hunting with Steve: www.tripletui.co.nz

Idyllic getaway; Log cabins, mountain vistas and a river runinng through it........

Name Brands I Use

Sako Forester 18"barrel, cal.308 . Mcmillan ultralight stock, Leupold 1-4 vari x111 scope, Sako rings. Barnes 130 grn. TSX F.B.

Sako Vixen 19"barrel. cal.222. Sako stock. Leupold 1-4 vari x11 scope. Sako rings. Barnes 53 grn T.S.X. F.B. bullets

Casio Pathfinder watch,Buck "Omni" folding knife, Leica "Trinovids" 8x20 binos,Leica 900 rangefinder, Olympus 850 SW camera, Macpac 85 litre rucksack, Markhor Eterlou day pack,Ledlenser h7 headlamp"Tikka Plus"head lamp, Mountain Hardware "Phantom" down jacket,Macpac "microlight" one man tent, Meindl "Makalu"alpine boots, Smart Wool socks, Buller gum boots. Swazi Tahr coat, Swazi swandri, Ridgeline Monsoon II buffalo cammo jacket, Hunting and Fishing fleece shorts.Thermarest vest and longs,.Stoney Creek airmesh shirt, Huntech Gaitors. Titanium spork,MSR titanium mug, MSR Titanium kettle,MSR Pocket Rocket stove

Nissan Safari 4x4

Senator "Silver Shark" boat

Favourite Gunsmiths;

Dean Maisey [Tauranga]

Robbie Tiffen [Christchurch]

Best N.Z. hunting/shooting website;

Hunting & Outdoor Supplies

Best NZ hunting/gun Magazine;

NZ Guns & Hunting

Gus and his first born

I thought,.... look at that,......... paternal feelings overwhelming ole "Gus".? He just missed the birth, but hey being modern man, he was sure going to make up for it.
Don't always catch the birth of the bambies so you kinda indulge yourself when you do, plenty of snaps and oo's and aa's.
Well a man eventually tires of it before a woman , in my experience, so it wasn't that long before I went inside for a brew.
It was a short period after ,when the silence was shattered by a blood curdling scream, that left my tongue and bottom lip severely burnt and coffee dripping down my chin.
I raced outside to see Tracey's face contorted with concern, and pointing to where Gus, was throwing the little one in the air and stamping it when it returned to earth.
I don't remember reading about those antics in the "guide to fatherhood, for beginners".
The bambi had taken a fearful hammering and we feared the worse.
Banning Gus to the next paddock, to live the rest of the summer in solitude, I returned to bury the remains.
On nearing the inert form, I noticed rythmic movement in it's upper torso. Retracing my steps, we adjourned to finish the now cooled coffee.
Half an hour on, and the little one was on it's feet and being nursed....amazing.
Gus is a five year old red deer stag, and as such has witnessed at least three years of births amongst his harem. This was the first and last time he was going to show resentment!

Goodbye My Deer

The truck barrelling up the road, and sending up billowing dust clouds in it's wake was the signal I had been waiting for all day.Gunning the three wheeler into noisy action, I pursued the startled deer and aimed them for the yards. Once inside the first gate, I left the still moving bike to secure it. A loose wire snared me as I attempted to pull away. Filled with adrenaline, I tore myself free, seconds later, realising that the wire had initially punctured my hand, and now I had ripped open a one inch gash on the flat side of my hand that went some 8 mill deep. Blood spurted onto my sleeve and it was then I felt the pain. Racing forward I secued the door to the enclosed pens.
Minutes lateer the Murchison Transport truck was reversing down to the yards and then hard up against the pens.
The plan to sell our deer and remain mostly stock free for the forth coming winter was nearing it's end.
After a struggle all the deer were loaded except Gus. The downside was he just wouldn't fit up the ramp,and had to be turned loose into the paddock to await spring, and the demise of his impressive twenty something sharpened points atop his head.
Unfortunately in the heat of battle he had gored an unlucky bambi, and it's bloody trail leading into the truck told it's own sad tale.
A phone call the next day confirmed our worse fears, the little one had died.

Gus hits the highway

After a long winter the ole boy finally shed his crown which signalled the relevent course of events. Vet to TB test , mobile loading ramp, stock agent and Murchison transport.
The latter arrived late in the morning on a particularly wet day. Gus was already in the yards...been there for a couple of hours which was testing his patience somewhat. I had to push the truck the last twenty yards with my tractor as it's traction left a lot to be desired. Upshot was that a minor struggle ensued with my left knee getting a farewell kick from the departing one. I will surely miss him... a real character