise she just kept coming my way. I knew where she was heading as there was another few rabbit holes to my left, when she got to 30m i put the bow up while she had her head down in the grass and traced her with it as she got closer and closer. With my heart in my mouth and a million and one thoughts going through my mind I tried to stay calm and cool about what was unfolding in front of me. 30, 20, 15, 10m then she stopped quartering away so it was now or never, I drew back lined her up just behind the front left leg, then as I released and before the arrow had cleared the shelf she turned my way a bit more but it was to late the arrow smashed her left shoulder blade both lungs and then the right shoulder blade. Quickly putting another arrow onto the string for a back up shot but it was not needed as she fell on the spot not being able to run from both shoulders being taken out she was pinned. I waited for a few minutes before I approached her as she was snarling and growlling and I didn't want to get bitten. In no time she had expired on the spot that she was shot. I had secured my first ever fox with any bow and a recurve at that.
I stood over her not knowing what to do now from all the excitement and adrenalin in my body. I was a happy little camper.
I then took her back to the ute and drove on to my camping spot, set up camp and then skun the vixen which was a challenge (for me anyway) then salted the pelt and put it in the shade.
I sat and had lunch but could not be live the morning that I had just had.
I then went out for another look around 3pm as Phil and Jane said the fox's were coming in around 4pm to harass the chooks and ducks. I made my way to the top of what I call "BunnyWood Hills" But didn't see one bunny ( it has been so dry the rabbit numbers had dropped especially with the increased number of Fox's in the area despite a fox baiting program on the neighboring properties) Sitting the glassing I saw him the one and only "RUSTY" a fox I have been after for a year now. He has the nicest deep dark rusty coloured fur with a white tip on his tail. He has out smarted me more times then I care to remember. So it was game on. I noted the direction he was heading the dreaded boundary fence line. So I quickly made my way to the foot of "BunnyWood Hills", from there I had the chance to get behind a tree and wait for him to go over the rise of a small sand hill and come my way. I waited and I waited but he never came. So I decided to make my way around the sand hill which is about 8 foot high, I got to the edge of it and looked over the top but he was no where to be seen. I knew he had to be there somewhere as I could see all other escape routes and there was no way that he was heading back to the farm house as the dogs had just chased him from there. So I slowly made my way to the top of the sand hill I stopped and looked but still no fox, I hadn't even got to put my foot down for my next step and like a fire cracker he shot up from behind a spinnifex bush and bolted for the safety of the neighbors property and I could do nothing but watch as he covered the next 300m while stopping every so often to look back to see where I was. Rusty wins again.
As it was getting late by now I started back to camp. I decided to have one last glass aver the area from "BunnyWood Hills". Yet again to my disbelieve I saw 2 fallow down near the farm house only 60m the house.
Oh what to do, with no cover not even a single tree or bush between them and I and light fading fast. I decided to try my luck with the knee high grass as cover. Once I was of "BWH" I had the small sand hill as cover for half the stalk but they where still another 300m away from me and still no cover. Crawling on my gut for near on 200m (ouch) I had to call it off as being so engrossed in the stalk I had not noticed the sun had set and what little light was left was fading fast, so headed back to camp and took some nice sunset photos on my way.
I got up nice and early Sunday morning hoping to catch the deer still out feeding before bedding down for the day on the neighboring property (personal note "must get access to the neighbors property").
With a good glassing and walk of the area they were not to be seen this morning Sad
And only seeing 4 rabbits so far for the two days I didn't like my chances of getting any poor mans mutton on this trip. So heading of to sit under another tree about 250m from camp it gave me a chance to rest and glass for some prey. After 30min I saw him again "Rusty" was back "GAME ON" I thought. I watched him from 200m for about 3min to sus out his plans then luck was in my favor this time as I had a nice sized tree between him and I so it was the 100yard dash for cover for me. I got to the tree to look around it but he was no where in sight he had made his way across the salt pan to the grassy area and was well hidden. I decided to move towards where I had last seen him, I got to 40m form that spot when he came out from under the fence and out of the grass I froze with nothing for me to hide behind. Lucky for me he hadn't seen me. As he headed for the middle of the salt pan sniffing around the salt Bush's looking for what food he could find there was a lone teatree in the middle as he moved behind it I used the tree as my cover. Each time I could see his colour from the left side of the tree I took one or two steps to the right to keep the tree between him and I, but to my own demise i think I may have been to hasty in getting to the tree and the noise of me pushing my feet through the 10" tall grass he must have heard me and bolted in the opposite direction from where I was coming so I never did see where he went as he had the tree between him and I to hide his escape route. "Rusty" 2 Michael none.
At this point I had decided to cut my losses and head for home.
I was so happy with the trip over all with having finally being able to see the fallow deer not one not two but FIVE of them after 12 months of looking for them and scoring my first fox ever, to say that I was happy is an understatement.
I am just now all to eager to get back there after those deer again.
Hood 8)
The Three Stooges
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/NotquiteRHood/IMG_0109.jpg
The Vixen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/NotquiteRHood/IMG_0119.jpg
and the sunset
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/NotquiteRHood/IMG_0123.jpg