We had one week to play with and reports of rutting activity in the Kaimanawas suggested it was near on non-existent, so we decided to leave the sika to it and go into the Urewera in search of red skins.
The area we planned on hunting is a good day’s walk in the middle of a remote experience zone, so the chances of running into somebody else were minimal. We also thought that being a bit more out of the way, the deer population should be in a reasonably healthy state.
Just like any hunting plan it involved contemplating how many deer you will have to push through to find the one you want, how you are going to get all the antlers out to the car and which taxidermist you will be using for your monster stag.

The weather forecast was not looking particularly promising as we took one last look on met service before we left, but it wasn’t like a bit of rain was going to deter us. After half a day on the road we reached the car park, packs on and away we went. A few hours into the walk I decided I might as well see if I could entice the local stag population into making some noise and had a bit of a roar. Almost instantly a stag replied and he was not far away. He didn’t need any more encouragement and was coming in. Unfortunately this was not exactly what I had in mind, because he was so close already it gave little opportunity get down wind of him. Before we new it he had a whiff of us and was gone. Although disappointing, it was reassuring to know the stags were still a bit excited. 
It was close to dark, we were about half way to our planned destination so we camped up for the night.

Dawn next day revealed an ominous sky but, still full of enthusiasm, we got cracking, being sure to leave our raincoats near the top. By lunchtime it was raining fairly steadily. We got onto one stag which shut up as we stalked in close. Dad and James got very close to another but the wind betrayed them at the last minute and they only saw the back of him disappearing through the ferns. It was late afternoon as we approached our camp and we were pretty damp. As we splashed our way down the creek we came across a hind feeding.  We had counted on getting some venison for the pot so dad set about dispatching the tasty looking deer. However, much to our disgust, he mucked around for a second too long and when she caught our scent , off she went. This didn’t seem like a biggy at the time however when we woke to heavy rain the next day and the prospect of securing some fresh meat became increasingly unlikely , we realized that it was a perfect chance gone begging.

Fortunately, a couple of hours before dark, there was a break in the rain and we were able to get out for a look. I got onto a stag that was roaring well up on a spur.  The bush was very open with crown fern underneath. I was using the bow and didn’t want  him to hear me and come in, as the chances were be he would be out of range. I stuck to the pepperwood guts. I got to where there was a large dead stump between the stag and me. Suddenly a breeze crept up on me and I was flooded with panic. When you’re only   20 meters from a deer and the wind does this you know time is critical. I tried to get around the stump as quickly and quietly as I could. An animal spooked below me. Initially I assumed it was the stag and gave a roar in an effort to stop it. I soon realized it was not. There was a rustle of crown fern above me. I just had time to draw and get the pin where I wanted it before he burst around the corner. At only 5 meters you cant go too far wrong although I am sure it wouldn’t have been the first deer missed at this range. But this time the arrow was spot on and he only went 20 meters before he got wobbly leg syndrome and had to lie down. I could see this from where I was standing and was relieved as tracking in the wet conditions would have been a difficult task. He was a 9 pointer, which by Urewera standards wasn’t bad. I returned to camp a happy lad and his liver and heart made fine dining that evening. The others were not so lucky which, of course, I did not let them forget.

The next day dawned nice and clear and you would have thought the stags would be going to town, however this was not the case and dad and I didn’t hear a single roar all day. We managed to entice a young 6 to come in for a look which dad knocked over with the rifle. James had better luck and got onto a few stags. He got one 6 with his bow and also got an arrow in a nice pig.  By now the meat tree was starting to sag a bit and the thought of lugging most of a stag each for a day was not a welcome one. From now on the big stag only policy was to be enforced. However this was not necessary as the following day started off with rain and persisted until dark. By mid morning we had decided to call it quits and head for home instead of spending another day hunting our way out. We left around 10am, the last couple of hours spent walking in the dark. About 7 pm, three very soggy worn out hunters stumbled out of the bush into the car park for a quick cup of tea before the long trip home.


Waterfall on the way in


waterfall on the way out ( as you can see we got plenty of rain)


Spot the deer....


James's stag


camp




My stag


Dads stag



Cheers

Top effort mate. You seem to do well with your bow and I know it ain't easy, yet to get a deer with a bow yet..

You guys made the best of pretty unpleasant conditions and  succeeded well with the hunting.  Had the nouse to take the two waterfall pics, and then wrote a good story.  Well done.

Good stuff mate, thanks for the report 

Good read mate, nice work! 

Good effort lads!!