It seems such a long time since this morning when I got up at 5am in readiness for Drew to pick me up. The weather this week has been appalling.....blowing, raining,
really cold - at least for Australia. But there was supposed to be a lull in the weather today early on. The howling wind and light drizzle seemed not to tee up with the forecast. Dismayed but determined Drew and I saddled up around 5:30am and drove out to the property we've hunted before. Thankfully we seemed to leave the rain behind.
Last time it was soaking. This time the wind cut the warmth out of your hands as you undid gates. I only did one before donning mits. We finally got into the back end of the property and saw a solid herd of fallow does, probably 15-16 in number about 300yds off but they only hesistated for a little before fleeing over the hill to the left. Even if I'd felt inclined to take a shot at one before they broke the wind would've blown the bullet away.
So we continued round, parked the 4x4 on a hillside and slipped up over a smaller ridge so we could head north along a row of hills. Drew spied a few does just under the treeline high up in the ridge but they were hundreds of metres above us so we continued through open gullies north. Drew grumbled a bit about the way the wind seemed to swirl and the fact it was one minute in our faces and the next at our backs but we soon reconciled ourselves to the fact it was just going to be that way today. The wind had actually abated in many places and while it roared overhead in the tops of the trees it made our progress undetectable to wildlife. So much so that we surprised a some does in the thick timber who only noticed us because of our movement. But they were too far away and fled among the trees. There were a also lot of kangaroos but they weren't really a concern.
It took us a while and we finally got to the end of a smaller paddock bordering on scrub where sheep were grazing amongst the timber. Then, between the trees, a big grey/dark brown doe stood up and stared us down. I dropped to the ground and brought a bead up to her chest with the rifle cocked and was thinking "Take the shot! Take it! Take it!" when suddenly she wheeled away, crashed over the fence and was gone. Drew wasn't worried and was surprised she'd paused so long. He also said the fact I hadn't shot and missed was good. She was spooked but not "educated".
So, a little disappointed, I uncocked my rifle and we continued on. We crossed through more timber and down into a sheltered area when we spied a huge mob of roos sunning themselves and quietly grazing. Drew was annoyed. If they went downhill they spook possible deer and if they went forward they also spook deer. How were we supposed to proceed? I suggested a break so we sat down in the shadows, munched a muesli bar, had a drink and waited for the roos to make up their minds without prompting from us. It was about 8am by then.
The kangaroos sun themselves and feed. 
Me from behind having a spell after a solid walk. 
Drew grabs a snack. Then, miraculously, perhaps because they saw Drew "watering the horses" or out of their own crazy intellect the roos made a retreat up hill....exactly where we wanted them to go. So we moved ahead and headed through some fairly high ferns. In the paddock on our right a fox was nosing about, the second we'd seen that day, but we were after deer so we carried on.
Not 50m from that spot I saw a shape just in front of the fence amongst the trees. I hissed at Drew and we both dropped. He passed me his shooting sticks and the spiker I'd seen appeared from the trees and paused. I did not wait this time. The 8mm Mauser was cocked, I put the bead on his shoulder and squeezed............
CLICK!!!!!!! The chamber was empty!!!!!!
I messed with the action but Drew was already on his feet and he'd already fired a shot when I rose. The spiker was still up but hidden in the ferns and definitely not well. We slowly climbed the slope so we wouldn't spook the animal further....only to see a 3rd fox sitting at the base of a tree watching the scene unfold. Drew caught up to the spiker and a quick shot was heard. By the tme I reached him it was kicking a little and bleeding out. Drew's first shot had quartered in from the rear and ended under the skin of the front shoulder. His second shot was through the throat and it was a foregone conclusion. The spiker was dead.
Drew's spiker. 
The tall ferns and bracken he'd been hidden in. 
Drew with the spiker and his Sako 85 Stainless Laminate 7mm-08. 
Your's truly looking sheepish with what might've been. If I felt disappointed before then I was downright ashamed of the "no round chambered" stunt. It's a hack's mistake and I was certain I'd chambered a round when we left the 4x4. What's more if I'd actually fired on the doe before the same thing would've happened. Drew said not to worry and that there were lots more deer. If the morning's examples were true he was right. But we decided to pull meat off the spiker. Waste no, want not. The forequarters and 1 leg were good but the side where the 120gr Nosler BT had entered had burst the gut at the top so the leg was only good for dog meat. Unfortunately it had also completely ruined the backstraps. But the bad leg could go to the farmer. We cut them off and hung them on a nearby fence we could pick them up later with the 4x4. The benefits of cold weather hunting.
4 quarters. 
The view across the land as Drew took the legs off. Once that was done we began to make our way back south again and circle up into the hills. The going was very steep in places in contrast to the early morning hike and there was a lot of sign.
Fresh deer sign on the ground. It was no small surprise then that we began to encounter herds of deer, some only 6 or 7 but others as big as 20. It was intensely frustraing for me as they halted on for a moment and then ran or hid amongst the timber. Drew was also getting frustrated because he was leading and could see more than I could. One herd in particular had 19 does and they split left and right. The larger group, about 12 does, moved away quickly. Then we hiked slowly around in search of more.
Suddenly Drew shouldered his rifle aimed for a moment and a shot rang out. I saw legs kick up and then 3 fawns and a small doe flee across the slope and pause. Drew said "Are you going to back me up?!" so I headed up to try and nail another. But they were already fleeing and disappearing into the timber. So, despondent again, I retured to where he was inspecting the doe.
She was a small animal and the 120gr Nosler BT had laid her out. The location looked very familiar.
Anyone recognise this......see if you do now. 
Yup....same spot in April. How the weather can change. 
Drew with the doe and his Sako. 
The Nosler penetrated well, coming out just near the spine.
Since the doe was young and relatively undamaged by the shot we took all 4 legs and the backstraps. We hiked down the slope and left the legs on a log where we'd be able to get them with the 4x4 and then hiked back up again. Both of us almost died on ascent. Talk about steep!
More meat!
We continued to hike around but no more deer showed themselves. Here's pic Drew took of me stalking downhill in search of deer. The camo works well, despite the fact it was cheaply bought in a fabric shop and sewn by my mum.
We continued around and took a break further on with the 4x4 in view. No sign of live deer though.
Another amazing vista......I wouldn't live in the city for quids!
Unfortunately we saw no more deer at all whilst on foot and we returned to the 4x4, footsore, aching and having hiked more like 14km (9 miles) up and down hills. We drove back and began retrieving the legs. When we got to the log down hill from the doe Drew had shot I glanced up and saw the deer who'd fled after she was shot hanging around where her carcass must be. Unfortunately it was a good 150m almost straight up and they were skylining. There's is never a safe shot when an animal is skylining so I had to let it pass.
We then set off across the length of the property to get the spiker's meat. It took us a while and we were glassing for deer but none stuck their heads out. By now it was nearing 4pm and the wind was well and truly up again. We got the meat from the spiker and turned when I saw some larger animals running down a fence line and disappear behind a rise. I couldn't think of anything that would make sheep run like that and they were too small for cows. So we turned the 4x4 around and began to head down toward them. No sooner did we do it the herd headed straight for us.
Yes, they were deer, but not just any deer. They were the bachelor herd of bucks! Fallow bucks clash a lot in the rut but the rest of the year they're best buddies, hanging out together in one mob. We were told a herd had been feeding on the crop. Based on the direction it seemed the bachelor herd were those deer. That was bad news. Deer that bother the crops are liable to be culled.....not hunted, wiped out in 1 night of shooting. All the best heads came from that herd. Meanwhile, as the wind howled down behind and slightly to my left, the bachelor herd were pausing behind a tree or 2 trying to work out if we were dangerous. They were 268yds away and in normal circumstances I'd have a go. But with the wind howling I was very reticent.
The smaller heads in the herd....spikers aside of the single bigger rack.
The dominant male, his lieutenant and smaller heads gauge the danger....check out those racks!
I was about to get on my belly and try and close the distance when they were suddenly spooked and they fled to the right. Frustrating as it was they were long gone very quickly.
The herd flee led by the dominant male.
So I shrugged, got back into the truck and we drove away around the corner of the ridge......to see the 5 biggest heads at the corner of a fence! I leapt out, placed a bead on the closest and fired but the shot missed. It must've been close but they were 300yds out easily. If there was an upside at least they now have learned to fear a vehicle. It may save them if the farmer decides he wants to knock them all down at once for eating his crop.
No more deer presented themselves on the way out of the property but as it was now more like 5pm we were tired and looking for the warmth of home so we unloaded and packed our guns away and hit the road. Although I didn't take a deer I did come home with plenty of meat.
Venison hanging in the garage.....2 forequarters and 1 back leg.....YUM!!!
Drew also hung around for dinner and pulled out one of the back straps from the doe to slice into pieces and season in salt pepper and oil.
Seasoned for dinner.
It was popped in the fridge to cool and flavour while my wife went out for supplies and Drew and I retired to the "billiards room" to sink a few.....beers, balls and nibbles. We were mighty hungry having no proper lunch.
"I say, old chap, your turn or mine?" 
And finally when my wife returned with a bag of potatoes and some other shopping we had a killer meal. Pan fried seasoned venison pieces with lashings of mashed potato and carrots followed by freshly cooked (by my wife!) chocolate mudcake and icecream.
So all in all, despite my idiotic mistakes, I did enjoy myself and next time will be better prepared. The big lesson to be learned was that deer hunting is no more mystical than goat hunting. People here like to say deer are ultra tough and you need to hit in them in specific places and you can't just go shooting any old thing. The bottom line is they are a game animal. They see you they'll flee so shoot as soon as you can and make it count. Next time I'm not going to be so hesitant.
