AdamK
17-09-07, 08:53 PM
Yesterday saw me meet a distant relative (aged 46 without any english speaking ability) and his son (aged 20 with only moderate english skills) at 5:15am in a carpark at the base of a forrested mountain. We drove most of the way up before parking their 4x4 off the track. We waited for the pre-dawn ambient light to break the pitch black of the forrest.
With bow hunting illegal in these parts, I was armed with a 8x57mm Serbian made bolt action rifle. We began our walk estimated to take 2 hours.
After 5 minutes of slow and quiet walking down the track through the close pines of the forrest, we entered a large grassed clearing. With a lack of ambient light and a thin fog we struggled to see 50m in any direction, we moved out into the clearing and it was then I saw my first Roe Deer at 50m, problem was she had already seen us, and after a brief stare off the bolted. I was stoked.
We moved on and within 10 minutes I'd seen another 2 Roe Deer. Things were looking promising. A light breeze started to swirl and being familiar with the effects of such conditions in Oz I was concerned at what effect it would have on sighting more game.
We came across a freshly dug hole in the ground, I looked in and realised it was a bee's hive. There was a wide set of fresh tracks in the dew on the grass leading back into the forrest. I was glad I was holding the rifle. Brown bear were close.
We dropped into another clear grass area between forrested slopes and came across another hunter who advised us we had just missed seeing a huge antlered red stag with doe and fawn, bugger.
We then came across some recent boar rootings (about a day old), and another bees hive opened up with more fresh bear tracks (very fresh again). I saw a fox and some more Roe deer at distance too. This area was holding some game. We made it back to the car without any action.
The hunting tour continued as the boys took me to a shooting box overlooking an automatic feeder which distributes corn onto the ground twice a day (at dawn and dusk). Most of us from Oz frown on such practice, but here this approach is very common. Remebering that many of these villagers rely heavily on the resuts of successful hunts (meat!), the use of shooting stands and game feeders become a little more pallatable.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/freediver/DSC03426.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/freediver/DSC03427.jpg
They took me on to see the local deer farm, some nice fallow and reds with hard antler.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/freediver/DSC03429.jpg
After a lunch of deer steak and dumplings, we headed back to the top of another forrested mountain to a shooting stand where they assured me we would at least see another Roe Deer. In walking the last 200m to the stand, we reached the clearing and there was a lone Roe deer standing beneath the auto feeder oblivious to our presence. I dropped to the ground and crawled on hands and knees around the bush concealing our position to get a clear shot. At approximately 60m, from the prone position, this was too easy. I took my time to control my breathing before setting the hair trigger. The site picture was clear as I settled the post and bar recticle on the shoulder of the broadside deer. My finger contacted the trigger and I applied the required pressure, boom. On recovery from the kick and muzzle flash from the short barreled mountain rifle, I could not believe my eyes as the deer bounded off untouched. I could not believe my eyes. In a mix of emotions including embarrassment and strong disappointment, my hosts consoled me in advising I would be more lucky next time. We climbed into the shooting stand and waited.
Two more Roe Deer came out of the forrest fleetingly but must of picked up our scent in the swirling wind and dissapeared. We waited, the sun set, and ambient light diminished. A fox stepped out, but I wanted deer and so we left him. I could see my chances of another shot diminishing as the darkness set in. After a look through the scope at 7:55pm it was time to call it quits, I pulled the bolt on the rifle to unload it as my host exclaimed 'Serna!' (Roe Deer). Right he was, 35m out in the darkness was a Roe Deer. This was it. I closed the bolt and again set the hair trigger. I settled the scope recticle on the front shoulder of the deer, and with relaxed breathing and heart rate, maintained that site picture as I touched off the shot. The site picture was broken only by the flash of the muzzle and kick of the 8mm. No flinch, the shot was clean. The deer ran away unscathed! I was devastated.
My Slovenian dream hunt was awsome, despite the unsuccessful outcome. I will be back. I've never hunted in more pristine and scenic surroundings, and to hunt in forrests that have been owned by my family for generations was very special. There is talk that bow hunting is being legalised in some areas of the country. I'm confident that once the younger local hunters experience a bow hunt they'll be hooked like we are.
(On the drive out of the forrest after two missed shots, I asked my host when he last shot his rifle. He advised it was last December! The scope and mount had me a little concerned in it's quality when I gave them the once over in the mornings light, the missed shots of the evening saw me doing what every poor tradesman does- blame the tools)
With bow hunting illegal in these parts, I was armed with a 8x57mm Serbian made bolt action rifle. We began our walk estimated to take 2 hours.
After 5 minutes of slow and quiet walking down the track through the close pines of the forrest, we entered a large grassed clearing. With a lack of ambient light and a thin fog we struggled to see 50m in any direction, we moved out into the clearing and it was then I saw my first Roe Deer at 50m, problem was she had already seen us, and after a brief stare off the bolted. I was stoked.
We moved on and within 10 minutes I'd seen another 2 Roe Deer. Things were looking promising. A light breeze started to swirl and being familiar with the effects of such conditions in Oz I was concerned at what effect it would have on sighting more game.
We came across a freshly dug hole in the ground, I looked in and realised it was a bee's hive. There was a wide set of fresh tracks in the dew on the grass leading back into the forrest. I was glad I was holding the rifle. Brown bear were close.
We dropped into another clear grass area between forrested slopes and came across another hunter who advised us we had just missed seeing a huge antlered red stag with doe and fawn, bugger.
We then came across some recent boar rootings (about a day old), and another bees hive opened up with more fresh bear tracks (very fresh again). I saw a fox and some more Roe deer at distance too. This area was holding some game. We made it back to the car without any action.
The hunting tour continued as the boys took me to a shooting box overlooking an automatic feeder which distributes corn onto the ground twice a day (at dawn and dusk). Most of us from Oz frown on such practice, but here this approach is very common. Remebering that many of these villagers rely heavily on the resuts of successful hunts (meat!), the use of shooting stands and game feeders become a little more pallatable.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/freediver/DSC03426.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/freediver/DSC03427.jpg
They took me on to see the local deer farm, some nice fallow and reds with hard antler.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/freediver/DSC03429.jpg
After a lunch of deer steak and dumplings, we headed back to the top of another forrested mountain to a shooting stand where they assured me we would at least see another Roe Deer. In walking the last 200m to the stand, we reached the clearing and there was a lone Roe deer standing beneath the auto feeder oblivious to our presence. I dropped to the ground and crawled on hands and knees around the bush concealing our position to get a clear shot. At approximately 60m, from the prone position, this was too easy. I took my time to control my breathing before setting the hair trigger. The site picture was clear as I settled the post and bar recticle on the shoulder of the broadside deer. My finger contacted the trigger and I applied the required pressure, boom. On recovery from the kick and muzzle flash from the short barreled mountain rifle, I could not believe my eyes as the deer bounded off untouched. I could not believe my eyes. In a mix of emotions including embarrassment and strong disappointment, my hosts consoled me in advising I would be more lucky next time. We climbed into the shooting stand and waited.
Two more Roe Deer came out of the forrest fleetingly but must of picked up our scent in the swirling wind and dissapeared. We waited, the sun set, and ambient light diminished. A fox stepped out, but I wanted deer and so we left him. I could see my chances of another shot diminishing as the darkness set in. After a look through the scope at 7:55pm it was time to call it quits, I pulled the bolt on the rifle to unload it as my host exclaimed 'Serna!' (Roe Deer). Right he was, 35m out in the darkness was a Roe Deer. This was it. I closed the bolt and again set the hair trigger. I settled the scope recticle on the front shoulder of the deer, and with relaxed breathing and heart rate, maintained that site picture as I touched off the shot. The site picture was broken only by the flash of the muzzle and kick of the 8mm. No flinch, the shot was clean. The deer ran away unscathed! I was devastated.
My Slovenian dream hunt was awsome, despite the unsuccessful outcome. I will be back. I've never hunted in more pristine and scenic surroundings, and to hunt in forrests that have been owned by my family for generations was very special. There is talk that bow hunting is being legalised in some areas of the country. I'm confident that once the younger local hunters experience a bow hunt they'll be hooked like we are.
(On the drive out of the forrest after two missed shots, I asked my host when he last shot his rifle. He advised it was last December! The scope and mount had me a little concerned in it's quality when I gave them the once over in the mornings light, the missed shots of the evening saw me doing what every poor tradesman does- blame the tools)