A Kiwi's 2014 year

I wrote this for a New Zealand forum, but since I acquired some of the years stalking through this forum I thought I would re-post it here.
Thanks

I always enjoy looking back at my photos from the year and enjoying the memories. I woke up crook as a dog this morning, so thought I'd take my time today to share a few memories from 2014.


I spent a fair bit of time looking for a nice red stag early on in the year and although I saw plenty of animals I didn't find the right one



I had some awesome times though, including a very memorable week hunting reds in the roar with my mate Russ, who smoked one over with a Musket!









I had a new rifle to play with; 6.5/284 built by Dan Hardy. I love it, nice and light and very accurate



I had an invitation from Brendan Coe to hunt Sika with him on Ngamatea, a fantastic opportunity which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I was ecstatic to test out my new rifle up there.












I spent a bit more time chasing Chamios. Unlike the Red deer I have no qualms pulling the trigger on a mature buck. There is something special about hunting chamois.






I took a good friend out for her first chamois hunt, watch out for the yarn written by her in the next R&R



I ended up on the West side of the alps with a couple of good friends hunting chamois too, another fantastic and memorable trip









My new rifle kept on slaying animals, not this buck unfortunately...although my finger did waver on the trigger but a glimpse of a red ear tag halted that motion.



I shot a few wallabys and a young fallow for meat just on dark though, another great hunt!






A couple of Canterbury hogs fell throughout the year. I have noticed a definite drop in pig numbers around where I live this past year. They are certainly getting chased often enough.



The real highlight of 2014 was coming up fast...a trip to Europe to hunt, hunt, hunt! But it also went bloody fast.


Treeehorse picked me up from the airport...and that very day we were into it. I had a week with Harry then went to Germany for something special.


This buck eluded me. I even missed it one afternoon. He was nicknamed "the bullet proof buck". It wasn't the only one I missed...I put a bullet over the back of an absolute monster of a buck one other evening with Harry. That memory really rips my undies.



Plenty weren't missed though





















And we saw plenty to keep us from ever getting bored

 

[Roaringstag]

My week there ended far too quickly, but the next adventure was absolutely amazing, it too disappeared far too fast. I was in the North of Germany, hunting something very special- a black Roe buck















I had a week of hunting the black buck, much of the time was spent sitting in a stand, which is where I shot my buck from.









There were plenty of normal Roe in Germany too and I got to hunt one of them in the South of Germany near Stuttgart

 

[Roaringstag]

Then a quick 9 hour train ride to Austria to see my good friend Wolfi, where I did a little more hunting with him.









I had two very memorable moments there. One was shooting a very nice 6 point buck in the mountains






And the other was being with Wolfi when he shot this old buck in the back of someones garden (we didn't ask them first, that's not how it works over there!). How they hunt in Austria is nearly beyond belief in some of those towns!



A bit of a break from hunting followed when my Girlfriend Anna joined me. I promptly put a ring on her finger, then got away with whatever I wanted...which of course was a fair bit more hunting. We headed back to England to go to Harry's wedding then headed away with Harry and his wife to Cornwall...where we had some hunting jacked up with a local guy there who was one of the most generous people I have ever encountered. He gave us the use of his families holiday house for a week and met me at daylight every morning for a hunt, then again a couple of hours before dark. I shot 3 nice bucks with him. I hope I see him again...although as of yet I cannot convince him to get in a plane and come to NZ.


















After Cornwall, I did a little more hunting with Harry then headed up to Peterborough to hunt Muntjac with a top bloke called Adam.





















And then it was time to come home to NZ...but not before I went Fallow hunting with a Dutch man. It was a sad moment when the gun misfired, the buck of my dreams was standing only 15 yards away!


Customs were OK about my collection, certainly pays to do your homework first though



Home!



It has been a bit quieter on the hunting front since we got home, catching up on two months away has been a challenge. A big weekend shooting bunnies and hares got my hunting account back into the green, and then I was off again.



I figured out how to get a skinned stag into my truck on my own






This cunning old boar slipped up, I spent 6 months or more chasing him. It was good to finally get him but now I miss the challenge. Hopefully another will take his place



This fat wee eater chewed off my mates thumb...






And I slipped away to the coast for a quick two nights away. When this buck jumped up I didn't hesitate!



A nice buck, very small in the body which made him look bigger than he was. 9 3/4"



Only ten minutes after shooting my buck I stumbled into this guy, so he came home with me. My new rifle is doing well at range...8 metres was the range for this shot!



That eve I went for a wee walk with another forum friend



He promptly put a spiker on the floor 200m from camp, so that was good. The next day we had a great wee wander, saw a few more animals which all still breath as far as I know.






A quick swim at Kaikoura then the 2014 year came to an end.






I'm looking forward to this year. Especially the two weeks of hunting I will have here with my German and English friends.


Waidmannsheil

 

[straightbetweentheeyes]

Some excellent photos, looks like you had a superb year! wmh

regards, Jez

 

[User00047]

What a fantastic year! some great memories there for sure and some awesome trophies
Well done for catching up with the big boar, he's a real ugly brute, I bet it was fun getting hold of him!

The Chamois are beautiful looking animals..............I'll get there one day

 

[Boarboy]

enjoyed that!

 

[deerpath]

Wonderful pics and a great year's hunting.

 

[woodmaster]

A very memorable year. A European safari is a great idea. NZ still right at the top of my destination list. Sister has emigrated there in 2014 so hope to visit very soon. Happy hunting for 2015.

 

[Kiwi hunter]

Just a few animals then!! Awesome photos. You've had an amazing time - both in NZ and overseas. I moved to the UK in August but I haven't managed to shoot anything yet. You obviously planned things very well.
Cheers
Hayden

 

[Klenchblaize]

Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to put this fabulous account of your hunting year on SD. I'm sure it will be something of a wake up call for many to get out with the rifle a little more!

Picture #5 says it all for me.

All the best

K

 

[nun_hunter]

All I can say is wow, it just makes me more gutted I didn't do any hunting when I visited my brother in NZ a few years ago.

 

[Glendine]

Well done!

Glendine.

 

[kieran222]

Great photos, thanks for posting.
Kieran

 

[toad]

what a fantastic diary of your 2014. especially your mates thumb. thanks for sharing

 

[the verminator]

what a cracking year!!!

 

[NigelM]

Really enjoyed that, thank you.

I had the privilege of hunting Chamois for 2 days in Austria a few years back. Very challenging terrain, very elusive little beasties. Saw quite a few but never managed to pull the trigger on one. But one of the best trips I have ever had. Hope to be able to do it again one day.