Some pics of my latest hunting trip, mainly from the edges of the mountains I climbed looking for Mr Elaphus and with the background of his majesty, the Lanin Volcano ...

Rut was rather short & low (but for me at least, after two seasons, this year it was finally audible !) and the climate not so good as would have desired.... half of my demurrage was under bad weather, with low rainy clouds that didn't allow me to take the maximum profit of my ascents to the edges of the mountains as I would have liked (up there, under those conditions, visibility was of less than three meters away ...

The hunting area was outstanding, quite difficult to hunt in (deers were in the thick forests up in the mountains, almost in the edges) - thou quite promising if one picks up the challenge of hunting with the given time, place & conditions (would rather say fight against the given time, place & conditions !) ... in such paradise, I could not agree more with what Ortega y Gasset wisely stated: what matters is been hunting - not just what we ultimately happen to hunt....

Deer population was not plentiful at all, but enough to make the effort well worth... deer were all quite "learned", bellowing barely audible in a short & low way when the sun went down, stopping all activity (sound & movement) at dawn... not quantity, but quality was offered there... tracks were of such a size I had not seen for quite a long time... cougars, deers, boars of great size... indeed it is an area were the prhrase "survival of the fittest" is well applied.. a most demanding area, both to hunter and prey !

Tracked during three days a very beautiful old 16 that finnally won the match , only allowing me to see him just once - more than six hundred meters away... perhaps I would have another opportunity in an incoming culling operation next winter !

A nice trip... as always, just would have liked it to last a bit longer !

Great pictures, it looks like it would be worth the trip just to see the country.

What a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing the photos with us. Better luck next time.

Beautiful scenery.

Sure you had fun.

Afrikaander, I'm sorry that the hunting gods were so tough on you this season.

But I can tell from your report that you welcome a challenge and that you hunt for the right reasons.

You clearly enjoyed your time chasing stags in that beautiful, high country.

Congratulations!

Thank for your comments, gentlemen...

I came back without the big prize (I am still dreaming with that 16 point deer !) but I am sure that 12 is good enough to be more than a solace... thou indeed the greatest trophy is to accept and defeat (or at least giving our best trying to) all challenges that rise in such a hunt, that's the only thing that really satisfies us in the depths of our souls... hunter souls !

Mastering our fatigue & limitations, testing our knowledge of that given area and prey...

beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

¡¡¡Congratulations!!!
Your hunting choice is one of the most beautiful and difficult of the world.
All the animals are free and Really know hunting language, so I'm sure you will be back and maybe get your "sixteen " or more , but what you will never forgot is to "be hunting " in those places.
Gtrotz

quote:

Originally posted by Afrikaander:
Thank for your comments, gentlemen...

I came back without the big prize (I am still dreaming with that 16 point deer !) but I am sure that 12 is good enough to be more than a solace...

I misunderstood! I didn't realize that you were the one who killed the deer in your last photo.

Glad to know that the hunting gods only shaved you by four points! Not bad at all!

Wonderful images indeed!

Thanks for sharing

Jaeger ,beautifull country ,i hunted there totally free range and a lot of times without roaring ,and i can assure you at least on 50 percent of the hunts i didnt killed anything .
In winter its very difficult too ,thanks to the snow but you can find stags in lower places.I was invited to hunt IBEX this year but didnt have time ,perhaps in winter.
THANKS FOR THE REPORT OF A REAL HUNT ,OF REAL STAGS NOT IMPORTED NEW ZEALAND STAGS .

There is a chance (actually it is almost a fact, but Murphy has taught me to be cautious !) for me to be back in winter, for a culling operation in PN Lanin

Great report and beautiful photos. I spent a week at the Estancia Tres Picos (San Huberto Lodge) on the Rio Malleo. Almost every day I spent in the shadow of Lanin. It's a beautiful area and I hope to return one day.

Thank you for your fine post Afrikaander.

Excellent photographs and congratulations on a hard, fair chase hunt in what looks like awe inspiring and humbling surroundings.

Absolutely wonderful experience. What beautiful country and great photos.....you make it look easy, amigo....wish I could have been with you but know it is now impossible. But someday I will return to that area, if not to hunt, but just to enjoy the magnificent surroundings...

quote:

Originally posted by billinthewild:
Absolutely wonderful experience. What beautiful country and great photos.....you make it look easy, amigo....wish I could have been with you but know it is now impossible. But someday I will return to that area, if not to hunt, but just to enjoy the magnificent surroundings...

Your knowledge, attitude, comradeship & high spirit is a treasure a wish to share some time my dear friend !

Nice looking country looks a bit like parts of New Zealand

exelentes las fotos y los paisajes increibles, que lugares que hay en la argentina, si bien estoy mucho mas sur de esa zona es bastante parecido los paisajes son similares, espero poder algun dia conocerlos, buena la caceria, saludos cordillerano