more minutes, as the deer could be a long way off.
However, after we began following the prints again for only about a minute, there about 50 metres away in the trees was a red deer standing side-on. It stood out very clearly because the most obvious colours we could see were black and white and the deer was dark brown. I raised the rifle, placed the crosshairs on the centre of its shoulder and squeezed off the trigger.
“… a nice young red stag with seven points.”
It turned out to be a nice young red stag with seven points. Around it we noticed other prints spaced far apart so we concluded there must have been another deer with it. You could see it had taken off immediately after I fired, from the spacing of the footprints and scattered snow. It was incredible to think that we had been about to head back at our last stop, when the deer were just around the corner. If we hadn’ t set out that morning when we did, I think the prints would have been a lot harder to follow – if not completely hidden from all the snow and slush.
The snow helped cool the meat quickly: I just laid the backsteaks and legs on the snow and covered them against drops falling from the trees. As the day continued to warm up we were getting drenched yet again, so we got the meat and the head and dropped straight down to a place I knew where we could stash the goods and collect them later.
We were very hungry and wet by the time we got back to the hut and it was well past lunchtime. After drying off and having a feed, we decided to head homewards down the slushy, wet track. We got the meat and head on the way and the extra weight wasn’ t very welcome in our packs.
The car was a great sight and the heater made the drive home cosier. It had been a great trip despite the
“… every time I look at the head it reminds me of the thrill I had tracking it down.”
The head on the wall at home – size and points not a worry. What a memory!
weather. And even though the head is small and scrubby, every time I look at it on the wall it reminds me of the thrill I had tracking it down and bagging it.
Hunting safety
Nearly my last hunt …
Roger Davison has a timely reminder for all hunters going out in the Roar. Yes, we’ ve heard it before, but it does need to be reiterated …
Sooner or later most of us get a scare that nearly puts us off hunting for good. Sometimes it’ s a bad fall, a near-disastrous river crossing, or getting exposure. And many of us have had a bad night out after getting lost or bluffed.
Well I had an experience that’ s worth re-telling at this time of the year, with the Roar upon us. My story serves as a reminder that, when you roar up a stag, you must not forget it might actually be another hunter.
With the two of you thinking you’ re on to an animal, the chance of an unintentional shooting is doubled. And no matter how careful you know you are, the other guy might not be so careful.
So( having already blown my punchline) I’ ll tell you the whole story. It dates from an April afternoon when I drove up a remote road on the west coast. It was a bit late for the Roar, but I’ m an eternal optimist.
Anyway, I parked among the dense beech forest at the saddle, where I had the choice of two directions to hunt. There was just a gentle draught from the northwest so I went north, along a flat, open ridge system. It was good travel and recent rain had dampened down the leaves so it was easy to move quietly. The country was a bit open and I knew the chances weren’ t that good of seeing a deer before it saw me. But it wasn’ t going to put me off trying. There wasn’ t much sign
16 NZ Hunting & Wildlife 196- Autumn 2017