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