Six before Five?

For many men once the family comes along it is time to hang up the boots, oil the rifle and spend time with the new and extended family. Maybe get out for a hunt once or twice a year, depending on work and family commitments. I can see nothing wrong with this scenario; I just could not do it. The urge to hunt deer and spend time in the bush was too much and without time spent in the wilds I start to get aggravated, my loving wife could see and understand this however with both of us working and no regular babysitter I was unable to get out. There had to be a better solution??

One day out doing the grocery shopping I saw a mother carrying her newborn in a backpack around the supermarket, giving her both arms free and me what I thought was a great idea?? What if I bought one of those and carried my son around the bush showing him the wonders of the wild, me the chance to get out as well as the ability to hunt. There was only one way to find out…..so a trip to the local baby store was promptly arranged and I purchased a children’s carry pack. My son, Elyas seemed to like the idea of being on dads back, and after a few trips to the supermarket and walking the dogs we both got used to the way the pack and its contents moves around. It was time for a test!

HOG DEER April 2003

In March 2003 at the age of 2 ½ we targeted getting access to hog deer along Victoria’s east coast. After many hours spent knocking on doors and gaining access to only one property we had at least the opportunity to hunt on the 1st of the April. Conferring with good friend Matt Merrick he offered the opportunity to camp on one of his properties as well as the opportunity to hunt it after he had filled his stag tag, this was a very generous offer as true hog deer properties are like hens teeth.

The days flew by and in no time it was the 1st of April and time to hunt hog deer. On arrival to the campsite we set up camp and talked about what the future held, Elyas was more than happy to lie down in the back of the car and watch the wiggles, not being as interested in the campfire talk as his father. The next day we ventured out to the property we were to hunt and started the long quest of searching a deer the size of a sheep in spiky rush, it was a little like looking for rabbits in long grass. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but this was damn difficult. The weather was warm and there was a lot of ground to cover I really did give myself a workout.

The deer on that day and for the next 14 days stayed in cover and very few were sighted let alone any giving me the opportunity to take a shot. After two weeks of hours of walking, sweating and changing nappies I was starting to believe that hog deer hunting was not for me and that having a child on your back was bad luck?? On the 6th trip from Melbourne to the campsite it finally happened. The morning was like most of the others, get up when the sun or the son gets up eat breaky and get ready by this time it is well passed sunrise and all the deer have found cover. With the front pack ready to go full of snacks, spare clothes and nappies, Elyas was placed in the Childs pack and off we went, walking at a very slow pace searching all the edges of the tea tree stands and rushes. After walking most of the hunting area I decided to head back to camp taking a short cut through the rushes, and then it all happened. No more than 25m in front of me was a curious head of a very tiny deer; it was a hind looking for what was making this clatter through her territory. Putting the rifle up to my shoulders I was getting ready to take the shot when she decided all was not quite right and let out a shrill call and bolted, right behind her was a calf. Whether is was luck or not I don’t know but they run straight away from me and when I saw them slow right down to slip into the scrub I placed the cross hairs on the base of the calves neck and let the 300wsm rip. The bullet flew straight although the calf decided to bound into the tea tree it hit a little low punching through the entire animal death was instant!

I let out a sigh of relief and ran to the deer, Elyas in the pack bouncing along with me. The duck was broken I had done it after many hours of not only walking with extra weight on my back, but with the chores of being a father. The first deer was a small hog deer calf but it was a deer none the less!! I put the packs down and pulled out the phone first calling Matt to let him in on the good news and then letting Elyas call his grandfather to explain all that had happened. It was at this time I realized that I could be done on all the deer species, seeing his smile as he explained in detail the hunt, the bang and now we had a deer. I guess I had a soft spot and I promised him and myself that I would try my very hardest to get all six species of deer with him in the backpack and share the joys I had previously seen myself with my son.

SAMBAR DEER May 2003

After the long but successful Hog deer hunt in April, I needed a break for a little while but as the days turned into weeks I started to get the bug again, time to get into the high country and chase the truly tough stuff, south Pacific’s toughest game animal the sambar deer. Matt and I regularly went up to hunt Sambar and a trip was soon arranged with a friend john, matt, Elyas and me. May is a good time to hunt Sambar, too cool for snakes but not too cold to have to get rugged up, or so I thought.

After once again packing everything that is required as well as what maybe required in any situation we set off for a hunt in Victoria’s alpine high country. We arrived up there very late at night and found matt and john had hit the hay early after hunting that day. So I quickly dumped all the gear out of the car set up the swag and hit the hay as well. In the morning a quick stoke of the fire, a hot brew and then the longest part of all; deciding where we were all going to hunt. After dressing myself up in full camouflage and then ragging Elyas up in some warm clothes, we set out on a brisk walk to the hunting area.

We soon separated, 1km off set matt and 1km the other way went john. I decided to stay in the middle; it looked flatter and safer in case of emergency. We agreed on a call in on the UHF’s at 12pm and then every hour on the hour from then on, if a shot was made turn the UHF on and wait for the shooter to call in. Even at such a young age Elyas was fascinated by everything, from showing him deer poo, he too wanted to smell it, to small purple flowers which started a great tradition of bringing home his mother some of the local flora (stick and leaves) or geology (river rocks). The backpack seemed to have gained a little weight (kids grow so fast) since the hog deer hunt either that or the country was much steep, probably a combination of both!

After an hour fresh sign was found, tracks and pellets nice and slimy green. I followed the tracks until it was 12pm, time to make the first call in. Turning the UHF on I waited and within seconds both matt and john checked in and gave approx positions on the map, then a flash of brown and orange caught my eye…….deer. I stopped talking and watched a large stag on a fast trot get 80m away and stop. I tried to get a bead on the stag with the 300wsm but when he did stop to glance back he covered his vitals with a large snow gum. He had in my mind massive antlers, one was covered by another tree but when he continued on I saw both of them, long and curved. Picking the UHF up I told the other what had just happened.

The stag had probably been wandering to find a secure spot to bed, and was disturbed by john, deciding that he go over the hill he had cut across my track and come from behind then been startled by my scent, and moved quickly to my left behind me, if only I had been slower. I don’t know how much slower I could have gone but I was disappointed that the animal had escaped especially having come from behind, I did consider myself lucky though to see a Sambar within 1 ½ hours of hunting.

That was the only excitement Elyas and I had until the 3pm call in. Resting the pack with El in on a large rock I loosened the straps giving myself the ability to glass the valley in front. We all checked in on the UHF’s and then I saw another orange flash……..could it be. Yes another Sambar, making sure the wind was in my favor I tightened all the straps, double checked that nothing could come loose and placed a round in the camber. All I had to do was cover 50m to give myself a clear shot from a large eucalyptus tree, otherwise I would be taking the risk of the bullet deflecting off the tea tree and scattered ferns.

With no word of a lie it took me 50 minutes to cover that 50m, the Sambar now identified as a hind regularly checked the vicinity. I did everything right, showing El the deer he seemed excited too. I placed one foot at a time in between lying twigs and leaves, shuffling my feet so as not to make any crunching sounds. My shoulders aching from the pack I wanted to hurry up and get to the tree, but knowing Sambar any sudden movement and she would have bolted without hesitation. Words simply cannot describe time but eventually I made it to the gum tree. I resting my arm on the tree I placed my rifle on top in a shooting position, signaling El to block his ears and to stay steady I readied for the shot.

I placed the crosshairs on the deer standing 80m away I looked at taking a chest shot, and then realized that I had the opportunity to take a high shoulder and cleanly dispatch a deer with the minimum of fuss. When the hind next looked up I imagined the spine and shot high on the shoulder. The roar of the 300wsm echoed through the valleys, and well before the echoes had stopped the hind had dropped, the failsafe had sheared through the top of both the shoulders but most importantly shattered the spine. I was rapt, turning my UHF on I called the guys, they had heard the shot. I told them what had happened, and they jokingly replied “you’ll be right you can carry it out on your own”. I gave them my GPS co’ ordinates and celebrated with Elyas. I propped the camera on a near log and snapped away with a few photos, it was at this time I noticed he was decidedly quiet. I took him out of the pack and sat him next to the deer so he could soak it all in. he patted the deer showed me her ears and eyes. I took some photos to capture the moment we had just accomplished a great feat, we had taken a Sambar together; we had managed to hunt in fair chase a wild Sambar together he at the tender age of only 2 1/2, I then started the hard work of butchering.

Then El started to cry, unsure as to why I checked him over. No dirty nappy his hands seemed fine, it wasn’t until I checked his feet I notice they were frozen! I made an emergency fire and took his leather boots off, warming his feet near the fire. I had been walking and had not noticed the drop in temperature as I had been moving and focused on the deer. I notified the boys and continued both butchering and keeping my son near the fire. By the time the boys had arrived I had the deer in pieces but still crying child. Quickly packing El back in the pack we all took a piece of deer and head off to camp it was about a kilometer away. John was quickly out of sight, Matt however stuck by and helped steady me through the creek crossings and uneven marsh grasses.

With El still crying I was starting to panic, we stepped up the pace as fast as my aching body could go; I dropped my front half of the deer in a fork of a tree and started to run back to camp. When I arrived at camp John had the fire going and I quickly warmed El up by it, also giving him some medication for a lump on the head he had received whilst I was running back to camp. It wasn’t long before El warmed up and actually volunteered to go to bed! Whilst relaxing after he had gone to sleep I revealed in my achievement, I thought I may have a slight chance to do a grand slam of all six deer species with El, but it was probably a dream?

Part B

Rusa Sept 04

Elyas and I had hunted a lot together over the past year, all Sambar hunting and it had been great. However there was a surprise brewing. I had met Owen of Great Southern Hunts over the internet and had kept in contact with him for over two years. Finally I had got permission from the understanding wife for El and I to go for a visit, and see the great southern fallow herd. Driving up was no problem, El is great in the car, mostly sleeping or watching out the window.

We arrived at Owen’s place and were greeted by a smiling face, Owen introduced himself to me and then to El, El being shy took a minute to settle in but once over the shyness, didn’t stop yapping. The next day Owen took the both of us out for a look at the fallow herd he guides on. What a shock! I had never seen so many deer in the one place, and still to this day have not seen such a large number of deer; all wild and all very, very alert. I did a bit of filming and El enjoyed seeing all the deer. That night Owen made a call to a close friend Clint Magro who has access to wild Rusa deer in NSW I was interested in getting some footage, Owen said he see what he could do.

The next day at 2am Owen woke me and said time to go, grab your gun and gear we are going after Rusa! I was in shock Owen had arranged with Clint for me to go and hunt Rusa with El for my birthday. We arrived at Clint’s house at 5am on arrival through town we even saw a wild Rusa hind eating someone’s lawn.

Clint came out, introduced himself; I said that I would be happy to take photos let alone a Rusa, his answer was “no way mate you’re all the way from Vic your gunna shoot a stag”. So off we set. Before the sun came up we found ourselves at our destination, a quick check over that El was strapped in, gun was safe and most of all video was working. I refused help from Owen and Clint wanting to carry all the gear I would usually carry; I struggled up the hill.

It was warm, being so close to the coast the humidity started to get to me. This was the complete opposite to the high country temperature wise; it was very similar though when it came to the hills. They were steep and it wasn’t long before I was sweating terribly, with sweat pouring off my face I struggled to keep up with Clint. All of a sudden “CROAK” a Rusa bark……it had startled me. We started to climb up a hill for a better look, when we reached the top we quickly glassed the opposite hill, Rusa were everywhere on the opposite face. So twice as fast as we had ascended the hill we descended the hill, we needed to get there before the sun rose to high and they sheltered into the lantana.

Clint was amazingly fast but that may have been to the fact that El had grown a great deal and put on weight, making the pack heavy and the humidity was driving me crazy. Rushing up the opposite face hoping to catch the deer unaware I was exhausted. Reaching an old wooden fence Clint and Owen classed the herd of deer. Both of them agreed to which deer was the taker, since I was not fussy I was just excited to be there. El and I watch the deer for a few minutes until Clint said time to “rock and roll”. At 200m with El on my back I needed to sit down to pull off a clean shot. Once again with an unalarmed deer I placed the crosshairs on the deer’s imaginary backbone, breathed out and pulled the trigger. The stag literally folded up on the spot.

Both Clint and Owen congratulated me “what a shot” was echoed more than once on the hike up the hill. When we arrived at the deer it was high fives all-round, and time for more photos. To make any father proud El stood up and held the deer’s antlers for his own photo. I was so happy, elated really, El and I had accomplished another feat together, a wild Rusa. In the heat, humidity and hills I had shown El another deer species and cleanly harvested it for the video, which Owen had recorded the entire hunt. It was all starting to come true, 3 species; halfway if I was a dreamer……….maybe I might get the opportunity to take all six………

Fallow March 05

Regularly speaking to Owen he was having a bumper year guiding the fallow in the ACT and he invited me up for a poke around and if I wanted we could target a non typical stag with Elyas, not wanting to upset Owen it was agreed that I would pay my way. I sure wanted to go and another lot of packing saw the two of us head off to the ACT. Once again Owen once again greeted us with a smile. After the trading of the essential gifts, mostly alcohol, we were off to glance over the herd. Owen was being a touch skeptical as to whether we would actually find and shoot a non typical. As this time of year the massive herd splits up into smaller groups and we would have to look over a lot of animals and if it came to a stalk I would be doing it on my belly.

We arrived at the property and started the long task of driving to vantage points and glassing over hundreds of flat pasture land. For 3hrs we drove and glassed until Owen spotted a mob of deer, noticing it had a monster in it he was interested in a closer look as he might be able to get another client to shoot it. I wasn’t bothered I was glad Elyas and I were together enjoying ourselves, especially since Owen had brought some olives, Elyas loves them. We got to within 800m in the car and surprisingly these fallow deer were alert to the car even at that distance. Setting up the optics we saw a monster fallow buck with huge palms but Owen had a bigger smile on his face.

Handing me the spotting scope he said “pan to the right, third animal in”. I did as he said and then I too had a smile; there was a weird looking head amongst the herd, a cull animal and just what I was willing to remove. Getting ready and forming a stalking plan was going to be the easy part; the hard part was going to be getting close enough on my belly with Elyas on my back. I could have just left him there with Owen but that’s not what I, and this trip was about. As I got the rifle out and loaded it, I explained to El what we were doing and handed him the binoculars so he could see the deer I was after. Elyas said “they look like flames when we go camping, dad”. Owen indicated that I would have to go through the fence, Elyas first then me. Owen would do his own thing and film the journey on my video.

I told Elyas to go in front of me and get through the fence slowly. Very slowly we crawled our way through the fence and once on the other side Elyas slowly backed himself into the back pack and then I knelt up and slipped the pack onto my back, WOW it was awfully hard to crawl and have a child lying on your back. I could hear him struggle not to move, not even making a whimper when our heads collided every time I looked up to see the herd. Our progress was so very slow and as fast as a man can crawl the deer continued their feeding journey to the hardwood. Owen started to get a little anxious that they would make it before I would get a shot. Quickly he set up the video camera and started to film my last parts of the journey to a ridge in the paddock. I guessed the stag was about 300m away, it was well within capable range of the 300wsm, and I was happy to take the shot. Setting up the bipod I told Elyas to cover his ears…..

BOOM the rifle rang out across the flats; there was a massive cloud of dust just in front of the deer as the herd sprung away doing a big loop not knowing where the danger was until they circled back into the hardwood to be lost. I could have sworn I missed the deer and had just sprayed him with dust. Owen on the other hand swore he saw the hit, and the fact that the stag I had targeted was only slowly trotting away and in no way getting away in a hurry almost confirmed it. We bolted after him, now I am not sure how many times it can be explained but running with a loose 18kg bouncing around on your back is not fun though it is probably hilarious to watch. Now to run 50m would be fine and no problem but 800m later I was seriously knackered, no more so than the deer because he had stopped to a halt and stood in the open watching his harem and sparring buddies make it to the trees. I looked for a tree to rest on and take a shot, it was impossible to hold steady and I can seriously say “I dare anyone else to do it”. It took maybe 15 seconds to get my breathing under control before the 300wsm cracked again, this time there was no mistake, the non-typical stag fainted to the left and expired. It was a long walk again to the deer, and I was far too tired to express much emotion, I just questioned El and Owen on what they had seen. El had seen most of the story unfold but was best adept to explain the deer falling over after the second bang, and he wanted to look at the used shells. Owen explained that I had hit the deer somehow with the first shot neither of us knew how since I had hit the ground some 3m before the animal.

When El and I got to the animal Owen had already set up the video camera to catch the facial expressions of the two of us (it was fantastic to watch on replay later). We both wanted to know how the animal had been hit first time round but were too tired from the over 1 km run. Plonking ourselves down we had a quiet drink and chatted about the hunt, especially the second shot which had gone perfectly into the kill zone. El and I sat and rested whilst Owen returned to the car, it was a long walk back and El and I looked over and handled the still body together. We got out the knives and I started to cape the deer, El holding the antlers so as to give me the right angle to cut as this was one deer that was definitely going up on the wall. Owen, back with the car we worked together doing the main parts as well as removing the internals before pulling the heavy carcass up into the tray and heading back to the house, Owen commented on his neck size. Miraculously when we lifted the deer up onto the ute I noticed the deer’s jaw was broken so quick poke around found a small entry hole?? With knife in hand a couple of quick nicks and I had found the projectiles core from my first shot!!!

The bullet had hit the ground in front of the deer separated from the jacket and ricochet up hitting the deer in the jaw like an iron bar; giving him a concussion and us time to gain some precious ground and a second shot. We had not noticed it because even though there was blood around the mouth we all had believed it was from the second shot into the lungs. Amazing really, doubt I’ll ever see that again, except every time I watch the video Owen has prepared for us. With me sneaking through the open grasslands with El on my back, till the closure of the hunt and two hunters smiling with their accomplishment. Four out of a possible six species, looks like the “dreamers” challenge was well within my grasp, thanks again Owen.

Part C

Chital deer 05

The chital deer hunt started out as a red deer hunt in southern QLD that ended up being a hunt on coastal central NSW for the beautiful spotted deer. After missing the roar by a week in the Mary valley followed by three days of hot sweaty hunting in the humid conditions with only one deer sighted; El and I called it a hunt and started our trip back home. Prior to leaving I had made a few calls to chase the chance of a Chital on a rumored long established herd near Kempsey; I guess in the New England Ranges they call it. After many hours driving and even more hours on farmers driveways asking about the deer and if they had any and if they would let me hunt them, it was apparently obvious that the chital where pretty much on the shoot on sight list for the local chillers; and I was not going to well on the access issue either.

After driving through four properties to reach the one at the end of the public access road I bettered my chances at least. I have never driven a driveway that was so grassed over that unless there was a sign in the paddock you’d have driven clean pass. Glassing over this farmers property I realized that being surrounded by cliffs wouldn’t allow the spotlighting brigade to get access to any deer carcass that may be shot and even harder to get a spotlight shot through the trees and rocks. Here’s hoping I thought as I jumped out of the car to knock on the door.

The farmer turned out the be a ripper bloke, he said yeah no props about the chital he has some in pens down the back and traps a few every year when they try and round up his farmed hinds. There was no problem with accommodation as El and I could sleep in the bush house which was really a house without the side wall, these allowed panoramic views of the valley, cliffs and the river. One hitch which didn’t bother me too much was that there was a trophy fee based on either sex and/or antler length. Well I thought at least there must be some deer here for the farmer to consider charging me? The farmer had work elsewhere that week but said if I shot a deer to let the caretakers know and pay them the very modest fee for the animal (which in hindsight should have been discussed a little deeper). I was so surprised and grateful, trust is a difficult thing for some and because of this I didn’t ask enough questions, other than what would be my best plans of a hunt and where.

The bush house was a ripper, with shower, toilet, kitchen and about 8 beds. There was electricity but no TV, great for me but a little difficult on a 4 year old. I pulled out my laptop and put on the Wiggles whilst I cooked dinner, he was rapt and so was I with the hot shower, then it was his turn. We watched the sunset, which included seeing a deer on the skyline before climbing into bed dreaming about what tomorrow held.

At the sound of my alarm the two of us got up in the semi naked light of dawn and readied ourselves for a big day; dressing and packing the day pack with all the essential items we left the bush house heading toward the now rising sun. I prepared Elyas to the fact that today we may be getting wet as one of the less hunted parts of the property was separated from the main farm by a wide stretch of river. Soon we went walking along the river edge looking for a place to cross and just as the farmer had said, about 800m from camp was the easy way across which involved not more than shin high water for me and Elyas the ability to watch the fish dart between my legs, if nothing else happened today I would be content remembering his laughter at seeing so many fish and their silly antics to escape a man and child crossing the river.

However this turned out to be one of the easier parts of the day as once on the other side of the river I found no easy way through the lantana and prickly tea tree to gain height and back out onto the farmland. After more than half an hour of whacking and backtracking my way through the low river flats we managed to crawl out onto the little used farmland. Little used was probably an understatement since the grass was above knee height and the fences well they weren’t really fences.

To the left of us was an extremely steep hill and directly in front and to our left lay a half moon shaped piece of farmland, the depth of which would have easily been over 2 kilometers. A great deal of land to cover in a day, but hey that’s hunting and that’s what we wished to do. With the wind in our face we could either start to climb the hill or scout around the base of the hill and then circle around along the river back to our crossing point, hmmmm. Interestingly and probably due to the fact it was early in the day the two of us decided to climb half way up the hill, we would look for sign contour the hill, glassing the tall grass paddocks and then come home along the creek. Well Elyas thought it was a good plan anyway.

We managed the steep climb half way and what we noticed was the higher I climbed the less sign was found, foot prints and droppings seemed to fade out and game trails started to show more sign of ‘roo and wallaby use rather than deer. Elyas also pointed out that even though we had climbed up the hill there was no real advantage as the thick scrub prevented the use of binoculars to glass the paddocks. So just as slowly as I had carried him up the hill we retreated to a more friendly height and contoured the base of the hill. There was plenty of sign all along the fringe country from deer droppings to rub trees, nothing that was very fresh but most of it less than a week old. Elyas seemed fascinated by the long grass that even he could catch the seeds, this grass was tall well above 5ft, not that I mind but it was wet too. By 10.30am I was wet through but hot as a coal fire, temperature wise it was probably 25d and the humidity was horrendous.

Elyas was faring much better, being carried through the paddocks he was neither hot nor cold, and was having a pleasant journey looking for deer with his father. We reached to far side of the paddock at lunchtime and sat on the top of a very small rise in the shade of a large gum that also had stopped the grass from growing to any great height. We sat, talked and glassed. Elyas was enjoying looking through the binoculars; at four I think he had finally reached an age where he could comfortably use them. We didn’t see too much but enjoyed the break; a nice breeze had sprung up in the opposite direction at least something was going to plan.

After picking the lunch wrappers up and making sure they were not going to rustle in the pack we resumed our quest, it wasn’t long before we found very fresh rubs and pellets, the only problem was whether we could keep quiet. You see the fresher the sign the thicker the vines and lantana was, the old catch 22. We decided to do a bit of both; bush bashing and when El had had enough we would skirt the thickets. It was hot work and the fact that no deer were sighted was starting to bring the level of excitement to a real downer. Today was our only chance. With every step we got closer to camp and even though the sign was very fresh I doubted very much that any deer would be sighted close to the farmhouse.

Though crossing the river was a welcome relief from the heat, I was disappointed that we had not even seen a deer. This time I didn’t look for a shallow place to cross, I went waist deep through the river and El got his shoes a little damp. He had enjoyed the day with his father. It was now 4pm and I collected my thoughts…..maybe if I climb to the top a small hill that overlooks the valley there is a chance we will at least see a deer. It was a harder climb than I had anticipated, after having el on my back for 6hrs the weight was starting to dig into my shoulders.

Once reaching the top of the hill I sat down and started to glass up the valley where deer had been seen in the last few months. El mentioned that sun was nice and that we should go deer hunting more often. “Wow what a child”, he was growing into a fine young lad. Turning around to talk to him I saw something way off in the paddock, too far for me to identify straight away. Quietly raising my hand to point out to El the creature walking the fence line, I also raised my binoculars to fully identify the animal myself. “It’s a deer”, I screamed (in a whisper). El nodded “are we going to shoot it dad”, I nodded back. Yeehaa a whole day walking a hill and crossing rivers and if I had just come to the top of a rise in a paddock we would have seen what we were chasing.

Pulling the range finder out of my pocket I put it up to deer, 286yds and moving away on an angle. What to do? Ok…….stay sitting, roll back onto El’s backpack, raise the rifle onto my knees and wait for the deer to stop…….well as always this deer wouldn’t stop “shoot dad” El whispered. I waited for 20-30secs then deer stopped to try and work his way through the far corner of the sheep paddock without jumping it, BOOM! The trigger broke and the silence was shattered, the deer took two steps then did a fainting roll. He was dead before the sound of the rifle shot reached his ears. “You got him dad” and he raised his hand for a high five, well the tears nearly broke free then; that’s for sure. We had hunted hard and here was a young man who was so proud of his dad. Running down into the valley and back up to the deer seemed to come easily despite the fact earlier I had been short of breath to reach the top of the hill. I dropped the backpack and helped El out in one fluid motion.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, Dad Dad he has seven points!” at the time I just thought he had counted wrong, whilst I was removing the camera. I mean it is not everyday you hunt, see, give up and then shoot a chital! I started taking photo’s and then I too saw the extra point on the brow tine, wow something special as well, there was also the worn part in the exact opposite on the other brow (later discussion with a measurer confirmed he would be classified as an eight pointer), the little tacker was correct there were seven points! I took 6 photos before El wanted to take a couple of me. So I handed the camera over and he started. Not really expecting much but he seemed to have a sense of where everything needed to be (they all turned out great). Photos done it was time to head back to farmhouse and see if the caretakers could give me a hand to retrieve the deer. A long walk I can say I don’t remember one bit of it, except the fact that El re-lived every moment of the shot and the deer falling down.

I was ecstatic, wrapped and exhausted; really I must have seemed euphoric when I explained everything to the caretaker. However both he and his wife were very happy for me and I didn’t even need to ask about whether they would help. As great country folk do it was offered. Loading up the 4x4 with the caretaker, El, water and myself we headed off up the bush track to the back blocks. We reached the deer just before 5, field dressing the carcass, and rinsing the sharps it took both the caretaker and I to lift the monster chital into the car. I have seen farmed chital and this stag was a monster compared; not antler wise, but in body. Even a chital with monster “bones” would probably have copped a hiding from this smaller antlered deer considering his shoulder bulk.

We returned to the homestead and the caretaker gave me a hand hoisting the speckled deer onto the old butcher’s hook that had seen many days where it held the homesteads sheep and cattle for butchering. Once it was up the caretaker took a few photos of El and I with the deer, I think he and his wife were excited for me and as a gesture of goodwill I quickly caped the deer and cut two perfect front shoulders for them to hang for a day or two. They seemed both pleased and grateful for my gift. Whilst caping, Elyas took more photo’s and I did a basic autopsy. They shot had been a ripper not damaging any meat or cape. The failsafe doing what it was supposed to had gone in behind the stags last right rib and was found under the skin in the near his “voice box”. It had penetrated about 60cm hit no bones, but drilled both the edge of the liver and then two lungs. Now at 300yds I wasn’t disappointed. These failsafes have performed every time they have come out of my Browning, and this deer had taken a little more than 3secs to fall and he never knew he was dead!

It was an excited father and son that left the property late that evening, but before I had opened the first gate on the way out there was a very asleep child in the back. As soon as I was in mobile range though I called my wife and got El to tell his mum before falling asleep again. I made a few calls to catch Clint in Wollongong to chase a Rusa or two. That fell through so I drove straight back to home and El celebrated with a hug from his mum.

Red Deer July 05

Well once the word had spread that I had got 5 species and I was still chasing a Red deer, there were a few people who were willing to try and help. Working in a firearms shop I picked up a brochure put out by Pete Costin of Megatrack canoes and guiding services and put the call through.

The phone rang. “Ohhh Hi Pete, yeah name’s Chris I am interested in chasing a Red deer but there are a couple of catches: It has to be a wild one, I don’t care about antlers or trophies as such we have to hunt the deer, eat it if possible; and the weirdest part is I want to carry my son on my back.” There was a pause.

“Uhhh yeah Ok” Pete replied “I’ll see what I can do, I have heard about a Red running with a mob of Fallow I guide on, if I find out anymore I’ll call.”

I met Pete a couple of times when he came into the shop, he showed a few photo’s of some of his clients monster Fallow and as any proud father I should him photo’s our (El and I’s) achievements. He seemed mildly impressed and more than once said “Hey I won’t forget, if I see any Reds up my way I’ll call, especially if I can find some sort of pattern whilst I guide on the Fallow before they cast.”

It was in the back of my mind that he would call, however I chased up a many leads and tried to get access in traditional herd areas, the Otways and Grampians. Considering that Victoria has a limited Red Deer season I was under a lot of pressure to get a Red deer down south, I was even considering another trip north to southern QLD.

Then the call from Pete Costin came…..

I put the phone down, really….were we going to hunt a Red deer. I quickly re-picked up the phone and dialed my wife; I asked to speak to El.

“Hey buddy, you want to go hunting?”

“Yeah”

“Well, a friend of mine knows about a Red deer and he is going to take us to hunt him.”

“Really? Hey mum, dad’s taking me hunting, we are going on a long drive and we’re going to shoot a Red deer.”

I could here the excitement bubbling out of his mouth, I guess his mother could see it too as she agreed over the phone to allow the two of us to go. Over half a dozen years of marriage I have learnt it is smarter to do the niceties and ask, than try and force a hunting trip on the wife and the budget. The next two weeks were spent preparing for the trip, physically packing, and being in shape I knew I was okay. What I kept concerning myself with was the emotional part. The bit that chews into your psyche when there is a big event coming up. Have no doubt this was a big event!

The night before, the car was packed and filled with fuel. Breakfast prepared on the table and clothes laid out on the bed. Even though he was four, things still needed a great deal of preparation especially if you plan on leaving at 4am! The alarm sounded at three and I gently got out of bed, just because my wife said that we could go didn’t mean she wanted to be woken. I had a quiet shower and dressed. Waking El I slipped him into his hunting gear and put him in front of a bowl of cereal, “If you don’t eat you can’t come”, he ate. Finished, hastily I checked we had everything we needed and jumped in the car and headed off, not even ten minutes in and El was asleep.

Pulling into Pete’s place just before lunch, I introduced myself and El. He was more than happy to show El around his trophy room and explain the deer heads. Semi unloading my car into Pete’s it wasn’t long before the second half of the journey began. Pete explained what the country was like, as it drizzled, speaking about the other deer that lived in the area and how he presumed this Red had got mixed up with the fallow. Stopping at the gate, I prepped El out, in a hat and jacket. I grabbed the rifle, gloves and magazine, Pete told me from now on we were glassing, once the deer was spotted, the car stopped and I with El on my back would resume a stalk until I felt comfortable with a shot in the rain and distance.

The country was very open, rolling hills with very little in the way of saplings, Pete had mentioned that the deer we were chasing had quite light colored antlers due to there being no fresh growth to stain them and it wouldn’t be long before they would be cast so they had been bleached by the sun. Reaching the top of the first hill we stopped and glassed, there was Fallow in the distance. Remembering Pete commented that he won’t be far from the Fallow, I kept an eye out.

Slowly cresting the next rise BANG there was the Red deer I had come for, hearing the car he stood up, he was an absolute monster in body size! Sliding the car to a stop, Pete backed up, back over the rise whilst El was whispering about the big deer and was that a red deer? He was bubbling out of his skin; almost gliding out of the car when it stopped I grabbed the carry pack and started the snake wrestle of getting El into it. Throwing him onto my back, I grabbed the well used and much loved Browning and slid the mag in, Accubond on top followed by two Failsafes. This trip was a testing mission for the new Nosler projectiles, safely away from the car I turned gave Pete the thumbs up and closed the bolt on the Accubond.

Ever so gently I climbed to the rise and poked our heads over, he had gone! There was no cover to hide in so El and I continued to look and glass. Deciding he wasn’t below us I snuck down the lightly filled bracken feeder gully headed for the next rise, reaching the top once again we stuck our heads over ever so gently, not there either. Where had he disappeared to?........... Movement to the left??? Damnit he’d gone high. Putting the bino’s up I could see him look at me and turn away ready to bolt if at anytime I looked like threatening his safety. At 250yds he was too far for an offhand shot, looking around a tree stump about 35yrds away would do for a rest. All we had to do was slowly ever so slowly sneak sideways to the stump. Putting the bino’s up again every time he looked ahead we moved towards the stump.

35yds isn’t usually far, but it is when you are being watched by your prey in the rain……… He was getting very nervous and his ears were going like a humming birds wings forward, back, forward………starting to ache and the water seeping through my hat and making El’s pack heavy I slipped and slid my way to the stump. He was still there but so very uneasy about to leave the scene at any moment. Propping the gun on my arm which rested on the stump, instinct took over and therefore so did the deer.

I looked back at Pete he was giving me the thumbs up. I looked back at the deer, it was still moving its head, I cycled another round and drilled another bullet home. El was ecstatic, “you got him dad, we got a red deer”. Pete drove the car as close as we could to the animal and we had the ceremonial photo session, I can tell you any guide worth his salt; like Pete knows how to take a photo. We butchered the deer and found the first projectile had done its job the high shoulder had been destroyed and 4” of spine was missing, he had been fatally quadraplegically crippled from that instant and the second shot although not necessary helped quicken the reality. Whilst we put the cape and meat in the car, El looked for sticks to take home.

I don’t think he felt the cold or the wind, he was just happy to have been there, seen it, be apart of it all and you know what ………. so was I.

The End