Dave’s Hunt Part II

Dave’s Hunt Part II

We glassed. We moved. We glassed again, only to catch a glimpse of a tail disappearing up and over the hill. Shuffling through damp grass, holding our breath, we listened for a chirp or grunt of a Sika stag calling for a mate.

I hadn’t successfully hunted Sika before (they’re called the “ghost of the bush” for good reason). We were looking for a decent “management” stag, as I’m always keen to harvest the meat for the freezer – and get a great representative trophy. Plus, culling these animals helps strengthen the gene pool, improving the chances of trophy Sika breeding, and freeing up resources for other deer.

The changeable wind had already spooked the first Sika saw, so we crossed a few crests and draws, trying to keep the wind to our faces and see what waits over the next hill. We spotted some yearlings and a few trophies that came over from the Kaimanawa Ranges to feed. Often, they catch the scent of us and disappear within moments of us getting sight of them. But Darrin was patient and calm. This is hunting, after all: sometimes you spot your target, sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time, but more often than not, you have to work for it.

Crawling over a crest, through the long pale grass, we locked in on our target, head down, grazing in the light rain. Through the spotting scope, we saw a handsome pair of antlers that I could already imagine hanging in the shed.

The stag had drifted broadside, facing slightly uphill, perfect for the shot I needed to take. Darrin handed me his Remington 7mm with a low tripod. It had an impressive adjustable scope that I could focus the reticle just in front of the stag’s shoulder, in the lowest part of the neck. This cluster of nerves and vessels is the ideal target: not just because it means it won’t damage the shoulder meat, but more importantly because it will be a quick way to dispatch the deer.

Laying in the grass, I took a few slow breaths, and squeezed the trigger.

The shot landed beautifully. The stag staggered and dropped where it stood.

Darrin shook my hand, and we walked the hundred yards to confirm the kill and inspect the shot, satisfied in a task well done.

Darrin set to work field dressing, removing the guts and tucking them under a bush for the wild pigs. After a few photos in the light rain, we were ready to bring the deer to the canyon. Eventually, we reached the flat, walked back for the canam, and hauled it up onto the tray.

It was morning tea time when we reached the Lodge. Later, we took the deer to the chiller, where it would wait until we’re ready to butcher it – but first, a well-earned hot breakfast with some returning hunters, and a chance to celebrate a successful hunt with new friends.

Dave Taylor is a writer based in the Waikato.