Dinsdale Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) Just returned from a 2 week visit to New Zealand where I chased Tahr and Chamois around some hills for a week. Travelled from JFK to LAX, LAX to Auckland where I picked up gun permit, and finally AUK to Queenstown on the South Island. Around 32 hrs til I found a bed to crash in after leaving home. Queenstown NZ Rested up and had a day in town to start getting used to time change before driving 3 1/2 hrs North to get a helicopter ride into camp. Stayed in a converted shepards cabin and hunted private land; this area is active for domestic sheep and there were still a handfull around at lower elevations. Tahr were plentiful and had come down from higher slopes with the on coming winter. In general I had nice weather, with a few showers and some light snow; it was very windy and we had to wait for lower winds to get the helicopter ride out for an extra day, but we spent that on spotting and taking a look around. Front yard and primary hunting area; There were lots of bulls to look over and judge. I was looking for a mature bull and we set up on a few with a spotting scope to get a good look. I was very impressed with the Vortex spotter that was along. I like glassing hunts the best and can spend all day just looking over terrain for hidden animals moving out of hidden draws and gullies. Seen several Red Deer in the bottom and found a decent shed with 12 pts from a younger animal. In the small sunny bowl at top and the rock outcrop halfway up on skyline; We found what I was looking for and made a stalk from the bottom using terrain to cover the approach. Group contained a young bull, several nannies/young, and a very good bull. Closed to 200 yds on the ballistics and had a great rest with a rock out cropping as the bull hit the top of the ridgeline and seperated himself from the group. Very steep shot and let him quarter away a bit to hit him in the offshoulder. Rifle and load.......Blaser R93 with rail mount Swaro 3-12x50. Chambered in 300 Weatherby, shooting 180gr Barnes TSX sighted dead on for 200 yds. First blood for this barrel for me on this frame. He never took a step and dumped him right on the spot. Watched the puff of the exit in my scope and knew I hit him good instantly. He rolled downhill maybe 20 yds getting caught on a small flat. This bull is 9 years old and a bit over 13" along the front ridge of his horns that are chipped up from fighting; all I could ever ask for an awesome trophy bull.... Set up for some quick pics and caped him out. By the time we were done we had headlamps on, but lucked out being all the way at the top as the ridgeline ran right back to camp and only had a one slope to negotiate in the dark to get down. Edited June 6, 2015 by Dinsdale 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsdale Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) Tahr was my primary animal for the trip so that being done, we drove South to look for Chamois. I feel the continued good weather hurt my chances here as for the next several days animals were higher and higher to climb too. Some bad weather would have pushed a few down more looking to feed for some calories and where the girls go, the boys follow. But the scenery sure was fine..... One of the girls checking us out from above But we did spot and glass Chamois everyday and closed to 80 yds on a shooter as we crested the top on a stalk, but he was perched on a outcropping that would have had him drop a few hundred yards after a shot, and recovery may have been impossible. Later we made a good move on another prospective animal, but he was shy of what I was after and needed to spread his genes a few more years. Thats huntin'. Hunting over I spent a few days back around the Queenstown area where there was lots to see and do, jet boat rides, hiked a hill about the same as Marcy here in NY (rained and got soaking wet LOL)...... A huge THANK YOU! to Lawdwaz here for helping me out.... With extra days after hunt, I was able to secure NZ DOC paperwork and brought cape and horns home as checked bag. Larry called USF&W at LAX for me to confirm inspection on landing and it all came off perfectly with import paperwork. Wish importing trophies was always like this! Edited June 6, 2015 by Dinsdale 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizCT Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Awesome trip. Congrats! Can only imagine the planning and $ that went into a hunt like this so far away Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Sounds like an amazing trip. Thats a fine trophy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawdwaz Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Wow what a cool trip. The planning and preparation that goes into a trip like this can sometimes be just as much fun as the actual hunt but I doubt it on this one! The scenery, game hunted and a chopper ride have to put this hunt at the top of the list in excitement. Great pics and outcome Dan, congrats on another great adventure! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg54 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Great pics and congrats on a successful hunt!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Beautiful pictures, I can only imagine they view in person. Great story, awesome trophy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampy Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Absolutely awesome pictures,story and hunt! Beautiful trophy too. Not many of us will ever be fortunate enough to pull off a hunt like yours. So thanks for sharing your hunt with us! Looks like it was an amazing experience! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EspressoBuzz Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Wow fantastic! Did you meet any Hobbits? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATbuckhunter Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Thats amazing! I always wanted to hunt out there! Beautiful pics as well! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pygmy Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Awesome story and pictures, Dinsdale .. That is some RUGGED country !! Beautiful critter..Did you try eating any of it ? At that age he probably wasn't PRIME vittles...<<grin>>... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wooly Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Great pics and recap! My bags were already packed until you mentioned SNOW! Congrats on that fine goat! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catskillkid Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Very awesome trip! Great pics too. Congrats on the bull. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phade Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) Great hunt and read. What an adventure, too. I am sure you really felt "alive" in the moment. PS...that Larry guy isn't too bad, either. Edited June 9, 2015 by phade 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsdale Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Thank you all for the kind comments. Wish I had taken my DSLR this trip, but find a P+S much easier to deal with when hunting for taking pics when out in the field. Always struggle with having time to take pics when days are short and finding and stalking something is the real task at hand. Good trip and good folks met along the way..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabin Fever Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Congrats on the hunt Dinsdale! That's one cool looking bull! Beautiful scenery too! That'll be a trip to remember! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsdale Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Mount is complete from this hunt; 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culvercreek hunt club Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Love that mount. Beautiful animal.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f3cbboy Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 that is very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phade Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Awesome, thanks for sharing the mount. Great hunt and adventure all the way through to the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterdan44 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Nicely done great story and a great mount congrats. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moog5050 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Good stuff. Congrats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizCT Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Wow, great mount. Love the slight open mouth look. Now you need a nice white Billy Mt. Goat to go next to it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampy Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Absolutely beautiful mount of an awesome animal. Everything about this hunt was top notch! Again, congratulations! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunter49 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 great story, hunt, & mounts, congrats! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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