Big Game Hunting New Zealand Sep/Oct 2015 | Page 30

truly upon us. Making our way out
down the creek by torchlight it was a
race against time to make it to watch
the rugby.
Weekend four and I managed to
rustle a shorter day out of the boss
for the Friday so after knocking off
I picked up some supplies to have
another attempt at the Ahuriri.
It was 10pm when I pulled up at
the carpark after battling against
the ice along the road. Freezing
temperatures outside meant it took a
while to convince myself to leave the
warmth of the truck to don the pack
and head for the hut.
Not long into the walk I came to the
first creek, I was hesitant of jumping
but I was determined to make the
hut with dry boots. Leaping over the
creek with the weight of the pack
pulling down on my shoulders I
cleared the creek, only to have my
knees smack down on the frozen
solid ground. A bit of yelling and
hobbling around in circles I soon
limped off in the direction of the hut.

was soon confronted with a fully frozen gut.
This halted progress so I had a brief look across
the valley only to pick up 2 deer in the middle of
the open feeding their way down out of a patch
of bush towards the valley floor.

“The intensity lifted as I
snuggled up to the ruger
settling the crosshairs high
on her shoulde