NZ Hunter – August 2019

A bluebird day for the walk out

The pack out is always far

more enjoyable with the

weight of antlers on your back

nature of the country that we’d have only

moments to make a shot, but to see a plan

come together so seamlessly is always

satisfying. Camera on, spotter set while

Emil got behind the rifle and ranged the

animal, it was a practiced routine by now.

Emil fired in less than 30 seconds

from when we saw them. The shot

absolutely drilled him, not even a kick. The

12 hung around but he was far too young,

he had the makings of a proper 300DS

beauty someday so when Emil asked if I

wanted to shoot I declined.

The celebration was loud, excited and

immensely satisfying. I didn’t realise the

pressure we were putting ourselves

under until the goal was achieved.

Subconsciously we’d both been searching

so hard for each other's animal that

we’d become so deeply invested in the

success of the trip it almost felt like relief

to have succeeded. But what a trip,

two awesome animals in less than

15 minutes from the same shooting

position, we thought the last time we

did it was impressive enough!

Joyously we headed to the stag first,

practically skipping downstream - even

the horrid tangled matagouri didn’t

dampen our spirits. Emil’s stag was

wonderful - a shapely 14 with a few

broken tines reminding us how hard he

must have fought in the roar. After the

usual photos so we could preserve that

moment we took a pack full of meat and

cut across to my bull.

Just before we got there something

crashed through the scrub practically

at my feet and given the proximity and

the debacle from last trip I assumed a

pig, but lo and behold a decent bull

tahr popped his head up! Unfortunately,

he was far too quick for the camera. The

gloom of the forest, the strong musk of the

tahr and his powerful, broad build cast my

thoughts to how terrifying it would be to

have the same encounter with a bear!

Carrying on only another 80m we

found my bull resplendent in the

tussock. He sported a magnificent

cape, that great silver mane that earnt

him his moniker flowed down over his

shoulders, heightening the impression

of huge bulk. He was younger than I

expected to be carrying such good

length, moderate bases had my estimate

a little high, his long horn taped out at a

fraction under 13”, scoring 42 1/2DS. We

took more photos, then the cape and

meat and headed up the far side of the

gorge to circle round back to our tent,

arriving without the aid of headlamps for

a change!

In the aching cold of a clear winter's

night Emil expertly head skinned the bull

while I brewed a constant supply of hot

chocolates and captured the spectacular

astrological display playing out over our

heads. A night enjoying a few well

earnt cups of port and we slept well,

knowing we’d pulled off a pretty

impressive alpine double, double.

Emil's spectacular battle-

worn 14 point stag

A bluebird day for the walk out August / September 2019 ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE^9

Thepackoutis alwaysfar

moreenjoyablewiththe

weightofantlersonyourback

nature of the country that we’d have only
moments to make a shot, but to see a plan
come together so seamlessly is always
satisfying. Camera on, spotter set while
Emil got behind the rifle and ranged the
animal, it was a practiced routine by now.

Emil fired in less than 30 seconds
from when we saw them. The shot
absolutely drilled him, not even a kick. The
12 hung around but he was far too young,
he had the makings of a proper 300DS
beauty someday so when Emil asked if I
wanted to shoot I declined.

The celebration was loud, excited and
immensely satisfying. I didn’t realise the
pressure we were putting ourselves
under until the goal was achieved.
Subconsciously we’d both been searching
so hard for each other's animal that
we’d become so deeply invested in the
success of the trip it almost felt like relief
to have succeeded. But what a trip,
two awesome animals in less than
15 minutes from the same shooting
position, we thought the last time we
did it was impressive enough!

Joyously we headed to the stag first,
practically skipping downstream - even

the horridtangledmatagourididn’t

dampenourspirits.Emil’sstagwas

wonderful- a shapely 14 witha few

brokentinesremindingushowhardhe

must havefoughtintheroar.Afterthe

usual photossowecouldpreservethat

momentwetooka packfullofmeatand

cut acrosstomybull.

Just beforewegottheresomething

crashedthroughthescrubpractically

at my feetandgiventheproximityand

the debaclefromlasttripI assumeda

pig, butloandbeholda decentbull

tahr poppedhisheadup!Unfortunately,

he wasfartooquickforthecamera.The

gloom oftheforest,thestrongmuskofthe

tahr andhispowerful,broadbuildcastmy

thoughtstohowterrifyingit wouldbeto

have thesameencounterwitha bear!

Carryingononlyanother80mwe

foundmybullresplendentinthe

tussock.Hesporteda magnificent

cape, thatgreatsilvermanethatearnt

him hismonikerfloweddownoverhis

shoulders,heighteningthe impression

of hugebulk.HewasyoungerthanI

expectedtobecarryingsuchgood

length,moderatebaseshadmyestimate

a littlehigh,hislonghorntapedoutata

fractionunder13”,scoring 42 1/2DS.We

tookmorephotos,thenthecapeand

meatandheadedupthefarsideofthe

gorgetocircleroundbacktoourtent,

arrivingwithouttheaidofheadlampsfor

a change!

Intheachingcoldofa clearwinter's

nightEmilexpertlyheadskinnedthebull

whileI breweda constantsupplyofhot

chocolatesandcapturedthespectacular

astrologicaldisplayplayingoutoverour

heads.A nightenjoyinga fewwell

earntcupsofportandwesleptwell,

knowingwe’dpulledoffa pretty

impressivealpinedouble,double.

Emil's spectacular battle-

worn 14 point stag

August / September 2019 ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 9