NEW ZEALAND: Lochinvar Safaris - 5/09/25

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Was also missing my dogs. And this happened:

 

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Sunrise from the lodge:

Typical breakfast:

Staging area:

 

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Fairlie Bake House:

Steak and Cheese meat pie. Very tasty…

 

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Tuesday 13th
Day 3:

Full moon last night. Everything was laying down this morning. After walking and glassing for a couple hours, we spotted the Red Stag we were after. He was up the top of Hells Canyon bedded down in very tall grass and bush. No easy task getting to him.

All the Fallow Bucks were laying down too.

We made a plan for the afternoon hunt and went back to the lodge for lunch. Fallow Buck ground burger meat with all the trimmings for a good Venison hamburger.

 

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Day 3 - Part 2:

Made our way out to the hunting property and started our long walk in. Walked the trails doing some side hilling as we made our way up. It started out sunny then it got windy. Windier the higher we got. After about 3 miles, we got the spotter out and found our Stag.

We needed to climb and side hill another 1/2 mile pretty much straight up.

Jake says. This is as close as will get.

280 yards. 20 degrees up and cross canyon. Wind swirling and I need to set up to shoot right handed. I shoot left hand and my rifles are left hand. I’ll shoot a right handed rifle left hand. I can shoot right, but I don’t practice shooting right…

 

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Set up;

I can see 3 Stags and our shooter is in the third position and I only see his head. Jack says wait till they move into the clearing to the left where the sunlight meets the shadow.

We wait and finally the 3 start to move into the clearing where I can get a better shot. As the big Stag gets clear, I stay on him keeping the cross hairs directly on the shoulder, checking my bubble to ensure the rifle isn’t canted and as soon as he stops, I send one. The familiar sound of a solid “thwack” echos back and Jack says reload and shoot again! I don’t hesitate and send another right behind the shoulder aiming at the same spot and he goes down and does a deaths roll. So relieved to have him down! We were both exited and I shared my enthusiasm and appreciation with Jack! Hand shakes and high fives! We both relieved…

With the wind blowing and swirling around the stag, my first shot was low and back further than my aim point and the second was exactly where I aimed!

 

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Wind pushed the fog in on us. It was thick right after the shot.