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General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Hunting Gate => : DAMAGE February 03, 2008, 07:57:57 AM
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Hi Everyone sorry I ain't posted in a while but due to our drought here we are working our buts of to produce as much feed for the farms all round NZ that we can so that they can keep their stock going. Any ways I had some good reading to catch up on here the last few days. Went out last night as we ain't been out in a little while due to work and other things. We went early so we could sight in while we were out there just enough light to do it then get ready for a long walk, I think it was around 7K all up and a bit of that was up hill as it's rather choppy land. We headed of about 9pm ish & spotted the first two within 5 mins but they vanished rather fast, we saw a few that were about 100 feet down at the bottom of a valley but I could not be bothered going down there to shoot them. All up we only de fured 13 Possums which was not that good but we did see a lot more so they are moving back in but very slowly also everything is very dry at the moment so there is very little grass for them to eat under the trees. Right at the half way turn around point I was at one end looking up in the Macros for Possums which I found none but then Andy got my attention so I headed over to him where he had found three Turkey catching some zzzzzzzz on one of the yard gates, Nice score Anyways andy shot his one in the head and it flew of down the bank a little and right into a fence where it got caught up, Your a lucky b******d Andy you didn't have to go more than 30 meters. When I shot mine I pulled the shot just a fraction and shot it through the face WHOOPS and it took of like mad about 200 to 250 meters down into a valley bout half way down, My jaw drops as normal and is followed by many many four letter words cause I knew I had to go down there to finish it and bring it back. I could only get within 30 odd meters of it as it was a worried bird by this time so I decided to sit for this longer shot and right through the brain it went, This was followed by much more swearing as it did the dance of death about 100 meters more right to the bottom of the valley. 20 mins later I return & totally nackerd from the steep climb out and the valley was really one giant land slip which was as hard as Hell to get back up with a full pack on plus rifle and turkey in hand but I got out in the end and then we had a little break. It was a fun night with a lot of laughs and some bounty now in the freezer but I will be glad when winter hits again and the fur starts flowing in.
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Excellent shooting Sean,,,, I just love your pics !!
Jeff
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Thanks Jeff, & Although we didn't get a lot that night it was just nice to get out as it helps me to forget about work and other things on my mind that have been causing a lot of stress lately hunting cures all. :)
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I know the feeling Sean,,,,, just being in the woods, rifle in hand, seems to make all my problems and concerns just melt away. The best therapy there is.......
Jeff
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Great account of your hunt Sean,
You boys down under sure have the critters to hunt !
And here in the States, we half to pay a gym to get exercise like that, 7K, now that's a stretch of the legs ! uphill..
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us !
Bill
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DAMAGE - 2/3/2008 3:57 PM
...When I shot mine I pulled the shot just a fraction and shot it through the face WHOOPS and it took of like mad about 200 to 250 meters down into a valley bout half way down, My jaw drops as normal and is followed by many many four letter words cause I knew I had to go down there to finish it and bring it back.
I could only get within 30 odd meters of it as it was a worried bird by this time
so I decided to sit for this longer shot and right through the brain it went, This was followed by much more swearing as it did the dance of death about 100 meters more right to the bottom of the valley...
Sorry Sean, but I had to laugh reading your excellent description of the dis-advantages of a turkey's small brain size-- sometimes they just aren't smart enough to know when to lay down and give up- LOL!
Glad to hear your game-lands are starting to rebound, 'cause we were missing your hunting reports. Hope things continue to improve.
Bryan
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It all wash's away when we hit the wood's even if we come home empty handed. Sean you never fail to bring home a great hunt story and pic's, great shootin M8. Ed
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Sean, the greatest hunts are often those that didnt go as smooth.!! I bet you will never forget this Turkey, you had to work too hard to finally bag it.
Nice shooting, and i'm glad you enjoyed it.
Keep on posting those pics
JOHAN
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Yup,what you said Sean...been kinda hectic my way lately,felt good to get out the other night!... :emoticon:
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Nice pics! Great story. What are the furry creatures in the first picture?
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They are possums, an introduced pest that decimate the native forests.
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Thats right Just how MD put it, A real pest but I won't kill them all hehe will let some breed cause they just make me to much money.
I'm planning to get out a bit more as I have new spots that I have not really looked at yet will keep ya all posted.
Cheers everybody.
Sean.
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Those are some handsome possums! What we call possums here in Texas look like a giant rat. I guess they are actually opossums. Marsupials (sp)? They carry their young in a pouch.
I sure wish I could hunt with you guys! Good job!
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13 possoms and 2 turkeys - NICE! Good shooting. I wouldn't mind living in New Zealand right now :)