Wonnangatta forum hunt 2014 (AusHunt)

WhelanLad

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Hey fellas, Im back out of the Alpine National Park down in Victoria after a week of chasing Sambar deer throughout some big country.

I'l keep it reasonably short and let the photos do the talking.

There was only a small bunch of us this year, which was welcoming.. some experienced hunters and many newbies never seen a deer before.
By the first few days everyone had seen deer but then by mid week the deer sightings dropped and none were shot by the end of the week.

The weather turned in on us by Thursday and we copped some serious rain which would explain why the deer filtered off toward the wet conditions.

I hunted reasonably hard for a few days but a week of beer drinking an early mornings takes its toll and by end of the week I wasn't too interested in hunting wet scrub.

due to bushfires 10years ago the scrub has grown back super thick in most places with "sh!t bush" growing up to 6ft high making it near impossible to see Deer..

I took a lady friend up with me for a few days an then dropped her out to the closest town Wednesday..5hr round trip gahh..

Anyway a good week had by everyone really an theres already hype for next years annual forum hunt, this was my 2nd trip an hoping that 3rd time is a charm!

A lot of history out of this Area in the Early days of Sambar hunting in Australia.

I hope you enjoy the photos, any questions.. fire.

Cheers!
WL

driving into camp following the sign
IMG_0994ahsign.jpg~original


IMG_0996AH.jpg~original


I generally camp away from the main group, this was our camp
IMG_1001camp.jpg~original


Lost?
IMG_0963lost.jpg~original


IMG_0960wallow.jpg~original


Over the week I threw in a line whilst the rain hit an caught an Eel using a local "bogong moth"
IMG_1013eel.jpg~original

IMG_1014gattaeel.jpg~original


End of the road for the Hilux. aka "the mongrel" a known boghole for 4x4 enthusiasts.
IMG_0985mongrel.jpg~original


Myself and Dave about to head our own ways
IMG_0980hilldogdave.jpg~original


A decent Wallow up the Zeka creek system
IMG_0961zeka.jpg~original


the newly acquired t3 up atop of the dry river system
IMG_0984dryt3.jpg~original


Young fawn on the flat at last light
IMG_0992fawnflat2.jpg~original

IMG_0987fawnflat.jpg~original


a T3 which had seen better days- it had fallen from against the tree :( mounts held zero later checking poi!
IMG_1009droppedt3.jpg~original


Up reasonably high
IMG_1004veiw.jpg~original


My camp when the rains hit- needed to cook in the dry
IMG_1000rainycamp.jpg~original


Mel checking out another Wallow
IMG_0959melwallow.jpg~original


I connected with a Hind after the Honked an gave away her position well above us o nthe river flat, a 150m shot (or two) off hand and i seen her fall a few steps later. 150gr corelokt factorys worked a treat an i recovered the projectile from the far side. angling shot through ribs into opposite shoulder.
IMG_0964hind.jpg~original


IMG_0968hilldoghind.jpg~original


IMG_0972wonnangattahind.jpg~original


the Tribe from our Camp
IMG_0974gattahind.jpg~original


Deer legs in a successful hunting Camp on Sunset
IMG_0979gattacamp.jpg~original
 
Well yeah the Red an Fallow deer have rutted, the rusa are due in June/July and the thing with the Sambar is they "rut" most of winter, Stags will be buffed up an moving around a lot but the Hinds control the rut... an they come on Oeastrus at random stages, So its not uncommon to see Cast stags in a system with Velvet and also hard antlered stags cruising around... Everyone gets a Go and makes it interesting to be able to Hunt over the summer an still find Antlered stags awaiting the 'out of sync' hinds..

Preech trees and Rub trees aswell as Wallows certainly get going from June until September.

The Sambar deer doesn't make any Vocal noise whilst in Rut! makes it intensely hard to track down the big ones

One very interesting Critter the old Sambar Deer!

WL
 
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