The Victorian High Country Hunt - 1-3 October 2005

Message

Hood · #211 Post by **Hood** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 10:10 pm

Well after a couple of phone calls today, and the threat of legal action on them. I will find out by Thursday if I'm financial enough to come or not so I am still getting ready as if there wasn't a problem.

So it's on with the fletching and packing for this little black duck.

Sparra just keep that VB on ice mate.

So all going well I should be there about 3-4pm friday and leaving on Monday after luch some time.

Pete · #212 Post by **Pete** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 1:20 pm

Mick, thats rough mate. Hope everything works out and you can make it to the hunt....not long to go now.

Pete F

memo · #213 Post by **memo** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 1:23 pm

Hope it all works out Mick.
I have to work on Friday night, so i'll get there on Saturday, and head off monday arvo.

Mick Smith · #214 Post by **Mick Smith** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:51 pm

Mick

Well mate, we'll keep our fingers crossed for you for two reasons, one, we want you to come to the hunt, but more importantly, we want to see you financially rewarded for the work you have done and will do.

Good luck mate!!!

Mick

erron · #215 Post by **erron** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:58 pm

Fingers crossed here in Melbourne, too, mate!

Erron

stace · #216 Post by **stace** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 6:37 pm

Mick
The fingers are crossed way up on the north coast as well for you mate

Hope it all works out for the best for you
stace

rory · #217 Post by **rory** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:02 pm

As I've told Jindy, I can't come. Life just keeps getting in the way. I'm sure many of us here know what I mean, and it's not good.

Have fun all, and I hope someone down's a great beast!

Hood · #218 Post by **Hood** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 11:36 pm

I hear ya Rory.

Well I'm back on for the trip guys all has been sorted

I'ts amazing what a couple of hench man can do to people to make them give whats owing to you

And I have already organised a new contract to start as of next Tuesday with a new company

so I can tell the current idiots to stick it next Tuesday

VHCH here I come.

Arrows now have broadheads on, and feathers go on tomorrow, then down to the club for some practice and then a final sharpen on the heads and I'm set.

Pete · #219 Post by **Pete** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 2:14 pm

G'day,
Good to here hood.
MickS Hopefully you'll be alright by the time the hunt comes around.

On another note, I have bought myself a blaze camo mesh vest and beanie. You have to remember that we are on public land, and thats dangerous enough, but when your a bowhunter your in real close proximaty to the game animal and other hunters may not notice you if your in camo, especiall rifle hunters who may shoot from a considerable distance. As much as i like the sound of a bullet flying past my head, i'de rather not here it again.
The vest and beanie i bought cost -$60aud posted from Outbound camping in Bendigo, i think they had a sale on though. But thats a small price to pay compared to the price you could pay for not wearing one.

Cheers,
Pete F

Mick Smith · #220 Post by **Mick Smith** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:31 pm

Good idea Pete. I've got a fluro red beanie that I carry in my pack. I put it on as soon as I suspect other hunters are in the area.

A few years ago when I was hunting red deer in the Otways, I noticed very fresh tracks heading up a game trail. The wind was in my favour, so I quietly and carefully moved along the track. Before long the game trail led me into a very dense stand of tea-tree. I could make out faint sounds of movement ahead. I would take one or two steps then listen, all the time peering into the gloom for a flickering ear, the movement of a leg, or whatever. Again I heard the sound of twigs snapping about 10 yards away. Very cautiously, I moved trying desperately to see the deer through the dense cover. My full camo form was serving it's purpose. I would have been almost invisible. Imagine my horror when I finally made out the "deer". It was a rifle hunter, with his rifle at his shoulder. The rifle was trained on me!! I yelled out "STOP". The rifle hunter lowered his rifle and said, "it's OK I was only checking you out through the scope to see what I was. I had no intention of firing". Yeah right! Anyway, he turned out to be a nice bloke. I was lucky. It could have very easily turned out differently. I've carried the red beanie ever since.

Hey Mick, great news indeed!!! I'll see you there.

Mick

jindydiver · #221 Post by **jindydiver** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:44 pm

Jesus Mick S, I could not have found out if that guy was nice or not. I am afraid that we wouldn't have got past me caving his face in with that rifle he was just pointing at me. His excuse was no excuse at all, binoculars are for checking whats going on, not the rifle scope.

I too have a red beanie

Sparra · #222 Post by **Sparra** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:20 pm

Iv'e only got cammo but now I'm gonna buy an orange safety vest...Deer don't see orange so I've heard...Does anyone know???

erron · #223 Post by **erron** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:21 pm

it's OK I was only checking you out through the scope to see what I was. I had no intention of firing

- guess he's never heard the old rule about not aiming a gun unless you intend to shoot

You're right Jindy!

Well, I suppose my hot fluoro pink little chiffon number wouldn't stop any real hunter shooting me

so I'll be bringing an orange fluoro backpack.

Mick, great to hear. Rory, maybe next year

Erron

piggy · #224 Post by **piggy** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:00 pm

All the best for the weekend all, Sparra most people use a blaze orange cap and the deer can't see it.
A good tip, if you see or hear deer squat down if they are not sure what you are they will be curious and try to figure out what you are.

Have Fun

piggy · #225 Post by **piggy** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:47 pm

Just thought i would post this pic i took on tuesday afternoon, excuse the photo quality as i was in a tree facing the sun and had my camera set on macro by mistake.
[img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/ ... tag018.jpg[/img][/img]

jindydiver · #226 Post by **jindydiver** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:54 pm

Good one Piggy
Hopefully some of our crew will see something similar this w/e

jindydiver · #227 Post by **jindydiver** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:23 pm

Ok guys, I was just onto the DSE office at Corryong and we have ourselves great conditions up there. It rained over 60mm in the last 24 hours and the weather is going to be fine now until Tuesday. Nice quiet stalking and fresh mud so we can track the game, couldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t ask for more.

The head forester tells me today too that a fellow from Wagga shot himself a 34 inch sambar in one of the spots there a couple of weeks ago, and he saw heaps of other deer there too. You can see now why we are keeping the hunting area under our hats

I hope now that I can ring him next week and tell him about a big sambar one of our crew has shotÃ¢â‚¬Â¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦.

Hood · #228 Post by **Hood** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:44 pm

I hope now that I can ring him next week and tell him about a big sambar one of our crew has shotÃ¢â‚¬Â¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦.

well it wont be me.
I am definately not going now as My daughter is in hospital with heart and breathing issues. Last night and the night before she stopped breathing, lucky for us we invested in an "Angel monitor" which alarms if she stops breathing. We raced from one end of the house to the other and by that time she was turning blue, we shook her to get her breathing again. 4 times today she stopped breathing so it's very very scary. So she has been in for observation last night and tonight.

So Enjoy the trip boys and I'll seeya's next time.

jindydiver · #229 Post by **jindydiver** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:08 pm

Jesus Mick, That sort of thing is my worst nightmare.

When you are having to choose hunting over your family, I know exact where I come down every time.

Maybe next time hey

coach · #230 Post by **coach** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:46 pm

Good luck fellas and most of all have FUN!

Mick , sorry to hear about bubs, hope all goes well .

Buford · #231 Post by **Buford** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:57 pm

Mick, I sincerely hope all goes well with your family.

Sparra · #232 Post by **Sparra** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:50 pm

Thats not good news Mick...with you and Gundy not comming we must be down to 4 or 5

Hope everything works out for both of you...
Regards...Sparra

erron · #233 Post by **erron** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:58 pm

Mick,

my thoughts are with you and your family mate. There will be other times for hunting and shooting, for sure

Erron

Mick Smith · #234 Post by **Mick Smith** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 7:33 pm

Mick

My youngest did the same thing when she was about a week old. It was one of the scariest experiences I've ever had. She didn't breathe for minutes. I really thought she was gone. It all worked out well though. She's a very healthy 6 y/o now.

I wish you and your family the best of health.

As far as the hunt is concerned, there's always next year.

Mick

Mick Smith · #235 Post by **Mick Smith** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:33 pm

I have just started to print up some maps of the area around the VHCH site. I only had a few done before my printer cartridge ran out and I don't have a spare. This is what happens when you leave things to the last minute.

Is anyone depending on me for maps? If so please let me know.

I've got the car all packed and I'm ready to head off straight after work tomorrow.

As much as I'm disappointed that some members can't make it to the hunt, on the positive side, it leaves all more game for the rest of us to hunt. More undisturbed areas close to camp. Less human scent fowling up the area and a greater chance for the few to enjoy some success. On the down side, we will miss out on meeting our "on line" mates in the flesh.

We'll just have to be that much louder and more boisterous to make up for any shortfall in numbers.

Mick

jindydiver · #236 Post by **jindydiver** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:39 pm

If you have a GPSr and the cable for it, bring it along. I will have my laptop with me and all the maps are in my map program so we can plan routes and check tracks at the end of each day.

#237 Post by **Stickbow Hunter** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:49 pm

All the best fellas and have a great time!!!

Mick,

Hope all goes well with the little one.

Jeff

coach · #238 Post by **coach** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:59 pm

We'll just have to be that much louder and more boisterous to make up for any shortfall in numbers. Very Happy

Dont worry Jindy will be loud enough for everyone

He's good value , have hunted with him a few times now , good bloke

Hood · #239 Post by **Hood** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:28 pm

Thanks guys, As said before there will always be other times to hunt but no matter what My family comes first every time.

So good luck to you all and happy hunting to ya's.

Up side of this now, is that the money I would have spent on petrol to get there can now be put towards more archery gear next week

May even laybuy a longbow

Pete · #240 Post by **Pete** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:42 pm

Mick, hope all goes well mate. Theres more important things than hunting.

I have most of my gear sorted and ready, will hopefully be there sat'dy arvo or sundy morning.

Cheers,
Pete F