On Thursday the 2nd of Feb after a 4 hour drive up into Victorias high country I met a mate and we surveyed several places we had scoped out as good places to hunt. About 6 pm we separated and went to our respective gully systems we had each chosen to hunt.
Crossing a creek on foot and then traversing to a game trail about halfway up the side of a low ridge above the creek I then slowly moved listening and looking for Sambar deer. I realised how unfit I've become as this was a real effort. Sitting at a couple of vantage points for 20 minutes or so where I could see up the gully and down on the creek flats, looking for critters.
Moving along this way slowly and quietly as I could I was probably only about 500 meters through scrub from where I began. It was starting to get dark so I went straight down to cross the creek and climb up to a track that would lead back to my car. Thinking I may have to battle through blackberry bushes which chocked most of the creek edges I stumbled onto an old track that was no longer used in the high grass at the foot of the ridge. Bugger me it was like walking on a footpath compared to the scrub and game trail.
This also led me back towards my car and eventual camp and afforded me a disused but easy crossing at its creek ford. Upon reaching the main track I doubled back up the hill to a place that looked over a deer wallow and checked it before it got too late. Besides for recreational hunters on public land you can't hunt deer at night (half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise).
No luck.
Then it came. . . a text message from my mate saying "shot two may be a bit late". (Bastard!) I texted back "do you need a hand" but phone coverage was patchy so never heard back. So as I start walking to the car, exhausted, it starts raining, and its freezing as we were at about 900 metres in altitude and it was about 8 to 12 degrees C all day, now it was colder and wet. It snowed at higher latitudes that night.
Back at the car I made camp by putting up a tarp and making space for our swags and chairs out of the rain. I cooked some dinner on the gas cooker and wondered how my mate had fared. He arrived shortly after and we hung the harvested meat from a tree and had dinner and went to bed. I slept like a log. It was -1C the next morning but I was snug in my swag with two sleeping bags keeping me warm but the cold set the venison nicely. My mate very generously gave me some venison to take home.
I'll be back up there soon to get my own. Anyway below is some of the deer processed and packed away after a couple of days of work.
Venison Mince, Frying Steak and Backstrap medallions.
Venison Salami in the charcuterie fridge. See you in six weeks boys.
Venison marinated jerky. Drying away. . .
Venison, Sage and Thyme Sausages.
Venison Garlic Strasbourg Sausage.
