quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Yeah I bet. We had temps up to 32c here the last week or so and summer only just hitting.

32c is too much for me and for most Kiwi`s also I bet. Does your milk production go dow?

So far no, But then It might have been higher. Definitely see the cows looking for shade, especially the whiter ones. Shade is actually a big issue on this place and next few years will see us plant quite a lot of fast growing poplars and willow for that purpose

Pom Willows are seen as a weed here. I love them for their shade on the wetter parts.

about the size of a hind you knocked over here Shanks. Caught her outside her comfort zone this morning.

We ll here's how my morning went.

I titled this little story, got to be philosophical.


Since moving south, Ive been concentrating on trying to sus out areas within 30 minutes of home that I can head out and go for a short morning or evening hunt on. There are not that many access points, and the conclusion Ive come too, is that these areas are getting a lot of nighttime pressure. Judging from the fact that every time I head there for a morning hunt, there are fresh tire tracks and foot prints, but Ive yet to see a person.

So my hunting focus has changed and Im spending less time on the areas that style of hunting can target, and a lot more time trying to find pockets of good stalking forest amongst the thicker areas away from the direction the traffic is focussed.

It's taken a while But I have started to put a few of those areas together, and working out ways to link them into a decent hunt. The deer are there, Its just they are very concentrated on thick, swampy ass cover and very early and late movers. But Ive spotted deer on two of the last 3 mornings though nothing on the ground, and my hunts are generally only a couple of hours in duration. Typically I spend the best hour and a half hunting these areas, then a similar time exploring and scrub bashing looking for more, before heading home.

So this morning I get too where I park on the roadside to take an old logging track in for about half a k. There has been a 4wd in last night and its still quite dark, so My brain tells me not to chamber a round Until I get better light and or I know the vehicle is gone.

Gun over shoulder, I head on down track to check out the end where any 4wd would be parked..... 200 meters and a wider area lets in extra light onto a patch of grass growing on the track. Around the corner I walk and my brain tells me instantly that there is a massive set of antlers in the middle of the track. I freeze and the stag turns to look at me. Most likely the biggest stag I have sen in the wild on public land in my entire hunting career Is turning away from me at 30 meters.... The gun is moving and the bolt is working, he runs 5 meters and stops then starts again heading for the bank. Bolt is turned home and scope coming to eye and I have 2 massive back legs in front of me in my left eye but scope not on him yet. Scope hits him just as he no longer offers a shot, and I raise my head, hoping I will get an indication of his route and the possibility he will cross a clear area. But no, he's gone.

So philosophical time.... I was being safe, and he probably wasn't quite hard yet...

as soon as those soft tips harden and as he starts to rub...kaboom.
Actually how big is "big as I have seen"

Im suspecting he had some escaped farm blood in him. Very big bodied/possibly wapiti x and antlers at least the height he was at shoulder. Not enough time to tell for sure but 12-14 points was my impression.

Sounds like others know hes there too, especially if hes escaped.

It's a heavily hunted area anyway. Just mostly with thermals it seems. Don't think he's escaped himself. Farms near there haven't had deer in some years. The deer disappear from there before the roar as hunting pressure increases, so will have another look in a couple of weeks

Once its known that there is big one in any area the game thieves grab their lights and thermals and start their nightshift activities so as to convince themselves and their mates that they are deer hunters.

Yep. got to be careful what you say these days.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Yep. got to be careful what you say these days.

No you dont! So the midnight mob are sensitive are they.

Well there is that. The whole indignant who gets to say what's moral brigade. But that wasn't what I meant. Was meaning if you tell wrong person where you were hunting, and what you saw. The whole town will be in there next day. or night more likely.

Oh, go on Craig, give us the GPS coordinates of that clearing!

In a few weeks....

Just for you Shanks. My dog dragged it out from under a paddock trough. I reckon the bastard has been under it for some time as doggy showed a lot of interest every time we went past for the last few months.
Number two in the world for venom toxicity.

A hind i spent some time in observing today.

How do the deer get on with the snakes? cause that area she's in looks quite snakey. Ever find any that you think have been bitten? Surely they must stand on the odd nope rope?

i think a combo of thick hide and large size will hold them in good stead. A good bite on the nose maybe different.

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:
Just for you Shanks. My dog dragged it out from under a paddock trough. I reckon the bastard has been under it for some time as doggy showed a lot of interest every time we went past for the last few months.
Number two in the world for venom toxicity.

Today I was sitting on a chair in the shed at a bench and I looked down and saw a foot long section of a fucking eastern brown snake 2' from my toes...aah you cunt I said. I jumped up grabbed a shovel and it went out under the roller door to where i tried to nail it but it got away unseen. I still don't know if it got back into the shed or out alongside it. The fucking thing could be still in here as I type.The overall length was 3' plus.

Is there any effective snake trap for getting them away from houses?

some people use a netting fence,similar to bird net.They slip into it and get trapped.

I told my mate about my brown story and he emailed me back this morn "Nasty. Dale , Bob’s son, was bitten just the other day. He is OK but it was a close thing. Probably a tiger, too dark to be able to identify what it was"

Fark that! Scary bastards!

Poor little snakey wakey, minding it's own business, having an afternoon kip out of the hot sun and big bad Griff attacks it with a shovel out of the blue. I bet he's thinking, next time I see that bastard I'll bite him first before he can pick up a shovel!

THANKS.

Nothing wind's up a true blue Aussie like a Pommy bastard taking the piss!

quote:

Originally posted by the Pom:
Nothing wind's up a true blue Aussie like a Pommy bastard taking the piss!

Ask my Pom mate about the Black and the Brown snakes I introduced to him. The black on the first day he got here...when you mention 'winding up' we know how to do it oh so well. he will never ever forget the trip home from Albury airport lol.

Gryph is the master of wind ups. You have to be on the ball all the time.

That said, if you wish to wind him up, just leave a door open and let the flys in.

The flies that just flew off a green wet dog turd and land in your butter dish.

See, told ya.

Yes Rono said " do you reckon he will fall for your trap"

I won a six pack,thanks Shanks.

Back to the snake theme here`s a vid of my dog that was struck (unseen) and dead 20 minutes later.
I knew he had been hit when he came out of the bush. I backed the Kubota into a wombat burrow,dropped the tailgate,got him into the back and took him home to his yard. I went inside the house and straight back out and he was dead. 10 months old and was the next best thing. His litter brother is here with me and isn't half the dog the snake got.

https://youtu.be/wS2XBWmra1I

I wouldn't be allowed to take the dogs hunting if that could happen. My life wouldn't be worth living.
Bloody sad.

Doing the daily dog trap rounds with him in the back. He went everywhere I went from 8 weeks of age,they heard that 7mm on the front seat roar plenty of times while they were in the back. Note old Krico .22 there also for trapped dogs. They chewed on heaps of dead sambar and he hunted daily till his death being still pup of 10 months. I think you shot a sambar with that 7mm Shanks.

Kathrin said sorry and asked if you are OK?

she said loosing a dog is worse than loosing a wife, as they cause less problems.

Tell K thank you but the snake job isn't a recent one. being from where she comes from she be probably more wary of them than you mate. This time of year its look,look,look no matter where you are or what you are doing.
Pull up at a gate,open car door..LOOK before stepping down etc.

Start em young has always been my 'go too'. Neighbour shot the deer so i took the pups for a run to "find it"



"Boy" was gonna be the one..fucking snakes!
At 10 weeks of age you can see that he has the look.Strong and bold.

Yeah great looking dog!

If they get bitten, is there any chance of survival?
I think if not, Id probably shoot them quickly myself.

no chance unless an anti venene dose is administered super quick. You look at your dog and say goodbye as Vets are never close enough.

He showed up again.