A couple of hours passed as I travelled up the creek bed
before it started to get more and more narrow until I
came across an impassable waterfall. Now I was really
beginning to think it just wasn't my day...
I got out the NZ topo app again and decided on
plan C, which was to climb a steep spur on the
true right of the creek to the bush line. This area
looked like it had some nice bluff systems surrounding it.
Another two hours of bush bashing along the ridge took
place before I started to see daylight through the top of
the canopy. I was running into a fair bit of fresh deer sign
before I bumped a couple of bedded animals, which got
my hopes up for this new spot. I finally broke out of the
canopy to a bone-chilling southerly breeze.
I barely had 30 seconds to catch my breath let alone
put some extra layers on before I heard a sharp whistle,
which any experienced chamois hunter knows is not
good news. I quickly found the culprit with my binos, an
immature buck 200 metres up to my left. I snapped a few
photos and videos while he tried to work out what my
four-legged accomplice and I were.
In the shadows where I was, the temperature felt
like it was hovering only just above freezing so
as the chamois stood his ground, I slipped out
of view and continued up the ridge into the sun.
When I looked back to see if he was still there, I saw
an animal bedded down just metres from where the
youngster had been and I assumed it was him. I put my
binos on him – and realized I was looking at a different
animal altogether. It was another buck – and a ripper at
that!Lara could tell the
situation had suddenly
become urgent as I
started fumbling around
with my pack, trying to
make a solid rest out of
it to shoot from.
After getting comfortable and ranging the buck at 215
yards, I decided I didn't want to risk waiting for him to
stand up as he’d only need to take a couple of steps and
he’d be over the ridge and gone. I loaded a round into my
308, wound up the scope to full magnification, put the
crosshairs on the base of his neck and slowly squeezed.
He never knew what hit him and he slumped instantly.
After the excitement of the moment died down, I
quickly found a flattish spot just large enough for
my tent, dumped all my gear and set off to retrieve
the buck. He wasn’t far away but I had to sidle, climb up
and drop down some steep country so I took my time
getting to him. When I got there I was blown away by
how old he was. He was missing most of the hair on his
nose and had scars everywhere – it was clear he had seen
a few winters on these tops. Out came the tape and I was
stoked to see his horns were bang on 10 inches!
There is no better feeling than achieving a goal, no matter
what it is that you've worked hard for. I couldn't believe
how quickly my fortunes had changed in the space of
an hour. Unfortunately the head skin was in too poor aLara up high in the alpsAnother buck - a
ripper at that!The first buck11A couple of hours passed as I travelled up the creek bed
before it started to get more and more narrow until I
came across an impassable waterfall. Now I was really
beginning to think it just wasn't my day...
I got out the NZ topo app again and decided on
plan C, which was to climb a steep spur on the
true right of the creek to the bush line. This area
looked like it had some nice bluff systems surrounding it.
Another two hours of bush bashing along the ridge took
place before I started to see daylight through the top of
the canopy. I was running into a fair bit of fresh deer sign
before I bumped a couple of bedded animals, which got
my hopes up for this new spot. I finally broke out of the
canopy to a bone-chilling southerly breeze.
I barely had 30 seconds to catch my breath let alone
put some extra layers on before I heard a sharp whistle,
which any experienced chamois hunter knows is not
good news. I quickly found the culprit with my binos, an
immature buck 200 metres up to my left. I snapped a few
photos and videos while he tried to work out what my
four-legged accomplice and I were.
In the shadows where I was, the temperature felt
like it was hovering only just above freezing so
as the chamois stood his ground, I slipped out
of view and continued up the ridge into the sun.
When I looked back to see if he was still there, I saw
an animal bedded down just metres from where the
youngster had been and I assumed it was him. I put my
binos on him – and realized I was looking at a different
animal altogether. It was another buck – and a ripper at
that!
Lara could tell the
situation had suddenly
become urgent as I
started fumbling around
with my pack, trying to
make a solid rest out of
it to shoot from.
After getting comfortable and ranging the buck at 215
yards, I decided I didn't want to risk waiting for him to
stand up as he’d only need to take a couple of steps and
he’d be over the ridge and gone. I loaded a round into my
308, wound up the scope to full magnification, put the
crosshairs on the base of his neck and slowly squeezed.
He never knew what hit him and he slumped instantly.
After the excitement of the moment died down, I
quickly found a flattish spot just large enough for
my tent, dumped all my gear and set off to retrieve
the buck. He wasn’t far away but I had to sidle, climb up
and drop down some steep country so I took my time
getting to him. When I got there I was blown away by
how old he was. He was missing most of the hair on his
nose and had scars everywhere – it was clear he had seen
a few winters on these tops. Out came the tape and I was
stoked to see his horns were bang on 10 inches!
There is no better feeling than achieving a goal, no matter
what it is that you've worked hard for. I couldn't believe
how quickly my fortunes had changed in the space of
an hour. Unfortunately the head skin was in too poor a
Lara up high in the alpsAnother buck - a
ripper at that!The first buck11