gday folks,
myself and two buddies, paul rea and mark pitts just got back from a walk in and out tahr and chamois hunt on the west coast of the south island of NZ.
WOW, we had a great time. it was 100% better than last years trip. we went to the same catchment but hunted a different range than last year. saw heaps of chamois but not so many tahr. they were further along the range. however we still saw some and i made a couple of stalks and got to within 20 yards both times. story later. overall weather was good. got fogged out few days and a couple of days of snow and rain.
we are yet to swap pics via sending each other CD's of burnt pics. when i get them i will post some up. paul and mark might chime in too with their own stories.
may i start with just one picture.
it says a thousand words..........
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4446.jpg)
Clint I can't wait!
WOW!....WHAT A PICTURE...!
Yes it does! :thumbsup:
Awesome mate ... can't wait for pics eh !
I am going Sth Island on Saturday for a walk and hopefully drop this string ...
And hurry up with them pics brother !!!
Great pic, can't wait for more!
This one's worth waiting for! Stay tuned. :campfire:
Wow! Double wow!
Cool picture
F-Manny
AND... :campfire: ...
Can't wait for the rest of the story :campfire:
Way to go Clint! You're hunt expeditions are becoming favorites.
last year we walked along a trail by the river but this year we headed up a side creek to get to the tops. it took us 2.5 days to get to the bushline and start hunting proper. we saw chamois in the creek but it isn't very trad friendly sort of hunting. the bush is super thick and the terrain in the creek is boulders and boulders. rifle and wheel bow guys hunt successfully in the creeks but you only see fleeting glimpses of chamois usually so it makes it hard for us.
this is us ready to roll. the destination is the background. from left- myself, mark and paul. some of these pics are theirs so credit goes to them also for the pics.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P1020778-11.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11609241.jpg)
which way? up. LOL
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11609851.jpg)
this is the creek we walked up. lots of boulder hopping and scrambling. it's way steeper than it appears.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10208021.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10208271.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10207841.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4362.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10208231.jpg)
some of the chamois we saw in the creek on the way up the mountain.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11609761.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10207921.jpg)
here's another pic i like. it was a clear moonlit night on the 2nd night. i played around with the time exposure function. this is a 5 minute exposure, no flash.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4466.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4372.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4381.jpg)
we made camp in the tussock at the end of the 3rd day. a quick peek over the ridge behind camp revealed a nice bowl. who should be there.... mr bull tahr, catching some rays before the fog rolled in.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4471.jpg)
returning to camp after a days hike to some tahr. got to within 20 yards of a mob of 6 nannies and one good mature bull. getting a shot proved unfruitfull. my only cover was a knife edge ridge. i was stuck behind it at 20 yards. the only way to get a shot was to pop up from behind a boulder, totally skylined. they were either going to stand there for a second and let me shoot or flee.......they fled. it was an awesome experience. the terrain as usuall proved to be the hard part. getting close wasn't the problem if the topography allowed. once you were close enough it often worked against you. getting into an undetected shooting position with a stickbow in this kind of terrain is often impossible. but if you keep putting yourself into the right places at some stage the planets will come into alignment. determination and persistance...........
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4550.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4536.jpg)
it's my bed time now so this lot of pics will have to do for now. later......
:bigsmyl:
Awesome pictures of a great adventure so far! Can't wait for more!
What a great hunt!
brilliant stuff mate !
I spent a deployment in Christchurch for 6 mo. when I was in the Navy. I didn't get to hunt but during Christmas break we drove south then cut over to the west coast and came back up to Christchurch. BEAUTIFUL country!! That pic of the suspension bridge over that river reminds me of our trip where we stopped to go bungy jumping. Thank god they were closed because of the holiday!! We walked out onto the bridge and I looked down and thought "Yeah, this would not have happened!!!" :eek:
Way cool......
Great pics and story ! Cant wait for the rest of it.
:campfire: I can't wait to read and see the rest. Thanks for posting.
Truly awesome pictures... I can't wait for the hunting story.
Keep 'um coming Clint!
:campfire: Gorgeous country!
Beautiful, Looking forward to the rest!
Wow, what beautiful country. :campfire:
I love looking at the pictures. Thank you for sharing.
WOW! What an adventure with some awesome scenery. Thanks for sharing.
What an excellent trip even if you do not tag something.
What beautiful country you were able to spend some time in. I'm really enjoying your pictures and story, looking forward to more.
-Jay
anybody else notice how "YOUNG" those boys look to be... And Clint, I believe it was a steep jaunt up that creek...it surely looked steep enough to me and you guys looked like ants along the edge... crickey! :)
Wow!
this is me all rugged up ready for a days hunting.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11704881.jpg)
mark takes in the scenery.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11702851.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11702211.jpg)
this where we camped as viewed from the ridge above camp. the tents are circled. it looks alot like 'machu picchu' i reckon. that's what we called it.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/Untitled1.jpg)
mark on top of machu picchu.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10209851.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10209751.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10208721.jpg)
paul taking in the view. his KUIU gear is perfect camo for this rocky country we were in. he is very happy with it too.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P10209531.jpg)
we'll just stalk in and get him right. WRONG. try getting close to this fella. the have a habit of bedding in postions that are very difficult to approach.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11700981.jpg)
mark called this guy his nemisis.
he hunted him for a few days but things never worked out for him unfortunately.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11702281.jpg)
jealous !
Was it cold mate ?
I am there this Sunday for 8 days so I am taking the woolies !
Great pics Clint ... inspiring stuff eh !
tahr country-
this is the big bowl i walked across to go and stalk some tahr that i glassed. they were in the saddle on the far side. as i said on page 1 of the thread , i got to within 20m of a good bull but couldn't get a shot. i experienced the very essence of mountain bowhunting that day. the weather was perfect, the terrain a challenge, the quarry was without equal. just me and the mountains and that animals that live there. i was one very happy hunter that day.
this is looking towards where the tahr were from the ridge above camp. i got my tahr stalk on the ridge line that goes up from the left of the saddle. the tahr were on one side i was on the other.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4495.jpg)
this is looking back to where the previous pic was taken. camp is beyond that ridge. i was sitting in the saddle having a bite to eat.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4513.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4512.jpg)
one of the 2 young bulls that i glassed originally from the ridge behind camp. when i got over there i spotted the mob that i had the stalk on.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4516.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4526.jpg)
i had plans of hunting this area quite a bit over the course of the trip but after that we had a few foggy days and plenty of snow which made the trek over there too dangerous. there where a few gnarly sections in order to get over there and fresh snow and wet rocks that get frozen and covered in ice completely changes things over there. even snow on the tussock was slippery. what took you an hour yesterday in good conditions now takes 2 or more hours.
oh well i suppose i should hunt chamois instead..............
got to love the choice over there.
and on the 9th day we awoke to a fresh fall of snow. the weather had cleared, a welcome change to being fogged in like the previous 2 days. it was time to hunt and hunt hard. when the weather is good you must hunt. i was not going home without having hunted as much as i could. a year is a long time to wonder if i could have done more. if the weather allowed i was out there.
i had ventured far from camp over the last few days and today was no different. we had been glassing chamois the entire trip on a ridge across the face of the range we were on. none of us knew what lay beyond. all we knew was that there was always chamois over there. i decided to make a day of it and check it out.
the snow had made the tussock very slippery and it was hiding the holes between the rocks and clumps of tussock. i slowly made way down and crossed the head of the creek that we had walked up from the river bottom. then i made my up the ridge that the chamois we could glass from camp would appear from and dissappear to. my anticipation was high as i poked my head over the ridge.
more little spurs and ridges. this looked more like trad bowhuntable country. it was more broken and not so open like the bowl we had been hunting where they can see you a mile away. every time you looked over the next little ridge or in the gully you might see something. the sort of topography where you could poke your head over a ridge and if you don't see something you walk a few hundred meters and check out what is over the next one.
i slowly made my way to the next one and peered over........
straight away i laid eyes upon a lone chamois only 40 meters away. i dropped back over the ridge in suprise. "whoa, this is the real deal" i thought to myself. this could be the best chance i might get.
i dropped my pack and made a start at getting close. i had to climb down some monkey scrub down a 2 meter drop off to get on the little spur that led down to where the chamios was. once there i snuck down through some knee high brush while it was out of view in a little rock slip. i got to about 20 meters from where i last saw it then waited. i caught it's movement up towards me then it came into view and i could tell it was a nanny. then it slipped into the tussock again and out of sight. i kept trying to find her but i couldn't see her moving. then i caught movement. i almost got busted as she had fed up towards me up another little slip. she looked my way but turned around and fed back down. now or never! she was at around 13-15 meters quartering away at a steep downward angle, about 40 degrees.
i hit her a little far back than i wanted and she ran off and stood on a little knob at 30 meters. i had another shot but missed. she took off again and pulled up about 60m away. by now she was getting reluctant to move and i managed to get in and put another shot on her. she trotted off about 10m and went down. i got in closer still and not wanting to take any chances on what could be a once in a lifetime thing i put one last arrow in her chest.
then it hit me, there was a dead chamois at my feet. i couldn't believe it, a dream had been lived. i knelt down beside her, placed my hand on her soft tan fur and took a moment to give thanks to her and the mountains. the mountains are often reluctant to share their bounty and when they do it's special.
this was something i had dreamed of doing for years. more importantly i did it in the manner that i had always wanted to do it. packing in and out and with a trad bow.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/IMG_4608.jpg)
:thumbsup: :notworthy: You did it your way enjoy the reward.Kip
What a great trip!! Some hard work and it took more than one trip, with a rifle it would have been over early and you'd miss the feeling of truly accomplishing something difficult. Thanks for the story and taking us along on your adventure.
Congratulations Clint, great achievement!
And Thanks for the great write up and pics.
Wow, what a hunt!
Congrats!!
Thanks for sharing!!!
Amazing Adventure! A well earned hero shot like that deserves to be the best it can be. I ran it through photoshop for you Clint and lightened it up some. Here you are. Just right click on it and "save image as" to your computer for future use if you would like.
(http://i48.tinypic.com/33bjw5y.jpg)
This filter is kinda cool to.
(http://i46.tinypic.com/4l6iaf.jpg)
:eek: :clapper: :clapper:
you are my hero!
Fantastic hunt and story!
Amazing!
:clapper:
That's fantastic! I've seen tv shows with gun-hunters complaining about how difficult it is to hunt chamois, and you did it with a stick-bow! Cheers to you and a great hunt!
Thats awesome, bro. An amazing adventure.
Gilbert
That is what my MT friends called, "Sudden country" from your great pics! I'm impressed for sure!
At this juncture of life, I'll live vicariously by your pictures and story, which is not half bad way to go.
Thanks for the effort and desire to share!
Clint, excellent story telling, great photos, and an awesome hunt in spectacular country. Congratulations on a fine trophy that was well-earned!
John
No words Clint, Just
SIMPLY PLAIN AWESOMENESS
No words Clint, Just
SIMPLY PLAIN AWESOMENESS
Congrat
Tough country , tough game , tough hunt
well done .
Fantastic!! An incredible experience!!
wow again. gets better n better
All I can say is... :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: "OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!"
Way to go Clint! What an awesome hunt!
Good stuff clint glad you got one.
Clint on congrats on filling your dream! Thanks for bringing me along.
Beautiful animal.Thank-you for the story and pics,I truly enjoyed them.
Leland
Well Done!! :clapper:
:notworthy: Mighty fine hunting !! Congrats
WOW! Great Pics and great Hunt. what an accomplishment! :notworthy: :campfire:
Taking a chamois with a trad bow in the Southern Alps of New Zealand is a fantastic achievement mate!
I feel privileged to have been there to share in it with you.
And a big thank you for providing us with some fresh meat Clint, as you know it went down a treat and was a welcome change from freeze dried meals.
After looking at this thread, the fact that I'll have to wait at least another year to hunt those mountains again is really starting to sink in now.
I'm already longing to return again.
I'll help out by posting a few pics for you mate.
Sharing in the success.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030173.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030177.jpg)
Caping out back at camp.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030182.jpg)
Sharing in the spoils that night. We had a cheery little cook-in while it snowed outside. The memory of the aroma of freshly fried chamois steaks still makes my mouth water.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030187.jpg)
Happy hunter.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030148.jpg)
All that white stuff was a real novelty for this ignorant Queensland boy. I just had to make a snowman. Meet Archy the bowhunting snowman.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030162.jpg)
After a few days of frozen toes and fingers and the 100th time I'd slipped on the ice and landed on my butt, I came to the conclusion that living in a tent and trying to hunt steep mountains in the snow was somewhat challenging and the novelty started to wear off. :biglaugh:
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030127.jpg)
thanks for sharing Paul ... sounds like a ripper trip !
I was hunting with a Stalker 'Tracker Lobo' with a Marksman modular quiver attached.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1020904.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030079.jpg)
Frozen bow durability test.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030193.jpg)
Pass!
South makes a great bow.
The Marksman Modular quiver and it's anorak rain shield worked a treat too, keeping the rain and snow off and holding up to the many punishments inflicted by the mountains.
As Clint said we saw plenty of Chamois, closing the gap for a shot was the challenge.
Speaking of challenges, I watched these two Chamois bucks challenge each other for dominance. Over about 20 minutes they positioned and repositioned themselves trying to force the other to retreat. With hackles up they would crab in sideways to each other and without ever actually touching each other dominance was established. It was really cool to watch.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030015.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030032.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030043.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030049.jpg)
Eventually the one that was originally on the rock capitulated and with the dominant buck standing over him, he squatted, peed and ran away.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030051.jpg)
Winner!
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030053.jpg)
I almost got a chance at the loser as he crossed the gully in my direction. I had to guess where he would emerge and unfortunately I guessed wrong. If I'd stayed put he would have climbed out right beneath me for a 15m shot. But that was a common occurrence for me in those mountains; I was just never in the right place at the right time. The more time spent there the more chance it will happen and I can't wait to get back over there to hunt those mountains again.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/P1030104.jpg)
Wow!!! It sounds like that was a hunting trip of a lifetime. Congrats on the trophies, one on the grill and the others etched in your minds forever! Thanks very much for sharing your stories with us.
great pics there paul.
it would be great to see what you saw with the two bucks jostling for dominance. animal behaviour like that is a pleasure to just sit back and watch.
love that last pic of machu picchu.
Simply epic! :notworthy:
Amazing adventure....wow, I need to go!! :clapper:
Congrats guys for this great adventure,this is the kind of hunts I love the most:hard work in the wildernees away from all.Great story and pics.I can't wait to hunt chamois in the Alps.
:eek:
you guys are killing me! I have no desire to work anymore, I just want to pack up my bow and head for the mountains! It wouldn't even have to be NZ, just any mountains, where the air is fresh and crisp and not 95F with 100% humidity. Florida blows...
Awesome hunt, Clint! Thanks for taking us along again and congratulations on taking a chamois! Nothing like hunting in the mountains! Can't wait to get over there myself. Way to go, Clint!
Thanks for sharing, and congrats on a fine hunt.
Congrats on a tremendous achievement and thank you for taking us along. What scenery!!!
Awesome hunt, story & pics! I can only dream of such an adveture someday...WOW!
Awesome story and pics.
Awesome story and seeing the pics has got me wanting to go back for another visit.
Man this is great stuff - congrats :)
Cool stuff guys! Congrats Clint!
great story and pictures
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11705851.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11705871.jpg)
mark says goodbye to the mountains and our top camp as we begin the walk out.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11706831.jpg)
everything has to have 2 uses on a backpack hunt into the mountains. marks descent to the snowline was made fast and easy thanks to my bow limbs.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11706951.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11707001.jpg)
the walk (pronounced scramble) out.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11707211.jpg)
a comfortable camp.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11707371.jpg)
the last supper.....of chamios.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11707311.jpg)
we shall return......
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P11707531.jpg)
Great story Clint and congrats on the Chamios
Jim
What a spectacular adventure and a stunning achievement! You blokes have done what very few would even attempt. Outstanding!!
I love mountain hunting, but what you were in takes things to a whole new level. That is some of the most beautiful and rugged looking country I have ever seen.
Congratulations to you all for even being able to do it, and especially to Clint for the success.
Great stuff! Words don't do it justice.
Great story!
Congratulations!
Well done Ozy big time! Thanks for the great story & pix. Great Chamois trophy!
OMG, Clint! I don't know how I missed this thread but glad it popped back up for me to see.
Congrats on the chamois! I know you deserved it after putting up with me a while back.
All I can say is WOW and congrats again!
Bisch
Very, very well done Mates and thanks a bunch for sharing!
Breath Taking!!! You indeed are a blessed man to have been there
A little something to read about the 2012 hunt while the 2013 hunt unfolds. Spectacular!!!!!
Very awesome gents! Simply amazing! Now the question is when does this Yankee get to accompany you? Haha! Congratulations!
Incredible hunt! Congrats to the both of you. Thanks for sharing.
Epic! As someone who hunts those same mountains, I have to say you have my respect. To get a Chamois with a traditional bow up there is a feat only a scant few have achieved. Well done both of you.
Wow - fantastic. You had me duped because you have a double thread up on here. I had been following the other one and it seemed to be taking ages to get anywhere. Suddenly this one (mk 2) popped up and the whole story was on here.
Lads - you really have my respect. I am a New Zealander and still only use my NZ passport. I was born there, lived there 27 years (half my life), and have been the other 27 years here in Australia. I go home every year because NZ is such a beautiful, un-spoiled land. I am only in Australia chasing the big $$. When I eventually retire - it will be back to my home country.
You have my respect - that is very dangerous and formidable country. To take a wild creature like that - in their territory - with a trad bow, is a very rare feat.
Blessings to you both.
Sutto
Wow, that was a super read Clint. I can only imagine how proud you must be after coming back from a trip like this. congrats to all of you. You guys are some tough mountain for sure.
Awesome pics and thanks for taking us along for the ride.
What an accomplishment-from the physical aspect of those mountains to actually bringing home a well won trophy. Congrats to those who would even attempt a hunt of that magnitude. I know these spindly legs of mine would not have made it but so glad yours did and take us with you.
Awesome on all acounts. Many congrats and thank you for the awesome pictures.
Great hunt, great pictures, and thanks for sharing.
My bucket list hunt. Well done
nice one clint :clapper:
Thanks for taking the time to share and bring us along. Your pictures and recounting were spot on. You all done GOOD..... REALLY GOOD!
ditto Sutto on being dupped! I was like WHOA! I missed this~ but I remember the tale from last year. VERY impressive achievement. congrats again.
the camaraderie is worth it to me.
L.R.
Somehow, someway, I missed this story completely! Well done!
WOW!!!! :notworthy: :notworthy: :campfire: thanks so much for taking us all along ......one day maybe :pray: