Drew Jaeger
Member
- Location
- Southern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Sunday morning 15 May at 04:00 after a hit of Moccona, we loaded the 4WD with our Sitka Bivy packs laden with everything needed for seven day in the wilderness and rifles. The adventure south to the Victorian Alps commenced.
The mountain tops encompassing the valley we were hunting were covered in a blanket of snow. Disembarking from the 4WD all geared up we commence the 700m decent over 3.7km to “Campsite Alpha”. Once the bivy camp was set up we glassed a number of Sambar deer, including an estimated 28” Stag in velvet up high on the other side of the valley, with the Swarovski spotting scope and Steiner binoculars.
In the morning the campsite was covered in a layer of ice, which remained until the sun peeked over the mountains. Pulling up camp, we continued the decent to the river. Being early in the hunt we opted not to soak our boots and crossed bare footed in the crystal clear stream. In my case I had to lose the strides prior to crossing. The water temperature was numbingly cold.
The ascent for the next couple of kilometres quickly warmed us up with a little bit of sphincter tightening rocky bluff climbing thrown in. Once set up at “Campsite Bravo”, the glassing recommenced.
Later around the campfire we discussed the upcoming hunt in detail over a Port. That night we heard wild dogs howling in the distance.
In the morning we headed up high north of the camp in search of the velvet Stag seen two days earlier. Again we heard the wild dogs howling.
The mountain revealed a myriad fresh game trails containing fresh scat, but did not yield any animals during the course of the hunt. We continued the hunt to the summit and glassed the tops. The view was indeed a breath taking spectacle worth the effort.
Thursday morning we broke came and proceeded 4km to “Campsite Charlie”. Following setting up the bivy camp we proceeded south into a new area and commenced glassing the valley. As we continued the hunt the smell of rutting Sambar Stag was distinctly present. IMO, rutty Sambar is very subtle when compared to ranky Red or foul Fallow. We came across a very fresh, done that day, rub.
We knew there was a decent Stag in the next gully and proceeded to plan a course of action to enter the gully which required complete silence and stealthy stalking with our senses honed sharp at all times. Then my mate bumped a 400mm boulder which proceeded to roll down the hill; bang, crash, boom, crack, thump, whack! Once the boulder had finished its journey with an almighty crash in the gully, a 27” Sambar Stag ran up from the gully and stopped out in the open 200m away presenting a perfect opportunity. Unfortunately, we were have trouble containing ourselves from the rockin’ roll episode and unable to take the shot.
Friday was the last day of the hunt and the last opportunity to have a crack at a Sambar. We headed back to where the 27” Stag was seen. From there we stayed on that hillside glassing for the afternoon. High up on the opposite side of the valley we observed a pair of Spikers resting and grazing.
With the occasional hint of rutty Stag, we moved around to the bluff on the gorge, our movement was honked at by a Hind concealed in a thicket deep in the gorge base. Not seeing or smelling us, she continually honked for minutes being a damn nuisance. As we hadn’t any fresh meat on the trip we were keen to shut her up.
With the Sako 85 on the shooting sticks, I initially anticipated the Hind to break from cover high, but something made me rethink and subsequently relocated lower towards the cliff. Setting up behind a tree, I noticed movement through the scope. Then I saw a Hind follow by a Stag come out of a thicket in the gorge. He was ranged at 180m. Placing the crosshairs on the back of the Stag’s neck, I touched off the 7mm-08. The 140gr Barnes TTSX struck the Stag, causing an instant case of jelly-leg and he keeled over rolling into the gorge.
With less than an hour of daylight left we negotiated the bluff down to the gorge floor to find the Stag had snapped off his left inner during his fall. Due to his rear end and nuts hanging precariously over a drop, we could not position him for a better photo. Unfortunately, these photos do not do him justice.
We both looked hard and could not find the inner. Light was failing fast and the cape had to come off, which was very difficult with the Stag in that mongrel location. We had to halve him so we could move him to get the cape off the underside.
Loaded up with head and cape it was an arduous 2.5km trek in the dark through the gorge and dog wood back to camp. Approximately 2 hours later, I lumbered into camp feeling both very pleased and yet a tad spent. The Sako 85S 7mm-08 is a beautiful and accurate rifle, but towards the end I felt every ounce of the 9.2lb weight up those mountains.
The head skin was removed and the ears split. The antlers were roughly measured at 28.5”x29” with a 32” spread and 11” brows.
With the fire roaring, the fresh back straps were prepared into steaks seasoned with salt & pepper. After a quite a number of steaks and a campfire yarn my mate retired for the evening. I stayed up for an hour or more admiring my first Sambar rack. Around midnight I heard a faint shot up high echo down the valley; candlelight hunters.
Saturday morning we broke camp then commenced a gruelling 4km uphill climb back to the 4WD. I will have a very special appreciation of this head when he is on the wall. Approximately three hours later, we arrived at the 4WD and each cracked a can of Coke chilled by the alpine air. It was the best can of Coke I have ever had!
With the 4WD packed and a little tidy up, we ventured back to civilisation with Mansfield as our destination. On the way I was amazed that destruction of the fires years ago was still present with mountains encrusted with dead trees.
After checking into the Mansfield Motel and a scrub up, we were keen for a good a feed and beer. Venturing up to the Delatite Hotel, we each enjoyed a superb and mountainous plate American style pork ribs with a kickass Jack Daniels spicy BBQ rib sauce washed down with a few Stella ales.
Sunday morning, we dropped off the head skin and antlers. The taxidermist was a tad hesitant to repair the busted inner, saying it gave it character. I reminded him that the Stag had “all the gear” when I squeezed off. The mount should be ready for collection in 6 months.
I can unequivocally say this hunt was by far the most enjoyable, challenging and achieving hunt I have ever experienced.
The mountain tops encompassing the valley we were hunting were covered in a blanket of snow. Disembarking from the 4WD all geared up we commence the 700m decent over 3.7km to “Campsite Alpha”. Once the bivy camp was set up we glassed a number of Sambar deer, including an estimated 28” Stag in velvet up high on the other side of the valley, with the Swarovski spotting scope and Steiner binoculars.
In the morning the campsite was covered in a layer of ice, which remained until the sun peeked over the mountains. Pulling up camp, we continued the decent to the river. Being early in the hunt we opted not to soak our boots and crossed bare footed in the crystal clear stream. In my case I had to lose the strides prior to crossing. The water temperature was numbingly cold.
The ascent for the next couple of kilometres quickly warmed us up with a little bit of sphincter tightening rocky bluff climbing thrown in. Once set up at “Campsite Bravo”, the glassing recommenced.
Later around the campfire we discussed the upcoming hunt in detail over a Port. That night we heard wild dogs howling in the distance.
In the morning we headed up high north of the camp in search of the velvet Stag seen two days earlier. Again we heard the wild dogs howling.
The mountain revealed a myriad fresh game trails containing fresh scat, but did not yield any animals during the course of the hunt. We continued the hunt to the summit and glassed the tops. The view was indeed a breath taking spectacle worth the effort.
Thursday morning we broke came and proceeded 4km to “Campsite Charlie”. Following setting up the bivy camp we proceeded south into a new area and commenced glassing the valley. As we continued the hunt the smell of rutting Sambar Stag was distinctly present. IMO, rutty Sambar is very subtle when compared to ranky Red or foul Fallow. We came across a very fresh, done that day, rub.
We knew there was a decent Stag in the next gully and proceeded to plan a course of action to enter the gully which required complete silence and stealthy stalking with our senses honed sharp at all times. Then my mate bumped a 400mm boulder which proceeded to roll down the hill; bang, crash, boom, crack, thump, whack! Once the boulder had finished its journey with an almighty crash in the gully, a 27” Sambar Stag ran up from the gully and stopped out in the open 200m away presenting a perfect opportunity. Unfortunately, we were have trouble containing ourselves from the rockin’ roll episode and unable to take the shot.
Friday was the last day of the hunt and the last opportunity to have a crack at a Sambar. We headed back to where the 27” Stag was seen. From there we stayed on that hillside glassing for the afternoon. High up on the opposite side of the valley we observed a pair of Spikers resting and grazing.
With the occasional hint of rutty Stag, we moved around to the bluff on the gorge, our movement was honked at by a Hind concealed in a thicket deep in the gorge base. Not seeing or smelling us, she continually honked for minutes being a damn nuisance. As we hadn’t any fresh meat on the trip we were keen to shut her up.
With the Sako 85 on the shooting sticks, I initially anticipated the Hind to break from cover high, but something made me rethink and subsequently relocated lower towards the cliff. Setting up behind a tree, I noticed movement through the scope. Then I saw a Hind follow by a Stag come out of a thicket in the gorge. He was ranged at 180m. Placing the crosshairs on the back of the Stag’s neck, I touched off the 7mm-08. The 140gr Barnes TTSX struck the Stag, causing an instant case of jelly-leg and he keeled over rolling into the gorge.
With less than an hour of daylight left we negotiated the bluff down to the gorge floor to find the Stag had snapped off his left inner during his fall. Due to his rear end and nuts hanging precariously over a drop, we could not position him for a better photo. Unfortunately, these photos do not do him justice.
We both looked hard and could not find the inner. Light was failing fast and the cape had to come off, which was very difficult with the Stag in that mongrel location. We had to halve him so we could move him to get the cape off the underside.
Loaded up with head and cape it was an arduous 2.5km trek in the dark through the gorge and dog wood back to camp. Approximately 2 hours later, I lumbered into camp feeling both very pleased and yet a tad spent. The Sako 85S 7mm-08 is a beautiful and accurate rifle, but towards the end I felt every ounce of the 9.2lb weight up those mountains.
The head skin was removed and the ears split. The antlers were roughly measured at 28.5”x29” with a 32” spread and 11” brows.
With the fire roaring, the fresh back straps were prepared into steaks seasoned with salt & pepper. After a quite a number of steaks and a campfire yarn my mate retired for the evening. I stayed up for an hour or more admiring my first Sambar rack. Around midnight I heard a faint shot up high echo down the valley; candlelight hunters.
Saturday morning we broke camp then commenced a gruelling 4km uphill climb back to the 4WD. I will have a very special appreciation of this head when he is on the wall. Approximately three hours later, we arrived at the 4WD and each cracked a can of Coke chilled by the alpine air. It was the best can of Coke I have ever had!
With the 4WD packed and a little tidy up, we ventured back to civilisation with Mansfield as our destination. On the way I was amazed that destruction of the fires years ago was still present with mountains encrusted with dead trees.
After checking into the Mansfield Motel and a scrub up, we were keen for a good a feed and beer. Venturing up to the Delatite Hotel, we each enjoyed a superb and mountainous plate American style pork ribs with a kickass Jack Daniels spicy BBQ rib sauce washed down with a few Stella ales.
Sunday morning, we dropped off the head skin and antlers. The taxidermist was a tad hesitant to repair the busted inner, saying it gave it character. I reminded him that the Stag had “all the gear” when I squeezed off. The mount should be ready for collection in 6 months.
I can unequivocally say this hunt was by far the most enjoyable, challenging and achieving hunt I have ever experienced.
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