Haven’t been out hunting lately with a fair amount of flooding at home so thought I would post a quick hunt report. Got out for a quick hunt a few weekends ago on a Saturday morning.
We have just been through the peak of the fallow rut. During the rut they behave somewhat similarly to most deer in that they compete for does and vocalise with a loud throaty croak/grunt noise. They are pretty exciting to hunt in the rut.
We were on the ground early but couldn't move too far as the fog was pretty thick and bumped a couple of animals that were not seen. Just as the fog was clearing this old one horned goat appeared. Decided to drop him because he has been eluding us for several years. Had caught him a few times on game cams but had never layed eyes on him.
It was bloody stinky.
I then continued on through some thick scrub and found 6 scrapes (territorial marking consisting of a preach/rub tree and a ground scrape) in a small area. I knew I was in the right spot for a buck so I was on high alert. I bumped a few does in some tight scrub but the buck eluded me.
Some of the scrapes…
Oh so fresh… He can’t be too far away
I continued on slowly and heard a buck start up croaking like crazy maybe about 800m’s away. I moved down pretty quick to the gully he was holding in and the sign was getting fresher and fresher as I got closer. The wind swirled around the gully and some does started barking. I was caught in some low brush and exposed so I dropped down to the ground as 6 does trotted off trying to work out what they had just scented. I held back waiting for the buck to appear but he was not with the does. Then I caught a glimpse of him trotting off out the mouth of the gully through an open paddock. I hoofed it after him to the edge of the scrub line. As I was about to cross a 60m open pasture section I saw him come trotting through a patch of paperbarks towards me. He looked decent on foot so I gave him a 235gr TSX from the 375 Ruger. Shot placement wasn't great so I gave him another one which dropped him on the spot.
He had a fair neck on him.
Hauling out the meat, cape and skull in the Exo. Cut a bit of paperbark to keep the blood off.
Cheers,
JWB300
We have just been through the peak of the fallow rut. During the rut they behave somewhat similarly to most deer in that they compete for does and vocalise with a loud throaty croak/grunt noise. They are pretty exciting to hunt in the rut.
We were on the ground early but couldn't move too far as the fog was pretty thick and bumped a couple of animals that were not seen. Just as the fog was clearing this old one horned goat appeared. Decided to drop him because he has been eluding us for several years. Had caught him a few times on game cams but had never layed eyes on him.
It was bloody stinky.
I then continued on through some thick scrub and found 6 scrapes (territorial marking consisting of a preach/rub tree and a ground scrape) in a small area. I knew I was in the right spot for a buck so I was on high alert. I bumped a few does in some tight scrub but the buck eluded me.
Some of the scrapes…
Oh so fresh… He can’t be too far away
I continued on slowly and heard a buck start up croaking like crazy maybe about 800m’s away. I moved down pretty quick to the gully he was holding in and the sign was getting fresher and fresher as I got closer. The wind swirled around the gully and some does started barking. I was caught in some low brush and exposed so I dropped down to the ground as 6 does trotted off trying to work out what they had just scented. I held back waiting for the buck to appear but he was not with the does. Then I caught a glimpse of him trotting off out the mouth of the gully through an open paddock. I hoofed it after him to the edge of the scrub line. As I was about to cross a 60m open pasture section I saw him come trotting through a patch of paperbarks towards me. He looked decent on foot so I gave him a 235gr TSX from the 375 Ruger. Shot placement wasn't great so I gave him another one which dropped him on the spot.
He had a fair neck on him.
Hauling out the meat, cape and skull in the Exo. Cut a bit of paperbark to keep the blood off.
Cheers,
JWB300
. 
