Hunt Diary Australia

[bigbore442001]

I have learned that big pigs, at least the Florida ones I have shot in the past, tended to be tough. So when opportunity arises I go for the 100 lb and under pigs.

With a big pig one could make a lot of sausage. Grind it twice and spice it up.

 

[Kapow]

I won't boar you (get it?) with too much detail but I played cat and mouse with a very nice creamy white stag this morning. Of course it had to be in the thickest gnarliest part of the property. I had him in range twice but in the time it takes to set up a video camera he got lucky.

The first time a doe came screaming past me and took the mob with her. An hour later at the bottom of the gully I had him broadside at 60m grunting his head off and the wind swirled. It was like a deer bomb went off with critters bolting in every direction.

I can hear him grunting now from camp and will put in a slow and deliberate effort on him tomorrow morning. Time is running out. They will shut down soon until next year.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned...

 

[Matt85]

thats a good looken pig! thanks for keeping us updated on the hunting.

-matt

 

[Wolfbane]

Nice work mate! :thumbsup:

 

[Kapow]

I got to thinking today. Why do we hunt? Moreover why do I hunt? Stay with me I'm not going to launch into a sermon. I'm sure some people think the results, ie game on the ground is the reason to hunt. For me it is just a small part of the whole exercise.

This morning I got to within 50m of the same white stag that has eluded me for the past 4 days. That makes four times that I have had him in my sights. 4 - 0 to him. I sat in the thickest
part of the bush again licking my wounds and wondering what I could've done differently - not much. That's why it's called hunting, not killing. Then I lay down and went to sleep for an hour like it was the most natural thing in the world. Imagine doing that in a city!

This is why I hunt - I love the bush. I love the exercise. I love the whole experience. I feel at home here. So I didn't kill anything today...I nearly did.

I'll tell you what did happen. That white stag and another one just had a winner takes all ding dong battle right next to camp while I was cooking dinner. I turned on the car headlights and video'd the whole thing. It went for a good half an hour. I just sat back and watched the show. The white one won. I may let him live yet, I don't know if I can kill him after a gift like that!

So nothing on the ground today but a lifetime memory. I can live with that. Tomorrow I may make some smoke...

Thanks for sticking with me.

 

[Bob J]

What a great hog hunt, Kapow...good stalk, great shot, fantastic boar!!! Those tusks should make something really nice. Perhaps a primitive-style necklace?

 

[Spikebuck]

I'll tell you what did happen. That white stag and another one just had a winner takes all ding dong battle right next to camp while I was cooking dinner. I turned on the car headlights and video'd the whole thing.

Amazing, isn't it, how animals seem to know when it's safe! Spooky as all get-out when you're trying to hunt them, but then do all that right next to camp while a car's headlights are on them!

Of course some animals "learn" the hard way about car headlights at night if the wrong guy is in camp!

 

[Kapow]

That is true but I think they were so engrossed in the fight that they were afraid to break eye contact. One did for a second and the other drove him sideways into the ground for about 10 metres. What really impressed me was their neck strength.

The boar is getting made into a shoulder mount. I saw six or so stags this morning but no wall hangers. My motto is "let em go, let em grow". Time to think outside the square...got a few tricks up my sleeve yet - all of them learned the hard way!

 

[Kapow]

I walked up hill and down hill yesterday afternoon looking for the right stag. I have seen two that aren't bad but nothing with that "Oh wow" factor. I am feeling the hurt but I haven't given up yet.

In a few days it will turn into a meat hunt, so there will be blood drawn but right now I am being severely hampered by a swirling wind and very dry and noisy conditions. The irony is a tree stand in the right place would have been quite effective.

Tomorrow I am going back to my honey hole to see if I can turn up something magic. Sorry for the lack of action but I am not seeing anything good enough to kill or anything bad enough to cull. Hey at least I slayed a big boar. Great consolation prize!

 

[Kapow]

Being Sunday morning yesterday I thought I'd be a good boy and go to church. No not really but I did enoy a sleep in and a lazy day around camp. The afternoon hunt saw me in a steep brushy section which is the convergence of numorous gullies that come of the sides of the hills.

I saw deer straight up and before too long the stags were croaking their mating call. I spent an hour trying as quietly as I could to get in on the loudest sounding deer. It was so thick and steep that I expected them to leave any time.

Before too long I found myself in a commanding position with the video camera set up and one horny stag side on about 60m. Settling in for the shot I heard leaves crunch behind me. An old hind and her yearling had walked in on me at about 5metres. She could've just snuck out but no, as soon as she cut my scent she let out a warning bark that sent them all scattering. If it wasn't for bad luck, sometimes I think I'd have no luck.

I sat and waited to see if they would come back but as darkness approached only a couple of does came back so I decided it was time to fill the fridge. The .54 dumped the fat young doe on the spot and then it was a race to bone her out and get out of there as there was no moon. I did bump into a very nice stag on the walk out but it was too dark to shoot. Few days left yet to make it happen.

I had two good stalks this morning on two stags. The first was a shooter but the wind swirled and they were off. The second was a bit small so I let him walk. I had two smaller stags and a few hinds, spikers and yearlings come and check me out. Even at 5m they couldn't make me out. I also had two young pigs feed past me so I am in no danger of starving. It might not be H.C. but the ASAT 3D Leafy wear camo sure does give you an edge. I am really enjoying my hunting and that is more important to me than results, but stay tuned anyway, I'm sure I am about to catch a break...

 

[MosinRob]

That deer looks about as big as my dog. Can't say I blame you, Everyone shoots young one's. When they're about 10-13 years old.

 

[Kapow]

Get a life you clown.

 

[MosinRob]

Oh did I strike a nerve on your diary little girl?

 

[oz517]

Are you hunting chital?

I went to Cape York in FNQ about a year ago and spent 2 weeks hunting hogs, brumbies and scrub bulls with my longbow. Helluva time.

Great looking boar too. Did you score the tusks?

 

[Kapow]

No, I'm in Central North NSW hunting fallow. Pigs and goats are a chance from time to time. I'll get the boar done shoulder mount. His cape was perfect and the tusks weren't too bad. I am heading north a bit later in the year to hunt the chital deer, then on to the cape for fishing &pigs as well as a lesser know Moluccan Rusa deer.

 

[Kapow]

Finally had a change of luck this afternoon. There was one side of the property that I just hadn't had time to get to. I glassed a malformed stag there yesterday afternoon from a distant ridge and decided that I would attempt to cull him this afternoon. A brief storm made everything a little bit quiet for a change.

I didn't find him but I did glass another quite respectable stag. The trouble is he was way out in an open valley with about 8 females & their young. I got to within 100m by belly crawling through the longish grass without being detected.

By the time I got to that vantage point he had moved another 100m further away. I was pinned down by his females. I started to hind call which got him grunting but then he bedded. Bugger!

I waited as long as I could but light was running out fast so I made the decision to slide down the open hillside slowly on my backside to a large tree. I got away with it to my surprise and called to him to get him to stand. I was lining up the shot when another young stag came flying down the hill to my right, grunting and causing trouble. Naturally the stag I was after chased him off.

I really had to shoot now or leave as light was very low. On cue he came back to his does and I put the sights high on his chest. The range was later measured at 90 yards. The rifle did a bit of a hangfire, maybe due to moisture which may have caused my shot to be a little off. But there was no mistaking the sound of the bullets strike. He trotted off over the hill and I kept him in the binoculars untilk I saw him topple about 200m away.

He wasn't quite the stag I was hoping for but not bad for 2nd last day. He was very small in the body so his headgear was a bit deceiving. Anyway I'll take him at this point!

 

[Carl Fowler III]

I see the stag...I see your head.....but where's your body??? Great camo and stag! I've used a gillie suit and had deer walk within 10 feet of me and never notice! :thumbsup:

 

[gsday]

Nice goin' ! That looks like a nice stag to me.

Thanks for posting. It's been fun reading along with the hunt.

Greg

 

[Robby]

My favorite deer species, the mini-moose :grin: !!
Ah me, maybe someday. Nice going, the whole hunt :hatsoff: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: !!!
Robby

 

[Spikebuck]

Congratulations! It's been fun to share the hunt through your "diary."