2024 grip and grin

[RPN]

We don't have a hunting season as such in NZ - its on 365 days a year, so I'll start a 2024 thread with some of this year's deer.
Not much grin in the photos, I'm usually hunting alone

 

[RPN]

A few more.
I pretty much live on venison, so have to knock a few over each year

 

[Ronws]

I've known a few kiwis in my time. One back in my college days in the early 80s.

I became intrigued with it in Heinlein's novel, "Friday." The main character had no place to call home until she made friends in NZ.

But I really came to appreciate the land and the hunting you can do there from watching Rogee Productions on YouTube. The main guy is shooting a .300 WSM and, IIRC, a Zero Tech scope. In a lot of the land, especially the public land, you just cannot get close enough to put salt on the tail and catch a deer or sheep. Anywhere 200 to, I think, 600 yards. And his second guy also has a rifle. They both shoot at the same time to ensure the animal is down.

Awesome harvests. I wish I could be there just see the land and these animals.

 

[RPN]

Rogee is using a March on one rifle (300 wsm), and I think a Leupold on the 308.
He does drop some pretty average shots though - sometimes I wonder how he figures his wind calls but he is getting out plenty so good on him.
There are a hell of a lot more deer shot inside 50m than past 400, but the up close stuff doesn't lend itself to youtube very well when you are doing the shooting and the filming yourself so I guess there is a skewed view put out on the webs of what goes on.
If you can find it, Greg Duley on NZ Hunter Adventures is probably the best thing out there, he really does it well.
Edit to add I've just looked on YouTube and Greg isn't there - it is on TVNZ on demand aand I'm not sure if uou can see that outside NZ. Another really good guy is Keeping it wild - he is a professional trapper and outstanding in the bush. I think he is made of steel, he's got inhuman endurance.
Come on over, it's not hard and the people are mostly friendly - all you have to do is sit in a plane for 11 hours and remember to drive on the other side of the road.

 

[Ronws]

Rogee is using a March on one rifle (300 wsm), and I think a Leupold on the 308.
He does drop some pretty average shots though - sometimes I wonder how he figures his wind calls but he is getting out plenty so good on him.
There are a hell of a lot more deer shot inside 50m than past 400, but the up close stuff doesn't lend itself to youtube very well when you are doing the shooting and the filming yourself so I guess there is a skewed view put out on the webs of what goes on.
If you can find it, Greg Duley on NZ Hunter Adventures is probably the best thing out there, he really does it well.
Edit to add I've just looked on YouTube and Greg isn't there - it is on TVNZ on demand aand I'm not sure if uou can see that outside NZ. Another really good guy is Keeping it wild - he is a professional trapper and outstanding in the bush. I think he is made of steel, he's got inhuman endurance.
Come on over, it's not hard and the people are mostly friendly - all you have to do is sit in a plane for 11 hours and remember to drive on the other side of the road.

I will have to check that.

And other hunters I personally know have never shot past 300 yards on a game animal. Longest was 220 yards at an Aoudad Sheep.

One long shot he did make was a money bet on hitting a balloon at 850 yards with his AR-15. First and only shot.

 

[zeroz]

Nice work. I put most of my early 2024 kills in my 2023 g&g thread since it was the 23 season. Looking forward to seeing what guys come home with is always fun. I should draw a couple decent tags this year. Fingers crossed. I did manage to get my first eastern a couple weeks ago down in Bama. Skunked on hogs tho, which is rare.

 

[Anb618]

First time ever turkey hunting. My area is absolutely teeming with thunder chickens, so I decided to give it a shot this year. I had him on the ground with a 10 yard shot inside the first hour, and it all went down 65 yards from my garage;

Hunting by myrself, I didn’t get a legitimate grip & grin photo. This is the best I can do.
He’s an old bastard, those spurs are ~1.5” long.

Taking my brother-in-law out this weekend to get him a shot as well.

 

[Ronws]

I have been meaning to go Eastern Spring Turkey hunting but have not been. I have the shottie and ammo, I just end up having to get other stuff done. And then we get all the rainy weather which is going to keep them hidden, for the most part. I can be tough and hang out in the rain but that doesn't mean the quarry is going to be as foolish as I am or will be.

 

[zeroz]

Congrats. Nice bird, real limb hanger. Ive never seen one so dark at the tips of the fan. Where is that?

 

[Anb618]

Congrats. Nice bird, real limb hanger. Ive never seen one so dark at the tips of the fan. Where is that?

IL / WI border.

 

[zeroz]

Cool. They are delicious. Let me know if you need any recipes. The legs/wings crocked and made into carnitas/tacos are awesome. Breasts are great brined and smoked or done as turkey tenders/nuggets. You can do the whole bird but Ive found the wild ones are better broken down.

We have merriams here at home in CO. Their tips are almost white.

 

[Anb618]

I made one of the breasts into nuggets tonight, pan fried on the grill in cast iron with my own “breading” (wife is gluten free, which means I have to DIY pretty much everything). It was awesome, especially adding some parmesan ranch dressing.
I’ve been perusing Pinterest most of the afternoon and also found some carnitas recipes for the leg(s). Excited to give it a try.

I think Easterns are the only subspecies of turkey in IL.

 

[zeroz]

Nice. Be careful you'll end up getting into hunting the bastards all over to collect the delicious morsels. I just wish they were the size of deer so that the quantity of meat made it make more sense for the effort. They are crazy little dinosaurs they way there are tho.


Definitely an eastern. The one I killed above has pretty typical coloring for eastern with the beige bars at the tips.

 

[Ronws]

Nice. Be careful you'll end up getting into hunting the bastards all over to collect the delicious morsels. I just wish they were the size of deer so that the quantity of meat made it make more sense for the effort. They are crazy little dinosaurs they way there are tho.


Definitely an eastern. The one I killed above has pretty typical coloring for eastern with the beige bars at the tips.

Takes the patience of Job to pluck.

 

[zeroz]

Takes the patience of Job to pluck.

F that. Maybe around the breast so I can have skin on smoked breast but other than that not worth the effort in my opinion, which aint worth much. I'll pluck a grouse all day long but you can have a turkey as far as plucking a whole bird for a substandard product compared to parted out skinless dishes it can provide. The sum of its part are worth more than the bird as a whole.

 

[Ronws]

F that. Maybe around the breast so I can have skin on smoked breast but other than that not worth the effort in my opinion, which aint worth much. I'll pluck a grouse all day long but you can have a turkey as far as plucking a whole bird for a substandard product compared to parted out skinless dishes it can provide. The sum of its part are worth more than the bird as a whole.

Here you go.

 

[zeroz]

Juice aint worth the squeeze.

 

[RPN]

Bird season starts today.
3 quail and a rooster so far.