It was a morning never to forget, the perfect conditions had me smiling hard.
The hammock had done the trick once again, fresh and ready to roll. I flipped out and made some breakfast, well it was boris's powdered milk and some sort of grain. I added the water to the mix and hooked in. After breakfast I sorted my day pack for the day and headed off to the whistling tune of a rutting chital stag.
Further along the track and some does spooked through. I sat and glassed for a bit but nothing except Kong kookaburra.
Further along the track and some does spooked through. I sat and glassed for a bit but nothing except Kong kookaburra.
The morning never produced the goods or that whistling stag so a good feed was on the cards. A plan for the afternoons hunt was talked over lunch. Up and at em, packs on ready to make it to a vantage point to do some glassing. We made it half way and a few stags were spotted soaking up the sun further around the side of the hill.
One stag that we didn't see had us pinned and alerted the rest of the mob. They stood there starring straight at us for a minute or so before moving off.
We pressed on further up the hill to see what could be on the other side. As we made the rise I noticed a flicker of a antler about 50m in front, it was a stag. There was enough cover and he could not see me. I froze and in time my
patients payed off because he was the one to make the next move. Because he caught my movement or heard something I needed him to relax back to what he was doing before I had disturbed him. He eventually put his head down to feed so I dropped slowly to the ground. I sat down out of view with the wind in my favour for about 10-15min. In that time I took the odd peak to check his actions.
With the Stag now settled I began the stalk. With the good cover in front I edged closer, he was just standing underneath a small tree. Every now and then he would lift his head and check his surrounds and when put his head down to feed I made ground. 30m was made and I looked at the stag, then the cover. There was another clump of bush about 10m in front and with a constant breeze and a settled stag I ventured further in.
The socks made the quiet approach and all of a sudden the 20m mark was upon me. The moment of truth and the heart rate was now reaching above normal beats. I had to get this monkey off my back, as this was not the first time I had been so close to one of these fine looking critters.
A few deep breaths as I waited for that right angle. The stags turns broadside and my eyes focus on his heart. The rest just happens auto, and the bow is back, the pin now settled as the surprise release launches the arrow. I didn't see the hit but the stag didn't look crash hot.
I gave him 20min before heading over, I made the spot and to my right was my first Chital Stag Down..
We pressed on further up the hill to see what could be on the other side. As we made the rise I noticed a flicker of a antler about 50m in front, it was a stag. There was enough cover and he could not see me. I froze and in time my
patients payed off because he was the one to make the next move. Because he caught my movement or heard something I needed him to relax back to what he was doing before I had disturbed him. He eventually put his head down to feed so I dropped slowly to the ground. I sat down out of view with the wind in my favour for about 10-15min. In that time I took the odd peak to check his actions.
With the Stag now settled I began the stalk. With the good cover in front I edged closer, he was just standing underneath a small tree. Every now and then he would lift his head and check his surrounds and when put his head down to feed I made ground. 30m was made and I looked at the stag, then the cover. There was another clump of bush about 10m in front and with a constant breeze and a settled stag I ventured further in.
The socks made the quiet approach and all of a sudden the 20m mark was upon me. The moment of truth and the heart rate was now reaching above normal beats. I had to get this monkey off my back, as this was not the first time I had been so close to one of these fine looking critters.
A few deep breaths as I waited for that right angle. The stags turns broadside and my eyes focus on his heart. The rest just happens auto, and the bow is back, the pin now settled as the surprise release launches the arrow. I didn't see the hit but the stag didn't look crash hot.
I gave him 20min before heading over, I made the spot and to my right was my first Chital Stag Down..
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