Ok, I'm finally able to finish my story. After the goat hunting and the week long stay at my sister's place, it was time for the red stag hunt. This was a hunt I bought at the LSBA banquet last summer. I met up with my guide, Mick Baker of Trophy Bowhunts Australia, and Mick and myself and another Aussie traditional hunter named Luke were off for the several hours ride to the Mary Valley. This is a beautiful mountainous area. These are not high elevation mtns like in Colorado, but are every bit as steep. Mick told us that he had had 2 compound hunters the week before and that they had not taken any stags because they would not come in to the calls. We arrived at the camp on the top of one of the mountains and it was soooooo very cool. It was somewhat primitive but man, it was neat. Here are a few pics from the camp:
This was the cabin from the outside-
And from the inside-
This is the donkey (water heater) and shower-
And no camp would be complete without an outhouse so here it is-
And now onto the hunt:
The first day of the hunt was uneventful with a few stags heard in the distance but no sightings. On day 2 the guide Mick and I went out for an afternoon hunt in an arewa where Mick said he was pretty sure there was a bull staying. While making our way into the area Mick spotted an echidna. it is a little critter that is covered in spines like a porcupine. When threatened, the echidna rolls up into a ball and looks like a 6" round spiny ball. I had never seen one before and it was real cool. I had forget my camera that day so we have no pics. We let the critter be and left in search of stags. After a while we sat down and Mick began to call. In no time we had a stag answering the call. It kept getting closer and after a few minutes we could see him across the small canyon coming our way. Mick kept calling and the bull kept coming. He made his way behind a rise where we could not see him but from the roars we knew he was continuing to come our way. From the way his sounds were coming it appeared that he was going to walk around right in front of us and I would get a shot between 10 and 20 yards. All I remember was the last time I looked at Mick he was in the middle of laying flat on his back and pointing straight above me. I turned around to see the 5X4 bull coming into view at about 16yds. He was not where we thought he would come and I had to turn about 120 degrees and draw all in one motion. The bull caught the movement and stopped dead in his tracks. I could not believe what was happening. I picked a spot low and tight and let her rip. Well, I was not as low and tight as I thought as my arrow passed right over the bulls back. He turned and tore out of there. I have to say that, for a brief moment, I was truely disgusted. I laid my bow on the ground and just sat there not believing what had just happened. The good thig was that i had a clean miss and i did not make a bad hit on that majestic animal. We went back to camp and I was somewhat bummed for a while but then I realized something. I was in Australia on the hunt of a lifetime and I had had a nice stag roaring 15yds in front of me. Mick fed us another great supper and I was soon in great spirits again.
On the 3rd day Mick again was able to call in a nice bull - up close and personal. We went to a spot where we had heard a couple bulls from camp. As soon as Mick stsrted callin we got answers. But he would not come closer. We talked back and forth for about an hour and a half and he just would not come our way. Finally Mick just stopped calling and that did the trick. The next thing we knew the bull was headed straight towards us. He came up out of the bottom walking up an old 4 wheeler road straight towards us. He gat to about 12-14yds and let loose with a very load roar. He was so close I could see saliva dripping from his mouth and his eyes looked liked he was crazy or cross-eyed or something. He came up the road and cut off on a trail about 12yds below us. He was moving fast so Mick made a very light cow call to try to stop him. It worked; he stopped but he was right behind a tree so there was no shot. He figured out something was not right and tore out of there straight down the slope and into the cover. I was rattled. I really know what all the elk hunters are talking about now, when they describe the feling of a bull elk bugling right in front of you.
Day four started out at daybreak with us walking to an area behind the camp. While going out Mick hit the call and a bull answered immediately. He was real close but across the property boundry fence. He was real close though. We set up in a hurry and within a few minutes the bull was right in front of us on the other side of the fence. He walked along the fence till he got right in line with me and spotted me. We had a short stare-off and he won. He figured out something was wrong and took off. In hind sight we should have set up a little farther off the fence. That was our last sighting for the trip. We hunted the rest of the 4th day and the 5th day with no more encounters.
I had an absolute blast on this trip. I did not shot worth a crap and I missed 4 animals that I would have mounted and put in my living room. People who do not hunt cannot understand all that we, as hunters, get out of the experience. This was one of those trips that is proof that the hunt is not all about the kill. I got the full experience and got to do everything except take a picture while holding horns.
I will also say that I made some new friends who I probably will never again see again but you can bet I will stay in contact with through the forums.
I also have to give some kudos to Mick and Trophy Bowhunts Australia. I would hunt again with Mick in a heartbeat.
See y'all later,
Bisch
Topic: The Adventure Begins Down Under! (THE END OF THE STORY AND PICS -added4/20) (Read 3926 times)
