Workmans Beach- Agnes

Today Jason woke up not feeling good and had to call in sick. I didn't have to work today either so I figured what better medicine for him than to spend the day at the beach and get some good Vitamin D! So he and I ventured down to Agnes Water in search of Springs Beach which we have heard alot about from friends. We were unable to find Springs Beach, however, we did find another hidden beach, Workmans Beach. It was a beautiful beach that had very few people on it and those that were there were all surfing. It was nice to spend the day somewhere different and just relax!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Weekend- Kids Hunt Eggs...I Hunt RED STAG! - Jason

 

 

 

 

Morning one
   I slept like shit.  There was a dog that was trying to get out of the pen
outside and kept whining. On top of that a rooster crowed from midnight until we
got up.   We get up at 5 and get the morning started.   I went and got my bow
ready and camo on.  We get in the vehicle and start driving down the road.  Not
30 seconds into the morning we are stopping and glassing A herd of hinds and
small stags.   It was awesome seeing 20 or so deer right off the bat.   Then we
look out on a ridge about 500 yds away and there is a stud roaring at his hinds. 
I was pumped now, but we kept driving to find others.  We turned off seeing new
stags about every 5 minutes.  We did this for about 30 minutes then got out to
see if there were deer over this other ridge.  We walked through the grass and
all the sudden we walk right up into a herd of about 10 hinds and 5 small stags. 
We watched them for a bit and then tried to stalk up on a cull stag.  No luck.
They circled the ridge as we followed.   So we jumped in the truck and went a
couple miles away to do some semi forested stalking.  When we got out of the
truck we could hear the stags roaring all over the place so we decided to go in
a certain direction and then figure it out from there.  As we got down the hill
there was a herd of cattle that Took off and spooked the stags we were chasing.
So we seemed to wander around for about 20 minutes not hearing anything.  All te
sudden a plane flew over and the stag roared about 200 yds from us.   I was
pumped.   We snuck up to where the stag was and started to get closer.  The
guide looked at him through the binoculars and turned to me and said.  Oh yeah.
It's a good one. 5x5. THAT'S YOUR TROPHY.  He didn't hesitate in saying that so
I believed him that it was a trophy and we started the stalk.   We got to 85 yds
when all the sudden he laid down facing straight toward us.  I knew we would be
in for a log wait.  About 2 hours later we decided to move in on him to see if I
could get a bow shot.   The stag finally got up and we stalked up to about 10
yds of te hinds he was with and 48 yds from him. Waiting for him to come out
from a bush so I could shoot the wind changed direction straight toward him and
then the hunt was over.  He smelled my guide!!!   Headed back to camp for a
great breakfast.  Nothing like deer camp sausages and eggs!    That afternoon
the owner decided to take me out so we went back to a similar location to the
hunt that morning.   When we pulled up we spotted a shooter stag and immediately
started the stalk down the  ridge and up to the next one.   The ridges were
littered with cattle and because we could spook them we had to go super slow.  
We ended up running out of time because the stag u was chasing started moving
away from us and we couldn't get closer than 100 yds without him moving again. 
It was a fun hunt because the stag was roaring a lot and chasing the other stags
around.  I could see he was a trophy again.  Turns out it is the same 5x5 I was
on that morning.   The guide tried to call him in but the stag knew something
wasn't right and hung out out of range and out of sight, we knew he was there
because he was roaring back at us but wouldn't come in

 

 

 

Day 2
   We get up to cloud cover which made the stags a lot less active.  We did the
same thing as before and drove around the plains watching a ton of red deer   It
was cool but wanted to go back for trophies so we went back to the same area
again waiting on some roars.  We hear some roars pretty quickly so we go after
him.  We are rushing along and all the sudden I look over and see him about 30
yds from us.  He roared and started chasing his hinds that were out if sight.  
We got on him and followed him to his wallow.  We stalked to 60 yds and again
the stag started moving straight away from me.  No shot!   The stag I was on
this morning was a known 4x4 stud. He was old and a trophy.  The stag worked
away from us and got nervous so we tried to keep up with him but couldn't.   We
started wandering around and got on another big one.   It turned out to be the
same stag but now he was with another group of hinds about 500 yds away.  We
stalked him for a while.  Lost him and then found him rubbing on trees to
intimidate a smaller stag hanging around.  I got to 48 yds waiting on a
broadside shot then I stepped on a twig.  He knew something was up again so he
wandered off.   The morning hunt was over so we started our long trek back to
the truck.  We had wandered into some pretty steep country so walking back was
very tiring and I was drenched with sweat.    On the walk back we saw a bunch of
Roos.  A few big ones that were close enough to us that I could see thier
defined chest muscles.  Very jealous of the Roos body!! 
That afternoon. We again went back to the same general area but came in a
different way, basically from the back side of where we had been.  As we got out
of the truck we could hear some roars off in the distance.  They were right
where we thought they would be so that got me excited.   While walking to the
roars we found a couple if stags and hinds still bedded down.  They were too
small so we kept going.   About a mile into the bush we found my 5x5for the
third time!!   At this point I decided to try a stalk o e more time with my bow
but was going to shoot him with a gun if the stalk was unsuccessful.   We
stalked up to about 70 yds and it seemed like it was going to work perfect in my
favor.  This stag was roaring and there were 2 stags to our right roaring back. 
We thought the other stags would draw him over to them which would give me a
perfect shot with the bow.   True to form though, this damn deer lays down
again!!  Facing straight towards us... Again!   We didn't have much ground to
cover and I knew it would not happen with a bow so I decided to take the gun
from the guide. We waited patiently for the time to move into position.   Then
our patience ran low and we started to move in on him.  I had the gun so we
could be more aggressive when moving.   The stag was relaxed and even sleeping
while we were moving.   When I finally got into a position to shoot the stag saw
me and got up.  The guide was behind me yelling (quietly) to shoot.  I could not
see the deer in the scope.  I couldn't even see the deer without the scope!  
The guide kept saying shoot. Now shoot now!   The deer ran away.  I was deflated
cause this was the third time on this deer and it now became my nemesis.  I want
that deer.   I was basically pouting and the guide was agitated that I didn't
shoot so we slowly worked back toward the truck because there were stags roaring
that way.   As we got most the way back to the truck we came up o. The stag we
were looking for.  Te guide checked him out and said shoot him!   He is a good
stag if not a cull.  So we moved in.  It became very quick and slightly chaotic
after that.  We were running through the bush to catch up to him.   We stopped
3/4 down the hill and could hear the stag roaring just in front if us.  I knelt
down to get a better view and the stag pops up out of the creek in the bottom of
the gulley.   Te guide says that's him.  Shoot shoot!   So I put the scope on
him.  He was facing straight away so the guide yelled at him.  He spun his head
and neck around which gave me a target. I put the crosshairs on the base of his
neck and squeezed.   BOOM. Dropped in the spot.  I was pumped!   Got me a stag.  
We rushed up to him to make sure he didn't get up.  It was a cull stag and I was
happy.  It helped take the sting out of my 5x5 getting away again.  The work
began though.  Quartered him up, caped him out and then had to pack him out on
the back.  Late night that night but it was ok with me I was happy about the
hunt.  Very exciting!

Day 3.... Easter
We woke up feeling NOT REFRESHED because if the late night.  We had the game
plan to head straight after my stag.  I wanted that 5x5. He owned me at that
point. I took my bow incase I could get a shot but succumbed to the idea that it
would be a gun kill.  We got to the spot and started to walk waiting for a roar.  
All the sudden we heard it... A quiet roar which was what he had been doing for
the past 2 days.   We knew it was him!  We rushes to find him.   Not to far we
found him.  The guide put the binoculars on him and said that's him. It's your
guy.   I could see it would not be a good idea to try with the bow so I
immediately took the gun again.   We moved up to a tree with a clear shot and
one that I could use as a rest. He was behind a bush.  As I got set up he
started to get nervous about us being there.  He stepped out from the bush to
get a better look at us, broadside.  agaim that guide if mine was quietly
yelling at me....   SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT.   so I put the crosshairs on him and
squeezed. BOOM.  Down goes the reigning champ.   I got him on te fourth try!   I
knew this was going to be a big one but when I got up to him it was very
rewarding to hear the guide talking about the size.  He said it was even bigger
than he thought.   I was just pumped.   Hunt now over but I had a hell of a time