@SOUTHISLANDRIFLEWALKERS
It was a couple of basic mistakes that have left me scratching my head and wondering how I could be so stupid! Anyone who has ever searched for a trophy animal knows the feeling of investing significant time and money into the hunt. Sometimes, when you finally achieve something, it can be exhilarating. However, I must admit that I have allowed this feeling to take over me a few times in the past.
I've made two trips down to the outdoorsman's paradise of Stewart Island. I absolutely love this place for its amazing diving and hunting experiences and just can't seem to get enough of it. The Whitetail deer down there have earned a reputation as the 'grey ghost'. They're sneaky little critters that know how to stay hidden in the thick native bush. I'm not very skilled at hunting in the bush, as most of my trips involve spotting and stalking, and tops hunting knowledge doesn't translate into bush hunting all that well. There's a few basics that carry through but, for most part, it's a whole different ball game.
SHOOTING
On my first trip to the Island, I spooked two deer in the bush (that I saw). It's incredible how quietly a Whitetail can move through bush without making a noise; meanwhile, I'm snapping,a shot. It was feeding towards me, but I wanted a broadside opportunity. Whitetail are the smallest deer species in New Zealand, and it looked tiny through the scope. ‘It must be a yearling' I told myself. It started backing up into the bush, so I squeezed off a shot at the first opportunity. Missed, and I had no idea where it went. I walked over to where it had been in the hopes of a blood trail that I knew wouldn't be there, and realised what had gone wrong. The deer was tiny in the scope because it was bloody ages away! I thought it couldn't have been further than 200 yards, but after pacing it out, the distance was easily 400 yards. I'd left my rangefinder in the hut.
