Billy Bunters having a feed.

John Gryphon

Well-Known Member
A couple of roly poly young stags unknown to me showed up today in a long creek gully. The dog heard them as they were having a face off that obviously didn't include antler rattling due to velvet although the bigger of the two looks like he is getting fairly dry in velvet.
I could bino them through the Hazel screen but as usual couldn't get lens glass onto them. I went up and down back and forth looking for a hole in the foliage to no avail. And as usual when feeding they don't lift their heads much when they feel secure.
I got a few bits of video but wanted better.

Each time I travelled back and forth I carried the big heavy camera/tripod with me and after repeated trips I left the friggin thing standing and went to my left about 20 yards away from my tripod. WHOA! That was a friggin mistake that I rarely do and Murphy put his head in.

Something made me look left and ahead and frig me a young half grown Sambar calf ( hind ) was looking downhill approx 80 yards away. I immediately dropped to my haunches as I had to unsling the old push feed 7mm thinking..geezuz I`m friggn glad that i`m not upside down lol.
As soon as the rifle was shouldered in one motion while still on my haunches the crosshairs held true and one was sent. She lurched forward and gravity helped her downhill about 40 yards. The still pic shows the exit.
A perfect eating model that had a lot of fat in her body, she was taken as there was a relatively easy retrieve involving low four and a long rope. The liver is cooling for me atm.
I towed her to a bank,released her then backed up to roll her into the back and on arriving home I weighed her whole with guts in at an even 182 lbs. Nice deer,nice eating model,lovely mornings stroll with the dog.
I had to work quickly to beat the blowies too.

Where she fell

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The handy old cabelas scales.

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Nice one fella.

The ones on video dont know how lucky they are. Blissfully unaware internet stars. :)

Just out of interest, would they react to a call to present a shot or do they just bolt?
 
The hinds,young and especially spikeys will often stop and stare in the call direction FB. I have rattled more than a few spikey ribs by stopping them with a call. Just a mew I make with my gob and depending on how dry that is too.
Quite often mature stags will just have a think and go.

There are electronic callers for sale with Sambar sound cards but if they were "that" good every hunter would have one.
The spotlighters use them to get the stags in cover to stick their heads up for a shot (illegal)
 
Hiya John

Hat off to you on doing the necessary, 'specially as you on your own.
The 'prospect' in velvet looks interesting - not as interesting as 'the Wide-Boy' though!
Presumably no hanging but frozen as soon as?

L
 
Presumably no hanging but frozen as soon as?

I woke at 3.30AM this morn and after 32C yesterday I wanted to get the rug off the hind so I set my ute up with the light bar on full bore and skinned her a couple of hours ago in the headlights. I broke the carcase down and it is in an old fridge chilling.
Even after a day and nights hanging it was still warm to the touch in the inner backbone etc
I`m glad to have done the job as it is another 30C+ day forecast again,all week actually. I cant wait for winter.
I leave shortly with camera,dog and old 7mm for another look.
 
I woke at 3.30AM this morn and after 32C yesterday I wanted to get the rug off the hind so I set my ute up with the light bar on full bore and skinned her a couple of hours ago in the headlights. I broke the carcase down and it is in an old fridge chilling.
Even after a day and nights hanging it was still warm to the touch in the inner backbone etc
I`m glad to have done the job as it is another 30C+ day forecast again,all week actually. I cant wait for winter.
I leave shortly with camera,dog and old 7mm for another look.

Best of luck. :thumb:
 
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