PeterM
11-08-05, 02:24 PM
ItÃ*s December 2004, I am on the phone telling my mate about the birthday Billy I shot the other week, and hassling him on when is he moving to the farm, that he has just bought. ìCome on mate, when?î I ask him, ìsoon mate, soon!î he replies!
Two months later in February of 2005, I am finally heading out there. He called to tell me that he had seen a dozen fallow deer in the back creek while he was exploring his new property. I had to have a look around the new house and stuff, yeah yeah yeah; you know all I am thinking is let me go for a walk mate!
As I am getting my stuff together my mate Steve asks, ìWhereÃ*s my camo stuff?î which caught me a little by surprise, ìYours I said, I said thatÃ*s exercise where talking about mate!î He said, ìIÃ*ve heard of it!î my reply was ìNot in a while by the look of it!î Well as we traded insults I explained to him the highly evolved senses of fallow deer and that I will probably be coming out every week for the next 6 weeks just too even get a shot at one! Now IÃ*m thinking I should have gotten here earlier since I have extra baggage to carry, that way I could have put a few more kmÃ*s on the trip so next time he wont ask to come again!
We simply followed the creek and with the wind in our favour started a slow and steady walk glassing all the creek line and the timber in the distance looking for movement, since it would be dark in 3 hours my first trip I only just expected to learn the lay of the land so to speak. Well only 40 minutes in and I am looking at a doe under a tree in a section that was green, it must have been feed by some sort of under ground spring, since all the other country around is very brown and dry. Not long after a young buck turned up and started to make a scrape just on the other side of the same tree she was eating near, as I explain pre-rut behaviour to my mate, more does appeared.
As I started to glass into the timberÃ*s edge, I spot two bucks bedded down. The number of deer in this section started to really surprise me, not long later the two bucks where up and started to feed towards the first group of deer, as I glassed them we carefully slipped into the creek, the two bucks where not massive but I was going to put a move on them anyway. As we moved though the sandy creek, that was now well below the level of the buckÃ*s we could make up some distance as they couldnÃ*t see us and the sandy floor was supper quiet, we where now right between the two groups of deer that were only separated by 80 metres and the wind was still good. I could see the two bucks now feeding right in the middle of the paddock so I committed my self to just to have a go at them. As I walked up the rise, I could see that there was not any real cover to make a stalk, but there was only a small stand of trees I could use as cover for my approach to close the distance, to get close enough for a shot. And the light fading fast I simply tip toed half bent over, walking straight at the bucks using the stand of trees to my best advantage, the ground litter was also very light and I still had my old mountain boots on, how lucky was I , these boots are normally way to noisy for deer hunting! As I approached the stand of trees I could see the biggest buck only about 20 to 30 metres behind them, so I slowed to the snails pace and told myself that all I have to do is get to the trees and IÃ*ll take a shot from there, not matter what the distance is. As I reached the trees I took to one knee, I had a clear shot and the biggest buck that was only 21 metres away! I came to full draw and anchored and I lined the No Peep up and tried to relax as much as possible, the pins of my Trophy Ridge Matrix sight were working brilliantly and I let the pin float for a short second or two and released! The arrow hit the buck perfectly behind the shoulder, he exploded and ran past me heading for the timberline, as he started to go over the rise I could see he started to struggle, and then he disappeared from sight.
The sun had well and truly set, as I quickly walked to where I have seen him disappear, I was so sure that the shot was good I knew he wouldnÃ*t be too far on the other side, with a little struggle from the low light conditionÃ*s I found him! With Steve walking straight up behind me commenting ìI thought you said they where hard to get!î I responded saying ìI probably will never get a shot that easy on a deer ever again!î I was as happy as Larry to say the least! He was no monster but I could not have hoped for a better start, one stalk one buck. He was in perfect condition with not a mark on his cape and with a very swollen neck so as I caped the buck and a took as much meat as Steve could carry, yes as much as he could carry, I had to carry the head I told him and you know how heavy they are, NOT! As we hit about the half way stretch home all I could here was Steve telling me the approximate weight of all the deer he was carrying, which seamed to be getting heavier every 50 metres! I had to keep a little distance from him so he did not see me laughing at him, now I knew I had solved my problem of him wanting to deer hunt with me.
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The pre-rut buck later measured out at 176 5/8 Douglas points.
A week later, I am back, and after I checked to see if Steve wanted to come for a walk again as I would need someone to carry the meat! Nevertheless, he said he was to busy, you know farmers there is works never done! 15 minutes later and I am walking down the same creek line heading past the section I shot the pre-rut buck last week. This time still on a mission to explore more of the property, I have access to; I find a section that has good potential and a large mountain range that runs for some 4 or 5 km. With lots of small-grassed gullyÃ*s that run all the way up and into the ridgeline that turns into timber, in this section. I find a large stand of dead wattle trees, as I am walking along in the grassy plain for some good two kmÃ*s I spot some 50 plus deer spread out along in entire length. I also spotted two bucks, one of which had a very good side with large palm and plenty of Spellers coming from it, but the other side was very weak! They were still in pre-rut mode, they did not stop moving I watched them move and freshen scrapes, rub there antlers as they made they way thought the open country, and heading to who knows where? I remember saying to myself I just stumbled onto a hot spot I think and it will hold a large amount of deer activity for the rut that is due to start anytime soon.
A few days later, I am back again! Yes I am keen, the thoughts of deer season running though my brains, this time the wind direction is less than I deal so I decide to look in the opposite direction from were I have been seeing large numbers of deer, and head right over to the boundary. I am a little reluctant, as I know that the property next-door employ two shooters that regularly control RooÃ*s and deer on the property. I make my way up to the boundary at the furthest point to get a better angle on the wind and start my search, after about two hours I have only managed to see two does. However, a bit further on I am sneaking along the timberline and manage to find a very good buck just sitting 20 metres inside of it. He is next to a gully chewing his cud, but the wind is marginal, so I try to get close but with the timber being so dry, it is nearly impossible. I am trying to make as little noise as possible, but even in my socks, this is impossible, but I manage to close the gap to about 50 metres. I am looking at the buck and trying to plan a way to use the large gum trees to cover my approach, since I cannot crawl across the ground because of the fallen bark, which would be like rolling around in a bubble wrap factory! Unfortunately, the wind swings straight to him and spoils my stalk, and he is off like a flash!
ItÃ*s Sunday and I am walking into the creek heading to my preferred section again, the wind is good, it slightly over cast overall, and it a bit cooler as it has still been quite warm, I was thinking this would help set them off. After I scanned many kilometres and walked to all the good vantage spots, I did not see a deer! I stated to think the worst and maybe the shooters had been last night and cleaned them all up? I started to walk back though one of the best sectionÃ*s I though would hold some of the bigger bucks when the rut starts. This section was a large stand of dead wattle that protrudes out into the grassland and runs all the way back and into the timberline some 500 metres away. I know the bucks seem to like this type of country, when there in the middle of the rut. In addition, I had seen large amount of tracks and scrapes though this section in the last week or two. Still I did not see a thing! I was a bit bewildered when I heard the answer to why I had not seen anything, a dog stared to bark some distance up in front of me, bugger! I headed in the direction of the barking thinking I bet he has got some deer bailed up, but this turned out to be wrong as the noise soon tuned in to two dogs and four people on horses, all talking loudly and carrying on! I waited on the side and the small track until they walked by, they got a bit of a shock when they saw me step out onto the track to say hello, but the male piped straight up and said ìOh you must be Pete, Steve said would be around here some place!î A small conversation started, I soon found out the whole family goes horse ridding on Sundays and they ride over most of the country in this mountain range, witch covers some four different properties! Therefore, this meant in my mind that there would be no point coming out on his day anymore. Nevertheless, one small consolation was he said that I could hunt in his place too. However, I knew he had shooterÃ*s on there and as I had already covered the boundary just last week. I said thanks anyway, but I knew that my chances would be better right here, just not on Sundays by the look of things.
Two days later its lunchtime and I have come up with another lame excuse to knock of work and with my gear already packed, I am out of there! As I mentally plan the route, as I am driving that I would take on this day. I am headed down the creek line again and I have just emerged out and into the open grassy plain, I am just blundering along and I see a buck just standing in the creek! Crap! I should have been more careful he is going to bolt now; he would have had to have seen my dumb ass walking along like that in the open with no cover? Now with only a three in high stubble of grass to conceal your shoelaces, NO he just stood there just staring up the creek line and not at me! He then turned and started preening him self, with his head now turned I hit the ground and crawled to a fisher of rock sticking from the earth.
I was about 150 metres from the 175 to 185 point buck. He now had moved up the creek a little and sat back down, I figured that he must have been half asleep and stood up just as I saw him, but now he was facing my way and the only cover was 100 metres of 3 to 12 inch high grass to try and conceal myself behind. I took my utility belt off, started to crawl inch by inch, flat out on my stomach as slow, and deliberated as possible toward the buck. I thought this is going to take me all day! Inch by inch IÃ*m closing in, thinking of how the hell and I going to get to my knees and get a shot at him even if I close the gap as IÃ*ll still have a 50 metre shot even if he is still in the same position by the time I even do get there? I as I hit a little dip in the grounds surface, a spiker came out of the gully above and behind him and started to feed, great! Now I have two sets of eyes to look out for, this slowed my pace, but it did not take long and the spiker, which was now in the buckÃ*s line of site. The buck jumped up as he saw the little fella, the spiker now spotted the buck also, he reacted very strangely indeed, he stood up on the tips of his toes and pronged his way a short distance on the hilltop and he looked as happy as to see him! As he made his way down to the buck, which had now moved a short distance to a bush just in front of him and was watching him intensely, he started to puff himself up, as the spiker walked closer the buck started to smash the bush! I am thinking unreal I will get to see Mike Tyson crush the opposition in a minute and I have front row seats!
I used all this deer intimidation to close right in on a small section that had some decent length grass on it which now concealed my whole body. I watched the two stand off from each other for a while and I could see a bush even though it was a small bush, if I could get to that only another 20 metres I might be able to get to my knees and take a shot at the buck.
By the time I covered half the distance to the little bush the spiker had got the message and had turned and started to walk quickly off before the buck could get to close and give him a flogging. As the buck settled back down, I was at the little bush which now was really too small! There is no way I would be able to get to my knees without him seeing me, I knew he was about 40 metres away and so as I carefully pulled a Gold tip from my quiver and knocked it. While still flat on my stomach, I thought, here we go, over two hours of impersonating a snake in the grass is about to come to a head. I gripped my bow and started to move backwards to sit on my heels, with the bow flat on the ground and head down still, but with my eyes locked onto the buck for his reaction, and yes, he is straight onto me! He has his head right up and looking as hard as he can, with the look of what the hells that? The 3D camo is being put to the test again, and the buck starts to walk toward me, his eyes fixed on me trying to determine what I am. He coming quite quickly and he still is about 40 metres walking parallel to me on the opposite bank of the creek, he had to walk though some small bushes which gave me enough time to sit up with my bow up I come to full draw and got set. Just as he exits the bush he stops and is stands dead still, all this has happened so quickly I settle the 40 metre pin on his chest and released, I caught a glimpse of the arrow speeding to itÃ*s target only to see it explode on the rocks just over his back, he swings around 180 degrees and leaps! In what only seamed like five or six jumps heÃ*s already out to about 80 metres and turns and stops, IÃ*m just sitting motion less in the grass pretending I wasnÃ*t there, he has a double take and bounds off. I wandered over looking like some school kid that just had his lunch money taken off him, head down and dragging my feet, I picked up the remainder of the arrow as it turned out that he was only 33 metres away.
Over the next week and half I return several times and spotted a few more buckÃ*s and a lot more does in the grass plain section but again the most amount of deer activity was in or around the stand of wattle. On one trip when I was walking back just on dark, right where I shot the pre-rut buck, I heard the first grunt of the year, it was the end of the first week in April and it was still summer like conditions, but this really excited me.
The rut has started, it is the second week in April and its Saturday and I am standing right on the tree line listening to one buck grunting behind me some 100 metres away! Nevertheless, there is two bucks fighting in the wattle in front of me, but it is just about dark and when I step into the wattle it is even darker, and it sounds like the battle up front is moving away from me at a great rate, so I had to head back.
Tuesday afternoon and I am heading to the entrance of a long grassy gully that I have been scoping out for two weeks now and again IÃ*m not concentrating hard enough and moving a little to quick and I have been seen by a large buck standing at the entrance looking straight at me, damm it! As he takes off up the gully I see that he is one of the bucks IÃ*ve seen three weeks ago that is very strong on one side and totally poor on the other so this in the end didnÃ*t worry me to much but still I should pull my finger out and slow right down and concentrate harder! I am right along side the wattle and I am steadily sneaking up the length of the gully looking and listening. I get to about half way up and I spot a buck only 50 metres away feeding under a tree, so I quickly move to the other side of the gully to obscure his view and start my stalk. Using all the available cover I could, it did not take long to close the gap with the re growth of wattle giving me enough cover to get to 23 metres with no hassle at all. The young buck is feeding under a larger tree as I take aim from behind another; I aim tight behind the shoulder. The shaft is away and it penetrates completely and he off like the starters gun, but the Magnus Stinger 4 blade broad head are devastating and he only makeÃ*s it some 40 metres max before succumbing to itÃ*s effectÃ*s. Buck number two was on the deck! I was very excited again, as I started looking for my arrow which I guessed was some 40 metres further up the gully, IÃ*m so consumed by this that I totally forgot there are plenty of other deer around especially at this time of the day so I shouldnÃ*t let my guard down. Just as a very loud bark wakes me from my intense searching, I see a large buck standing on top of the gully bank looking down at me! Two mistakeÃ*s in one day and I still shot a deer, soundÃ*s like more arse that class, IÃ*m mumbling to my self. I get a good look at him as he steadily walks back in to the wattle, he is one of the better bucks I have seen and he was even and had good length. Anyway, after the self timed photos and cape removal I could hear two bucks grunting in the stand of wattle, I started the long walk out, as it is now twilight and too dark to see properly. I know what the plan of attack will be on Thursday, work the stand of wattle and see if I can find the better buck.
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ItÃ*s Thursday and my boss is looking at me funny as I approach his office, he just yells out ìGO, just go, See ya next week!î thanks mate, I reply, lucky thereÃ*s not much on. I am in the wattle still hunting, IÃ*m early but with luck something will walk past me on the way out or run into me fighting with each other. Only 10 minutes in and two young bucks materialize in front of me at 30 metres! IÃ*m standing right in line with a small tree and with the bow at the ready, as one of the buckÃ*s is walking straight to me, his is no bigger that the one I shot on Tuesday so I decide not to shoot, but still an adrenalin rush. HeÃ*s now walking past me at only five metres, but the wind is still in my face so he wonÃ*t be able to smell me, he walks another five metres past me and startÃ*s to make a scrape and rub his little antlers on the branches above him. His mate which was not much bigger and is doing the same thing is about 40 metres away for me, they where oblivious to my presence. I watched them freshen scrapes, rub, and walk right out into the grassy plain heading in the same direction as every other buck that I have seen, IÃ*m thinking there must be some big buck magnet at the end of the mountain range. So I start still hunting again, the sun is starting to set, and IÃ*m half way thought the wattle but I havenÃ*t heard any grunting. As I exit the wattle and out into the re-growth which openÃ*s out into grassland I spot a spiker feeding very quickly toward me, he seemed a bit scared for some reason but IÃ*m not sure why? He is heading straight for me so I kneel down and get ready. As the spiker pops over a small rise at only 10 metres, he stops and is looking at me kneeling in the re-growth, but it is to late the Gold Tip shaft from my Darton Maverick RC set and 81 lbs. has completely penetrated his body length ways and he bolts for the safety of the timber. As a get up to take note of the entry point of the fatally wounded deer, to my amazement there is a mature buck walking out of the timberline to my right at about 100 metres! He is making a beeline for a bush in the open; I quickly knocked another shaft and hugged the few remaining trees along the timberline to get within stalking range. The buck was now just standing at the large bush bashing the crap out it, I carefully made my way down to him with the cover of the re-growth to about the 70-metre mark. With the light fading very fast and with him so consumed about bashing the bush to death, I closed to within 50 metres but that is when the cover ran out. There was only one small tree about 15 metres out in the open now from me that I figured if I could get to there while he is so distracted I will have a only 35 metre shot. I am sneaking as slow as I can in the middle of no manÃ*s land, trying to take every step as he bashers the bush. I am about half way there, and BANG, he has busted me! One loud bark and he running past me and back up the rise heading for the timberline, at the same time IÃ*ve taken to one knee and come to full draw and set, he stops to confirm what has spooked him, heÃ*s now at least 50 metreÃ*s away and standing broadside, itÃ*s a long shot! However, I have had my 50-metre pin of my Trophy Ridge Matrix sight floating on his chest from the start and I released! A second later, I hear the arrow penetrate and hit heavy bone, the buck collapses on the spot, thinking that I just have a spine shot I knock another shaft and quickly covered the open ground to finish the buck off.
The adrenalin was really pumping now, as I inspected the buck, I found that the arrow had not hit his spine but had hit tight behind his shoulder and angled forward and broken the shoulder joint on the opposite side! So the second arrow was probably not needed, I then realized that he was the buck that busted me on Tuesday, what a buzz! I was as happy as I setup for the self timed photos in total darkness which was very difficult indeed. I used the light on top on my sight and placed it on across the buck to check that my camera was aligned correctly. I spent the next 15 minutes running back and forth in the darkness pressing the camera button and trying to get back behind the deer and hold his head up in positions I thought would look good before the camera went off! After all this mucking around, I decided next time I had better buy one of those AAA size torches and a digital camera! The buck's neck was massive and swollen, and boy did he stink! Man it was bad as I caped him out in total darkness trying not to wreck the cape and not cut my fingers off, while doing this IÃ*m giggling to myself and thinking I wish that Yates was here to do this, since heÃ*s really good at this type of thing! It is easier to make fun of people when they are not here to defend themselves hey! Just jokes Kevin, just jokes! Since it was, so dark and no torch I would have to wait until tomorrow to recover the spiker I had shot just before the excellent buck.
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The third buck later measured out at 187 3/8 Douglas points.
When I returned the next day, picked up an arrow or two, and checked the distance I shot the buck from yesterday, it ended up being 52 metres, not bad. I recovered the spiker as well, he had only made it just in inside the timber before collapsing. I took some photos and took some of his meat for my mates dogs since I would not eat it because it had been over 12 hours and the day was quite warm.
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I headed around to the start of the gully again working my way up the same as yesterday. I came upon a fox as he was hunting for mice or grasshoppers, he was jumping up and down in the grass, so I snuck up behind him and nailed him at 10 metres! I spent the rest on the day sneaking up the side of the timberline and spotted one good buck, but he looked like he was late for a hot date, and again still heading in the same direction as always. I sat just off the stand of wattle waiting to see if there would be any grunting, but none eventuated. The rut seemed to have finished already. The rut was only hot for 2 weeks. Now I returned only on the weekends and the deer had found their places and settled down but where still mating, they seemed to be back to the full switch on state on mind, which was probably half my fault! I did see a few more bucks but none where really worth the effort, since I thought I had done so well this year.
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I spent so much time hunting the fallow this year I had missed the red season, well so I thought. ThatÃ*s another story!
Bow used was a Darton Maverick set at 81 lbs with Trophy Ridge Matrix 5 pin sight and Trophy Ridge drop zone hunter rest, NAP Shock Blocker 1000 Stabilizer.
Shafts used are Gold Tip big game 100+ that weight 523 grains with the Magnus 125 grain Stinger broad head witch leave my Darton Maverick RC at 285 feet per second.
Two months later in February of 2005, I am finally heading out there. He called to tell me that he had seen a dozen fallow deer in the back creek while he was exploring his new property. I had to have a look around the new house and stuff, yeah yeah yeah; you know all I am thinking is let me go for a walk mate!
As I am getting my stuff together my mate Steve asks, ìWhereÃ*s my camo stuff?î which caught me a little by surprise, ìYours I said, I said thatÃ*s exercise where talking about mate!î He said, ìIÃ*ve heard of it!î my reply was ìNot in a while by the look of it!î Well as we traded insults I explained to him the highly evolved senses of fallow deer and that I will probably be coming out every week for the next 6 weeks just too even get a shot at one! Now IÃ*m thinking I should have gotten here earlier since I have extra baggage to carry, that way I could have put a few more kmÃ*s on the trip so next time he wont ask to come again!
We simply followed the creek and with the wind in our favour started a slow and steady walk glassing all the creek line and the timber in the distance looking for movement, since it would be dark in 3 hours my first trip I only just expected to learn the lay of the land so to speak. Well only 40 minutes in and I am looking at a doe under a tree in a section that was green, it must have been feed by some sort of under ground spring, since all the other country around is very brown and dry. Not long after a young buck turned up and started to make a scrape just on the other side of the same tree she was eating near, as I explain pre-rut behaviour to my mate, more does appeared.
As I started to glass into the timberÃ*s edge, I spot two bucks bedded down. The number of deer in this section started to really surprise me, not long later the two bucks where up and started to feed towards the first group of deer, as I glassed them we carefully slipped into the creek, the two bucks where not massive but I was going to put a move on them anyway. As we moved though the sandy creek, that was now well below the level of the buckÃ*s we could make up some distance as they couldnÃ*t see us and the sandy floor was supper quiet, we where now right between the two groups of deer that were only separated by 80 metres and the wind was still good. I could see the two bucks now feeding right in the middle of the paddock so I committed my self to just to have a go at them. As I walked up the rise, I could see that there was not any real cover to make a stalk, but there was only a small stand of trees I could use as cover for my approach to close the distance, to get close enough for a shot. And the light fading fast I simply tip toed half bent over, walking straight at the bucks using the stand of trees to my best advantage, the ground litter was also very light and I still had my old mountain boots on, how lucky was I , these boots are normally way to noisy for deer hunting! As I approached the stand of trees I could see the biggest buck only about 20 to 30 metres behind them, so I slowed to the snails pace and told myself that all I have to do is get to the trees and IÃ*ll take a shot from there, not matter what the distance is. As I reached the trees I took to one knee, I had a clear shot and the biggest buck that was only 21 metres away! I came to full draw and anchored and I lined the No Peep up and tried to relax as much as possible, the pins of my Trophy Ridge Matrix sight were working brilliantly and I let the pin float for a short second or two and released! The arrow hit the buck perfectly behind the shoulder, he exploded and ran past me heading for the timberline, as he started to go over the rise I could see he started to struggle, and then he disappeared from sight.
The sun had well and truly set, as I quickly walked to where I have seen him disappear, I was so sure that the shot was good I knew he wouldnÃ*t be too far on the other side, with a little struggle from the low light conditionÃ*s I found him! With Steve walking straight up behind me commenting ìI thought you said they where hard to get!î I responded saying ìI probably will never get a shot that easy on a deer ever again!î I was as happy as Larry to say the least! He was no monster but I could not have hoped for a better start, one stalk one buck. He was in perfect condition with not a mark on his cape and with a very swollen neck so as I caped the buck and a took as much meat as Steve could carry, yes as much as he could carry, I had to carry the head I told him and you know how heavy they are, NOT! As we hit about the half way stretch home all I could here was Steve telling me the approximate weight of all the deer he was carrying, which seamed to be getting heavier every 50 metres! I had to keep a little distance from him so he did not see me laughing at him, now I knew I had solved my problem of him wanting to deer hunt with me.
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The pre-rut buck later measured out at 176 5/8 Douglas points.
A week later, I am back, and after I checked to see if Steve wanted to come for a walk again as I would need someone to carry the meat! Nevertheless, he said he was to busy, you know farmers there is works never done! 15 minutes later and I am walking down the same creek line heading past the section I shot the pre-rut buck last week. This time still on a mission to explore more of the property, I have access to; I find a section that has good potential and a large mountain range that runs for some 4 or 5 km. With lots of small-grassed gullyÃ*s that run all the way up and into the ridgeline that turns into timber, in this section. I find a large stand of dead wattle trees, as I am walking along in the grassy plain for some good two kmÃ*s I spot some 50 plus deer spread out along in entire length. I also spotted two bucks, one of which had a very good side with large palm and plenty of Spellers coming from it, but the other side was very weak! They were still in pre-rut mode, they did not stop moving I watched them move and freshen scrapes, rub there antlers as they made they way thought the open country, and heading to who knows where? I remember saying to myself I just stumbled onto a hot spot I think and it will hold a large amount of deer activity for the rut that is due to start anytime soon.
A few days later, I am back again! Yes I am keen, the thoughts of deer season running though my brains, this time the wind direction is less than I deal so I decide to look in the opposite direction from were I have been seeing large numbers of deer, and head right over to the boundary. I am a little reluctant, as I know that the property next-door employ two shooters that regularly control RooÃ*s and deer on the property. I make my way up to the boundary at the furthest point to get a better angle on the wind and start my search, after about two hours I have only managed to see two does. However, a bit further on I am sneaking along the timberline and manage to find a very good buck just sitting 20 metres inside of it. He is next to a gully chewing his cud, but the wind is marginal, so I try to get close but with the timber being so dry, it is nearly impossible. I am trying to make as little noise as possible, but even in my socks, this is impossible, but I manage to close the gap to about 50 metres. I am looking at the buck and trying to plan a way to use the large gum trees to cover my approach, since I cannot crawl across the ground because of the fallen bark, which would be like rolling around in a bubble wrap factory! Unfortunately, the wind swings straight to him and spoils my stalk, and he is off like a flash!
ItÃ*s Sunday and I am walking into the creek heading to my preferred section again, the wind is good, it slightly over cast overall, and it a bit cooler as it has still been quite warm, I was thinking this would help set them off. After I scanned many kilometres and walked to all the good vantage spots, I did not see a deer! I stated to think the worst and maybe the shooters had been last night and cleaned them all up? I started to walk back though one of the best sectionÃ*s I though would hold some of the bigger bucks when the rut starts. This section was a large stand of dead wattle that protrudes out into the grassland and runs all the way back and into the timberline some 500 metres away. I know the bucks seem to like this type of country, when there in the middle of the rut. In addition, I had seen large amount of tracks and scrapes though this section in the last week or two. Still I did not see a thing! I was a bit bewildered when I heard the answer to why I had not seen anything, a dog stared to bark some distance up in front of me, bugger! I headed in the direction of the barking thinking I bet he has got some deer bailed up, but this turned out to be wrong as the noise soon tuned in to two dogs and four people on horses, all talking loudly and carrying on! I waited on the side and the small track until they walked by, they got a bit of a shock when they saw me step out onto the track to say hello, but the male piped straight up and said ìOh you must be Pete, Steve said would be around here some place!î A small conversation started, I soon found out the whole family goes horse ridding on Sundays and they ride over most of the country in this mountain range, witch covers some four different properties! Therefore, this meant in my mind that there would be no point coming out on his day anymore. Nevertheless, one small consolation was he said that I could hunt in his place too. However, I knew he had shooterÃ*s on there and as I had already covered the boundary just last week. I said thanks anyway, but I knew that my chances would be better right here, just not on Sundays by the look of things.
Two days later its lunchtime and I have come up with another lame excuse to knock of work and with my gear already packed, I am out of there! As I mentally plan the route, as I am driving that I would take on this day. I am headed down the creek line again and I have just emerged out and into the open grassy plain, I am just blundering along and I see a buck just standing in the creek! Crap! I should have been more careful he is going to bolt now; he would have had to have seen my dumb ass walking along like that in the open with no cover? Now with only a three in high stubble of grass to conceal your shoelaces, NO he just stood there just staring up the creek line and not at me! He then turned and started preening him self, with his head now turned I hit the ground and crawled to a fisher of rock sticking from the earth.
I was about 150 metres from the 175 to 185 point buck. He now had moved up the creek a little and sat back down, I figured that he must have been half asleep and stood up just as I saw him, but now he was facing my way and the only cover was 100 metres of 3 to 12 inch high grass to try and conceal myself behind. I took my utility belt off, started to crawl inch by inch, flat out on my stomach as slow, and deliberated as possible toward the buck. I thought this is going to take me all day! Inch by inch IÃ*m closing in, thinking of how the hell and I going to get to my knees and get a shot at him even if I close the gap as IÃ*ll still have a 50 metre shot even if he is still in the same position by the time I even do get there? I as I hit a little dip in the grounds surface, a spiker came out of the gully above and behind him and started to feed, great! Now I have two sets of eyes to look out for, this slowed my pace, but it did not take long and the spiker, which was now in the buckÃ*s line of site. The buck jumped up as he saw the little fella, the spiker now spotted the buck also, he reacted very strangely indeed, he stood up on the tips of his toes and pronged his way a short distance on the hilltop and he looked as happy as to see him! As he made his way down to the buck, which had now moved a short distance to a bush just in front of him and was watching him intensely, he started to puff himself up, as the spiker walked closer the buck started to smash the bush! I am thinking unreal I will get to see Mike Tyson crush the opposition in a minute and I have front row seats!
I used all this deer intimidation to close right in on a small section that had some decent length grass on it which now concealed my whole body. I watched the two stand off from each other for a while and I could see a bush even though it was a small bush, if I could get to that only another 20 metres I might be able to get to my knees and take a shot at the buck.
By the time I covered half the distance to the little bush the spiker had got the message and had turned and started to walk quickly off before the buck could get to close and give him a flogging. As the buck settled back down, I was at the little bush which now was really too small! There is no way I would be able to get to my knees without him seeing me, I knew he was about 40 metres away and so as I carefully pulled a Gold tip from my quiver and knocked it. While still flat on my stomach, I thought, here we go, over two hours of impersonating a snake in the grass is about to come to a head. I gripped my bow and started to move backwards to sit on my heels, with the bow flat on the ground and head down still, but with my eyes locked onto the buck for his reaction, and yes, he is straight onto me! He has his head right up and looking as hard as he can, with the look of what the hells that? The 3D camo is being put to the test again, and the buck starts to walk toward me, his eyes fixed on me trying to determine what I am. He coming quite quickly and he still is about 40 metres walking parallel to me on the opposite bank of the creek, he had to walk though some small bushes which gave me enough time to sit up with my bow up I come to full draw and got set. Just as he exits the bush he stops and is stands dead still, all this has happened so quickly I settle the 40 metre pin on his chest and released, I caught a glimpse of the arrow speeding to itÃ*s target only to see it explode on the rocks just over his back, he swings around 180 degrees and leaps! In what only seamed like five or six jumps heÃ*s already out to about 80 metres and turns and stops, IÃ*m just sitting motion less in the grass pretending I wasnÃ*t there, he has a double take and bounds off. I wandered over looking like some school kid that just had his lunch money taken off him, head down and dragging my feet, I picked up the remainder of the arrow as it turned out that he was only 33 metres away.
Over the next week and half I return several times and spotted a few more buckÃ*s and a lot more does in the grass plain section but again the most amount of deer activity was in or around the stand of wattle. On one trip when I was walking back just on dark, right where I shot the pre-rut buck, I heard the first grunt of the year, it was the end of the first week in April and it was still summer like conditions, but this really excited me.
The rut has started, it is the second week in April and its Saturday and I am standing right on the tree line listening to one buck grunting behind me some 100 metres away! Nevertheless, there is two bucks fighting in the wattle in front of me, but it is just about dark and when I step into the wattle it is even darker, and it sounds like the battle up front is moving away from me at a great rate, so I had to head back.
Tuesday afternoon and I am heading to the entrance of a long grassy gully that I have been scoping out for two weeks now and again IÃ*m not concentrating hard enough and moving a little to quick and I have been seen by a large buck standing at the entrance looking straight at me, damm it! As he takes off up the gully I see that he is one of the bucks IÃ*ve seen three weeks ago that is very strong on one side and totally poor on the other so this in the end didnÃ*t worry me to much but still I should pull my finger out and slow right down and concentrate harder! I am right along side the wattle and I am steadily sneaking up the length of the gully looking and listening. I get to about half way up and I spot a buck only 50 metres away feeding under a tree, so I quickly move to the other side of the gully to obscure his view and start my stalk. Using all the available cover I could, it did not take long to close the gap with the re growth of wattle giving me enough cover to get to 23 metres with no hassle at all. The young buck is feeding under a larger tree as I take aim from behind another; I aim tight behind the shoulder. The shaft is away and it penetrates completely and he off like the starters gun, but the Magnus Stinger 4 blade broad head are devastating and he only makeÃ*s it some 40 metres max before succumbing to itÃ*s effectÃ*s. Buck number two was on the deck! I was very excited again, as I started looking for my arrow which I guessed was some 40 metres further up the gully, IÃ*m so consumed by this that I totally forgot there are plenty of other deer around especially at this time of the day so I shouldnÃ*t let my guard down. Just as a very loud bark wakes me from my intense searching, I see a large buck standing on top of the gully bank looking down at me! Two mistakeÃ*s in one day and I still shot a deer, soundÃ*s like more arse that class, IÃ*m mumbling to my self. I get a good look at him as he steadily walks back in to the wattle, he is one of the better bucks I have seen and he was even and had good length. Anyway, after the self timed photos and cape removal I could hear two bucks grunting in the stand of wattle, I started the long walk out, as it is now twilight and too dark to see properly. I know what the plan of attack will be on Thursday, work the stand of wattle and see if I can find the better buck.
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ItÃ*s Thursday and my boss is looking at me funny as I approach his office, he just yells out ìGO, just go, See ya next week!î thanks mate, I reply, lucky thereÃ*s not much on. I am in the wattle still hunting, IÃ*m early but with luck something will walk past me on the way out or run into me fighting with each other. Only 10 minutes in and two young bucks materialize in front of me at 30 metres! IÃ*m standing right in line with a small tree and with the bow at the ready, as one of the buckÃ*s is walking straight to me, his is no bigger that the one I shot on Tuesday so I decide not to shoot, but still an adrenalin rush. HeÃ*s now walking past me at only five metres, but the wind is still in my face so he wonÃ*t be able to smell me, he walks another five metres past me and startÃ*s to make a scrape and rub his little antlers on the branches above him. His mate which was not much bigger and is doing the same thing is about 40 metres away for me, they where oblivious to my presence. I watched them freshen scrapes, rub, and walk right out into the grassy plain heading in the same direction as every other buck that I have seen, IÃ*m thinking there must be some big buck magnet at the end of the mountain range. So I start still hunting again, the sun is starting to set, and IÃ*m half way thought the wattle but I havenÃ*t heard any grunting. As I exit the wattle and out into the re-growth which openÃ*s out into grassland I spot a spiker feeding very quickly toward me, he seemed a bit scared for some reason but IÃ*m not sure why? He is heading straight for me so I kneel down and get ready. As the spiker pops over a small rise at only 10 metres, he stops and is looking at me kneeling in the re-growth, but it is to late the Gold Tip shaft from my Darton Maverick RC set and 81 lbs. has completely penetrated his body length ways and he bolts for the safety of the timber. As a get up to take note of the entry point of the fatally wounded deer, to my amazement there is a mature buck walking out of the timberline to my right at about 100 metres! He is making a beeline for a bush in the open; I quickly knocked another shaft and hugged the few remaining trees along the timberline to get within stalking range. The buck was now just standing at the large bush bashing the crap out it, I carefully made my way down to him with the cover of the re-growth to about the 70-metre mark. With the light fading very fast and with him so consumed about bashing the bush to death, I closed to within 50 metres but that is when the cover ran out. There was only one small tree about 15 metres out in the open now from me that I figured if I could get to there while he is so distracted I will have a only 35 metre shot. I am sneaking as slow as I can in the middle of no manÃ*s land, trying to take every step as he bashers the bush. I am about half way there, and BANG, he has busted me! One loud bark and he running past me and back up the rise heading for the timberline, at the same time IÃ*ve taken to one knee and come to full draw and set, he stops to confirm what has spooked him, heÃ*s now at least 50 metreÃ*s away and standing broadside, itÃ*s a long shot! However, I have had my 50-metre pin of my Trophy Ridge Matrix sight floating on his chest from the start and I released! A second later, I hear the arrow penetrate and hit heavy bone, the buck collapses on the spot, thinking that I just have a spine shot I knock another shaft and quickly covered the open ground to finish the buck off.
The adrenalin was really pumping now, as I inspected the buck, I found that the arrow had not hit his spine but had hit tight behind his shoulder and angled forward and broken the shoulder joint on the opposite side! So the second arrow was probably not needed, I then realized that he was the buck that busted me on Tuesday, what a buzz! I was as happy as I setup for the self timed photos in total darkness which was very difficult indeed. I used the light on top on my sight and placed it on across the buck to check that my camera was aligned correctly. I spent the next 15 minutes running back and forth in the darkness pressing the camera button and trying to get back behind the deer and hold his head up in positions I thought would look good before the camera went off! After all this mucking around, I decided next time I had better buy one of those AAA size torches and a digital camera! The buck's neck was massive and swollen, and boy did he stink! Man it was bad as I caped him out in total darkness trying not to wreck the cape and not cut my fingers off, while doing this IÃ*m giggling to myself and thinking I wish that Yates was here to do this, since heÃ*s really good at this type of thing! It is easier to make fun of people when they are not here to defend themselves hey! Just jokes Kevin, just jokes! Since it was, so dark and no torch I would have to wait until tomorrow to recover the spiker I had shot just before the excellent buck.
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The third buck later measured out at 187 3/8 Douglas points.
When I returned the next day, picked up an arrow or two, and checked the distance I shot the buck from yesterday, it ended up being 52 metres, not bad. I recovered the spiker as well, he had only made it just in inside the timber before collapsing. I took some photos and took some of his meat for my mates dogs since I would not eat it because it had been over 12 hours and the day was quite warm.
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I headed around to the start of the gully again working my way up the same as yesterday. I came upon a fox as he was hunting for mice or grasshoppers, he was jumping up and down in the grass, so I snuck up behind him and nailed him at 10 metres! I spent the rest on the day sneaking up the side of the timberline and spotted one good buck, but he looked like he was late for a hot date, and again still heading in the same direction as always. I sat just off the stand of wattle waiting to see if there would be any grunting, but none eventuated. The rut seemed to have finished already. The rut was only hot for 2 weeks. Now I returned only on the weekends and the deer had found their places and settled down but where still mating, they seemed to be back to the full switch on state on mind, which was probably half my fault! I did see a few more bucks but none where really worth the effort, since I thought I had done so well this year.
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I spent so much time hunting the fallow this year I had missed the red season, well so I thought. ThatÃ*s another story!
Bow used was a Darton Maverick set at 81 lbs with Trophy Ridge Matrix 5 pin sight and Trophy Ridge drop zone hunter rest, NAP Shock Blocker 1000 Stabilizer.
Shafts used are Gold Tip big game 100+ that weight 523 grains with the Magnus 125 grain Stinger broad head witch leave my Darton Maverick RC at 285 feet per second.