Deer oh Deer

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UPTHETOP
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Deer oh Deer

#1 Post by UPTHETOP » Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:46 am

A Deer Story. Part 1,

The sun still hadn't broken the horizon and as the thick fog played with my weary old eyes straining to remember some distant land mark up the hill I stopped and rested for a miniute before my lungs burst. We were hiking a steep rocky path up hill to a ridge line to favour the wind before we would stop at the top to listen for any stags croaking down in the valley below us. We were on our yearly fallow deer hunt down in northern NSW and we new quite well the stags would be rounding the girls up as they come up from the grassy flats which they had been feeding on all night. We have hunted this property many times before and to know it like the back of your hand would be an understatement. The same stags as the previous years which had not been taken due to size or antler malfuctions would be back at there same haunts but maybe this year they had grown or had produced a near perfect rack upon there head.
Waiting the whole year long for the roar and migration down to the annual deer trip can be a tireless effort until the day comes and you are all packed up and heading again to the moutains to do it all again. The memories and trips to deer camp are logged in the old grey matter and during the year of waiting are played out many times over and over until maybe you will remember to do everything right the next time when your looking at a roaring stag side on within your range. I have had many a chance to arrow quality stags but due to the ever presence of buck fever you might call it or the wind, spooky hinds,dam spikers, crackley undergrowth, trees and shrubs, shot placement, to dark, dogs howling, chainsaws starting up I have still to take the fallow deer with the Trad gear. I put it all down to being a bowhunter. Some of us are lucky and some of us are just dam good hunters but generally we all have to do our time and learning from year to year is of great importance to have an successful outcome in our journey to taking game.
Our typical camp set up for the roar.
Our typical camp set up for the roar.
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Over the years I have been fortunate to have met and made good friends in the bowhunting journey and if it wasnt for these people I could honestly say my life would shorley have been a boring one at that. The willingness to help from these people is beyond beleaf and to this very day I find all my close friends to be bowhunters and the time we spend hunting and shooting bows are really the best times I have had apart from family and children. I have been lucky to have hunted some great places for deer and many a trip accross the water to NZ is included amoung them as well. Brisbane valley Reds, The Rocky Rusa deer from central Queensland and Chital along the basalt wall are always in my mind as I head of to all my hunting trips, The trips which have truely rewarded me with many fond memories and friends.
Small Red stag
Small Red stag
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Rusa stags during roar
Rusa stags during roar
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I looked back across the dry grassy plains in central Queensland straining my eyes to which were having some trouble ajusting to the now waves of heat shimmer flowing from my left to right. The only thing making it berable from the morning sun was that it was the end of June and a slight winter breeze crossed the plains giving me a cool releaf every now and then. The grass was waist high and my hiking boots and pants were saturated from the nights dew which clung to the grass as long as it could before the suns ray would evaporate it to the morning air. A glint of movement a good Kilometer out onto the plain caught my eye and I removed my binos from the harness and proceeded to glass and focus in the general direction of the movement I had seen. Shore enough I spotted a good Rusa stag which was trashing a small tree in a bid to maybe remove the last bit of valvet he may have had left on his antlers. I watched for a while and he didnt appear to be moving much so at a guess he may have some girls hidden in the mellon hole country out there somewhere in all that long dry grass. The wind was slow but steady and a plan of approach was made which would give me good cover and a small gully which would give me plenty of meters to cover into the wind before coming into bow range of the stag. I covered ground at a pace stopping every 100 meters or so to catch a glimpse of the stag incase he had moved from his little tree, he didn't. Maybe ten miniutes had passed or it could of been an hour, time is hard to judge when your heart is racing along with your thoughts but he hadn't moved and I was getting into range for the bow could this be the one finally. I stopped and regathered my thoughts dropped my pack to the ground, I took a quick drink to releave the dry thurst which had taken over in my mouth. I raised the binos slowly to my eyes and appeared above the grass line towards the stags direction, the 10x42 Bushnell binos gave the appearence that he was just there in front of me, boy everything is starting to just feel right and the stag was a speciman and a half, he had a large big slow sweeping back rack and the bodysize that would leave a cow to shame. I dropped back down ever so slowly and removed the camera from my pack at least I could get a shot with that I thought to myself. I looked down at my bow which already had an arrow knocked on the string I looked forward to the 200grn aztec which layed against the grass, I hope that hasn't reaked havock on the hrs I spent sharpening that broadhead for this very moment I thought to myself. I couldn't even remember putting the arrow on the string I thought to myself again, it is amazing how the adrenilin makes the mind loose itself in the moment.
CLICK the camera went off.
Big Rusa stag
Big Rusa stag
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To be continued ?????????????????????????

Part 11,
The big stag spun around before I could even have a chance to bring the bow to full draw, whats got him all spooky and as I looked behind and to the left of me I had been sprung by another mob of deer which were camped in an mellon hole not 15 meters away from me, I must of walked pretty close to them without even seeing a sign. They all broke loose and dragged the big Rusa away with them and headed far out onto the flat. Another valuable lesson was learnt then. I was so fixated on the stalk and big Rusa I should have paid more attention to my stalk in path and stopped more often to gaze over the surrounding area as I could have scored a closer shot on an even better stag if I was a bit more alert of the bush to my left and to my right .
Busted by the mob
Busted by the mob
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This was to be the same situation for the rest of the week as the stalks remaining proved fruitless for me bringing a Rusa to ground. It was challanging hunting and I wouldnt have had it any other way. The long hard walks and tired body at the end of the day had no trouble sleeping in our hammocks except for the Rusa roaring around the make shift camp we had set up right in there own back yard.
Backpacking in the Hammocks
Backpacking in the Hammocks
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There are many Deer stories in this bowhunters journey to come I hope, and who really worries or even ponders if one eventualy falls to ground from an arrow out of my quiver. For I have seen many a sight and many a deer roaming around in there own little world a world which I am pretty glad to be apart of. My best friends either compound shooters or Trad shooters they are all bowhunters and will always be in my thoughts as that time of the year comes around when the nights are spent sharpening broadheads, backpacks are equipped with new gear and bows are shot daily.
I am shorely blessed to have such good friends to whom I can spend time with in our great outdoors.
Its hard work being a Bowhunter?
Its hard work being a Bowhunter?
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The Chuckster with an nice Fallow.
The Chuckster with an nice Fallow.
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THE END Cheers Wayno
Last edited by UPTHETOP on Mon Jan 08, 2018 2:03 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Justastik Arrow Craft, Its all about the Wood.

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Muz1970
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#2 Post by Muz1970 » Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:33 pm

Great read, I'm so jealous. Wish we had that selection of game over here in WA. After chasing Sambar the last two years in Vic I have the deer bug big time. Look forward to the 2nd half

Cheers Muz

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Outbackdad
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#3 Post by Outbackdad » Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:34 am

Yes great so far.
Also waiting for the next part.

flyonline
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#4 Post by flyonline » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:32 am

Great write up! I'm lucky to have 3 deer species within cooee of me, so hopefully one day I can add them to the list.....

Chital have snuck onto my bucket list, so enjoy reading about them.

Looking forward to Part 2.

Steve

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perry
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#5 Post by perry » Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:01 pm

Go on ! Leave us hangin yah bugger :biggrin:

regards Perry
"To my deep morticication my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' "

- Charles Darwin

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UPTHETOP
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#6 Post by UPTHETOP » Mon Jan 08, 2018 2:47 pm

Thanks for the interest fellas.

Cheers Wayno
Justastik Arrow Craft, Its all about the Wood.

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Muz1970
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#7 Post by Muz1970 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:09 am

Nice one Wayno, think we can all relate to being zone out on stalking prey and being busted by something you've missed or overlooked. Very jealous of your backyard mate.
Big fan of hammocks also, all geared up to sleep down to -10c now.

Cheers Muz

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UPTHETOP
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#8 Post by UPTHETOP » Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:06 am

Dont use me hammock enough Muz. It works a treat in the tropics as you dont need any sleeping bags linen etc just hope in it and go to sleep at night. Dont have to worry about ants or snakes, when she poors down just lift and tie everything of it and nothing gets wet.But when I use it in the cold weather I have to insulate the bottom as it gets quite cold on your back. Chucks got the under bag for his and he recons it the ducks guts for the cold.

Cheers Wayno
July 2011 Hunt 014.jpg
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Muz1970
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#9 Post by Muz1970 » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:22 pm

Yeah I run an under quilt like in the above photo. They come in different temp ratings like sleeping bags do. Also use a footed quilt in the hammock also. Way easier to get into etc. Its a whole new world when you start hanging. I have a winter tarp for Victoria. The ends fold in link a tent. Good for when it snows etc. Not that I've had to use it like that yet.

I've used the old reflective windscreen protector for a while as a under pad in moderate temps. Doesn't take much of a breeze or drop in temp to get the cold butt syndrome going. Plus it doubles as a clean fold out pad/kitchen table/work station, an emergency blanket etc and it weighs bugga all. It reflects your body heat when used, can be a bit slippery but I use it in a double skinned hammock.

Really like the new Chameleon hammock set up by Dutchware
https://dutchwaregear.com/product/chame ... eleon-body

Most of my cold weather gear is from Wilderness Logics
http://wildernesslogics.com/main.sc

Try Tiergear in tassie for an underquilt
https://www.tiergear.com.au/

Or Moraka30 sells HG underquilts
https://www.moroka30.com.au/hammock-gea ... p-429.html

Cheers Muz

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UPTHETOP
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Re: Deer oh Deer

#10 Post by UPTHETOP » Sat Jan 13, 2018 6:51 pm

Some great links to some good equipement there Muz thanks for posting them up.

Cheers Wayno
Justastik Arrow Craft, Its all about the Wood.

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