Walking up to the brow of a hill I spied two billys, one carrying a great set of antlers! (oh, ok, horns). I hissed "get down!" and then we sneakily-snuck to the top of the hill, crested the brow and set Tim up for a shot on the big boy. Well! Tim took it upon himself to create a world wide lead shortage and increase the value of global lead ore mining stocks in his attempt to bring the goat down. The futile fusilade (yeah yeah Tim, I know, you'll get revenge later)sent the big ones packing, while some nannies and kids stayed around... safe as houses as it turns out because Tim's ammo supply was expended. Having taken care of my usual trip 'unexpected lay down on my back' (this time courtesy of catching my foot on the top wire on a fence crossing), i felt replete, the day having offered all it could. Good mates, spectacular scenery, a great fireworks display care of Tim, yes, we certainly had it made. But WAIT! There was more! A caving adventure. Sliding off into a little flooded gully, Craig lead us through a sneaky little tunnel.
This was going from awesome to freakin spectacular - especially when we then ducked down a real hidey cavern where Tim had a gulp of underground water. Back to the car and after negotiating some feral mud (the Prado ate it up) we got back to Craig's for a bite and a cuppa. As we ate I sensed his urgency so we forced the final couple of gulps of steak down Tim's gullet (he's getting lots of stick just because I feel like it)we jumped in the Prado (have I told you how much it loves thick gooey mud?) and drove up to the get out point. (Nick promptly falls on ass down bank). At this stage the wind was swirling from the south East, ok for our shooting position. Glassing the area prior to our arrival revealed 6 little piggies coming down to the baits - had to be a great sign! Walking (at Craig's pace that's jogging for a mortal like us) to within 50 m of the shooting pozzie has us within easy range of the little piggies, who moved here, ambled there, and trundled off here and there munching grass. It was great to watch, and with me settled in to shoot I made sure I had the cross hairs on each of them at one stage or another. Craig tells us the piggies are probably only a month old - NO WAY!!! They look like targets to me but ok, I'm with the expert. Now the wind is really playing up, we're facing North and it's swirling around the hillside we're on. Little piggies are on the move so we do as well... and darkness is closing in. The glasses and scope reveal a bigger beast out at the 400m+ mark, but suddenly the wind is right up our jacksie and "wooof!" the pig calls a warning and they're all off. I'm just stoked to have had the rifle on 6 little piggies because I know that I could have taken each of them at some stage or other. No jangling nerves or shakes.
So we head back home and then up to another spot, picking up a spot light on the way. Not anyone's preferred method of hunting, but this is a pork trip so checking out other baits makes sense. Another mud bath for the Prado to wade through, which she does admirably. :) We stop and get out. I'm travelling with the red night light on the Led Lenser on, Tim's got his white light on and Craig just strides through the pitch black, occasionally flicking the light on for a look. We get above the bait and suddenly there it is - a pig! A shootable one! Quickly I take a rest on a rock, Craig's down beside me, god knows where Tim is :D Craig switches the light on and I quickly line up the beast he's got lighted up - hell no, its a possum! So I say "Its a possum". In the darkness I sense Craig sighing and thinking "why do I do this to myself?" (he's far too nice to say it) before saying "no, the pig's behind the tree" (you berk!).. and out it ambles. I line up on the chest area behind the leg where Tim has told me to aim and BOOM the pig folds up. Cranking the bolt back ready to chamber another round, I realise the pig quite dead. The autopsy later reveals a perfect killing shot that has smashed through the spine for an instant result. I'm quite proud, because you gotta know what was happening at the time;
"Ignoring the lava flow, I made a quick adjustment to take into account the flash flooding and thunderstrom that were threatening to mess up my aim. Off hand shots at 520m are never easy, especially when blizzard conditions and falling meteorites come into play. All in all the passing tsunami may have upset a normal mortal, and knowing that a small black hole was bending the bullet's trajectory, well heck, only a pro could have made an allowance for that...."
Craig made quick work of gutting the sow (maybe 70lb?) and I had her on my back and back to the car. Hanging her in the shed I felt pretty damn stoked at the result of our evening's work.
Next morning we got up pretty early considering. Craig fed the calves while Tim started firing test groups and reloading, in his quest to work up a magic load.
We all then set off to see if we could find a goat to shoot at. Up by the scene of the 6 little piggies from the night before, we are suddenly looking at a small mob of goats. Craig offered me his .280 so I grab it and (not kidding this time) drop the running billy at 80m. A spine shot too (very proud moment). I have another shot at a goat thats looking unhealthy and find we have 3 goats down. Tim takes the back steaks and wheels from a small tasty looking goat and we then take the bodies to add to the bait pile.
Arriving back at Craig's its time for home. We stop to see Guy in Te Awamutu and then rumble home in a cloud of mud dust and filth. A great trip!
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