Charlie ...
I chased some Merriams turkeys into 12 yards ... then missed ! They were a lot around and there eyesight is pretty good eh !
Later in the hunt , further down south after the lads had headed back to Oz i spent a couple of days chasing Reds . As there was only three left of hunting and I could not bring any meat hoe nor knew anyone who would rtake it , it became more a game of "lets see how close I can get " rather than a concerted effort to drop the string... or so I tell myself
I managed on two occasions to "Roar " [ i sound like a sick shhep rather than a deer but it seemed to work ! lol ] some stags in ... and what a rush that is .
After glassing two hillsides , covered in what appeared to be low scrub I spotted a large stag not 400 yards off . He didn't seem to be moving anywhere and was , I think waiting for later in the day to feed . Finishing my coffee and worked a rough plan to approach the bedded stag , at the very least to get in and get some photo's .
After a good two hr detour uphill to approach with a crosswind , I began to notice that the ' low crub was deceptive as much of it was taller than me . It made great stalking country but also hid the deer from my view and as such "spot n stalk " now became a still hunt .... atop a steep mountainside where I often had to use hand holds to move .
After I become somewhat unsure as to my position on the mountain compared to where I had seen the deer I gave a few blows on the horn...waiting for a responce , like all children I became impatient and began to raise the horn to my lips for another , more aggressive 'roar ' when I heard my new friends responce . I figuerd he was within 100 yards but no further than 40 yards ... doesn't sound like much but in that country it could have meant a few hours more travel ...
Whilst I debated my options and indecision I heard another stronger responce , which seemed much closer than the first . The country was pretty unsure under foot and I was hesitant to draw an arrow in such terrain unless actually about to draw but needs must and a sharpened STOS 160 was now pointed in what was hopefully the right direction .
The afternoon had waned since i started up the hill and in the distanec I could hear other animals becoming active , including more roaring up the valley . However the wind had started to swril and time was now against me . Do I continue the stalk , aware that the only thing I could salvage would be antlers and perhaps a few choice cuts of meat ? approach more boldly but with the camera in hand ?
Perhaps , luckily the wind solved my dilemma for me . Ahead [ and much closer than I imagined ] I saw the tips of antlers rise and disappear above the shrubbery ... the sound of hooves dancing across rocks echoing past me as the stag made his way , much akin to how I would think an Ibex would travel down such a steep shale covered mountainside ...
This my adventure , at the least with bow inhand had ended . Would , had the stag presented himself , I have loosed my arrow ? I like to think not ... but who knows ?
As I write I have maps of the same area , my notes and a financial budget ...ready for next year when hopefully I'll be lucky enough to hear the haunting guttural roar of those stags once more
Topic: just returned from NZ [ with pics ... (Read 792 times)
