Headed to Australia/New Zealand
Contributors to this thread:Hogs
From: FORESTBOWS
19-Feb-20
Kelly and I are heading down under for the next 2 weeks. Left Aspen this afternoon will be in Australia tomorrow.
From: Highlife
19-Feb-20
Good luck and safe travels
From: Ron Niziolek
19-Feb-20
Have fun Forest and good luck!
From: Dino
19-Feb-20
You are lucky mate! Good luck 2 u!
From: Habitat for Wildlife
19-Feb-20
Be safe and have fun!
From: Charlie Rehor
19-Feb-20
Safe travels....
From: Zebrakiller
19-Feb-20
awesome
From: EmbryOklahoma
19-Feb-20
Might as well skip on over to China and have ya a Corona.
From: Paul@thefort
19-Feb-20
I offered to carry your bags, what happen to that?
From: FORESTBOWS
19-Feb-20
For some reason I cant post pics. Anyone else having this issue
From: Paul@thefort
19-Feb-20
just posted this pic
just posted this pic
From: BigSkyHntr
19-Feb-20
Good luck and keep us posted!
From: Medicinemann
19-Feb-20
Once you get past the LONG flight (hopefully, the person in front of you doesn't put their seat back all the way), the rest of the trip is going to be really special. I hope that you either scrubbed your boots clean, or bought a new pair for the trip....because New Zealand customs WILL check your boot soles. Looking forward to your photos and hunting stories. Say Hi to Kelly for me.... If you go to the south island of NZ, I hope you visit the restaurants in Haast…..one in particular makes an outstanding seafood chowder. Good Luck!!!
From: t-roy
19-Feb-20
Have fun!
What critters are you going after?
From: FORESTBOWS
19-Feb-20
Really anything in range is in big trouble. in Australia a big Fallow is #1. In New Zealand it will be a stag. All free range. Hog deer and Sambar are on the list in Australia. I'll be on the south coast so buff might be out this trip. But you never know!!
From: FORESTBOWS
19-Feb-20
Why would you serve Mexican beef stew on a dang airplane..... 15 hour flight let's feed everyone Mexican beef stew to start.
From: Jaquomo
19-Feb-20
Oz hunting is a blast if you can get your gear through customs.. They confiscated both my bow quivers at the airport. Thankfully I had scoured my boots and cleaned the tongue under the laces because they looked there too.
Good luck and have fun, and post up a recap when you return.
From: Sitting Bull
20-Feb-20
Good luck with your hunting. We have just had the first decent rains in many drought-affected areas in the eastern states especially New South Wales, Queensland and parts of Victoria. It should be enough to fatten up the deer and get them in good shape for the rut. A lot of hunting areas were burnt out by the bushfires but there is also a lot that wasn't.
From: FORESTBOWS
20-Feb-20
Finally got a pic to go through. I ran out of arrows last time.....not going to happen this time
From: Rut Nut
20-Feb-20
Good Luck and be safe! Will be following this one...…………………
From: bghunter
20-Feb-20
Good luck. Who you hunting with?
Hopefully planning a retirement hunting trip in the next few years and Austraila is high on the list.
From: FORESTBOWS
20-Feb-20
Mike Biemond Real kiwi hunting Real impressed with him last year on my New Zealand hunt.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
20-Feb-20
Those Vortex heads look awesome. Good luck Forest!
From: HH
20-Feb-20
My friend just came back from NZ and Aus with longbow. Both North and South Isles. Says he's going back soon.
5000NM from HNL due South
K~
K~
From: Fuzzy
20-Feb-20
Good luck and good hunting!
From: Rut Nut
20-Feb-20
Just wondering if there are poisonous snakes where you will be hunting and if so are you wearing snake boots or gaiters?
From: FORESTBOWS
20-Feb-20
Yes. I brought a pair of lacrosse snake boots.
From: bghunter
20-Feb-20
What is your set up for this trip especially with buffalo possibly on the hit list
From: Jaquomo
20-Feb-20
Ha! The first bit of advice my friends down there offered was "bring a lot of arrows!" Target rich environment, for sure.
Most of the poisonous snakes I encountered were red-bellied black snakes that were trying to get out the way. Thankfully never saw a King Brown in Queensland or NSW. The big, nasty Golden Orb spiders that build webs face-high between trees across game trails concerned me more.
From: FORESTBOWS
20-Feb-20
Buff was not on the list
From: bghunter
20-Feb-20
Sorry, I thought I saw buffalo was on the list.
From: FORESTBOWS
20-Feb-20
Stopped for a little lunch. Awesome place.
From: Rut Nut
20-Feb-20
Glad to hear it Forest-be safe!
From: Medicinemann
21-Feb-20
In addition to the land critters, I think that Pat got some shark bowhunting in while he was down there.....keep us updated as to what you are hunting.
From: Bowboy
21-Feb-20
Good luck and shoot straight.
From: njbuck
21-Feb-20
Best of luck, Send it!!
From: FORESTBOWS
21-Feb-20
Scouting fallow and hog deer today. Taking it easy.
From: FORESTBOWS
21-Feb-20
Tiger snake......
From: Medicinemann
21-Feb-20
Supposedly one of the three most venomous land snakes in the world....!!!! When I zoomed in on your photo, I noticed that the snake's head looked a little flat. Is it safe to assume that it wasn't sunning itself, but had in fact been run over by a vehicle?
From: FORESTBOWS
22-Feb-20
No but we ran it over before we left!!
From: Outdoordan
22-Feb-20
Sounds like fun, except for the snakes and spiders. Good luck!
From: FORESTBOWS
22-Feb-20
Found some monster fallow bucks this morning. we should be on them this afternoon.
From: Two Feathers
22-Feb-20
Enjoy it.
From: FORESTBOWS
23-Feb-20
Awesome day no blood but lots of deer,Close calls, and passed some great bucks tring to kill the big one.
From: FORESTBOWS
23-Feb-20
From: FORESTBOWS
23-Feb-20
From: FORESTBOWS
23-Feb-20
From: FORESTBOWS
23-Feb-20
Saw some great deer this morning. Had a shooter at 74. Set up in a great spot for this afternoon. Seen a shooter here 3 times in a row now. Should seal it up tonight.
From: Medicinemann
23-Feb-20
Keep the updates coming....
From: FORESTBOWS
25-Feb-20
Day 3. Slow morning. Passed a crazy looking buck. Have seen 4 nice bucks so far this evening.
From: FORESTBOWS
25-Feb-20
Having a tuff time getting close. my knees hurt. Thank God I haven't crawled up on a snake yet. Bucks have split up and are starting to rut. Hitting scraps and moving alot.
From: FORESTBOWS
25-Feb-20
From: INbowdude
25-Feb-20
Good luck. Enjoy a meat pie or two.
From: TrapperKayak
25-Feb-20
Those fallow deer are nice looking. Someday... ! I got to see a big group of fallow bucks in New Forest, GB last fall. Good luck, hope you get a big one.
From: Rut Nut
25-Feb-20
WOW! That looks like a great buck! Can you call in or rattle for Fallow deer like whitetails during the RUT?
From: FORESTBOWS
25-Feb-20
Yes you can rattle. Rain and high wind this morning. had 3 bucks under 30. No shot. Wind swirling. we just spotted the biggest buck we have seen yet. Found a great ambush spot! I most likely will stay here until I kill him.
From: Medicinemann
25-Feb-20
Forest, What the straps on the other guys shoulders.....Backpack? Treestand?
From: FORESTBOWS
25-Feb-20
Bino harness
From: FORESTBOWS
25-Feb-20
Thought I was dead this morning......walking back to the truck. Lost focus look down and my right foot is going to land on a tiger snake. Instead of drawing back I chose to take a big step over it........that left it in between my feet. Thank God it was a blue tongued lizard. They look so much alike.
From: Rut Nut
25-Feb-20
Oh geez! Guess that got the adrenaline going!
Good luck and be safe/alert! ;-)
From: Medicinemann
26-Feb-20
Look at the bright side......after the lizard scare, your camo was probably a little darker, probably a little wet - so a little cooler, AND you probably don't need any brown shoe polish.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
26-Feb-20
That definitely had to increase the "pucker" factor! Keep after em!
From: FORESTBOWS
26-Feb-20
These deer are whooping us bad. I hope this works. Climbed a tree over some water. Not very warm today.
From: FORESTBOWS
26-Feb-20
These birds are cool.
From: Rut Nut
27-Feb-20
Looks good- hang in there!
From: Beav
27-Feb-20
Good luck I hope you get it done!
From: IdyllwildArcher
27-Feb-20
GL!
From: Jaquomo
27-Feb-20
Have you had any respond to rattling? This should be peak time right now.
From: FORESTBOWS
27-Feb-20
Tuff to break that 70 yard mark. These deer have a great sense of smell. Wind seems to swirl on everything we try to hide behind. have had so many dream bucks at 70- 80. One this morning at 60 smelt us with wind in our face.
From: t-roy
27-Feb-20
Bout time to pull out the NoseJammer!
From: Jaquomo
27-Feb-20
Ha, I was going to post that but resisted! ;-)
From: Buffalo1
27-Feb-20
You're not wearing a Hex suit are you?
From: Jaquomo
27-Feb-20
Seriously, my buddies down there whom I hunted with were extremely anal about scent control. They wigged out when they learned that I wore the same (silver) base layer for two days in a row. Really wish I'd known about Nose Jammer then, just to try it.
From: t-roy
27-Feb-20
Yeah, I was only half joking about the NJ!
Hopefully, this doesn’t get your thread hijacked, Forest. Good luck and keep after them!
From: Paul@thefort
27-Feb-20
NJ on sale at Walmart for $7 per can. Not too late to send a can to A/NZ
From: cnelk
27-Feb-20
Corn pile?
From: FORESTBOWS
28-Feb-20
So many deer to night. Heard croaking for the first time tonight. had 20 deer under 20 yards but no shooter bucks. Decided to stay 2 more days than off to New Zealand. Cnelk if I thought they would eat it I would have a dump truck load delivered tomorrow........
From: Ambush
28-Feb-20
Forest, you have a knack for getting the tough jobs done. Waiting for the pic!!
From: FORESTBOWS
28-Feb-20
Had this buck and another good one right around 70 yards this morning.....
From: FORESTBOWS
28-Feb-20
Kiwis are crazy tuff
From: Tonybear61
29-Feb-20
Looking to get down there in a couple of years. What are the bugs like?? Flying critters only or do you need to worry about ticks and stuff too?
From: Jaquomo
29-Feb-20
Not sure about where Forest is hunting, but where I hunted red deer in Queensland we had bad skeeters, plus dryland leeches, spiders, and an occasional scorpion. Skeeters weren't as bad further south in NSW. Lots of creepy-crawlies in that place.
From: FORESTBOWS
29-Feb-20
No bugs really. Ants when your sitting bud beside that it's real nice
From: FORESTBOWS
01-Mar-20
No fallow this trip. What a awesome hunt. I'll be back for sure. Off to New Zealand in the morning.
From: FORESTBOWS
02-Mar-20
All ready pulled back on a stag....35 yards no shot. Only had 2 hours to hunt
From: FORESTBOWS
02-Mar-20
Raining all morning. sun is out now and the stags are on there feet. Hearing some Roaring. What a beautiful place.
From: FORESTBOWS
02-Mar-20
Dang it man
From: FORESTBOWS
02-Mar-20
Dont see stuff like that every day
From: FORESTBOWS
02-Mar-20
From: Quinn @work
03-Mar-20
Forestbows,
OK we already "pulled back" on the first pic now get on with the story. That's not a stag on his feet. LOL. Good luck over there!
From: FORESTBOWS
03-Mar-20
My guide got me to 32 yards on this guy tonight......he just would not turn right and we ran out of light. What a hunt. Saw 10 stags today 2 unreal monsters
From: FORESTBOWS
03-Mar-20
My wife Kelly taking picks through the spotting scope.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
03-Mar-20
Best of luck on the Stags!
From: altitude sick
03-Mar-20
Cool pic
From: Medicinemann
03-Mar-20
What's on the guide's head that is so shiny?
From: FORESTBOWS
03-Mar-20
Jake. That's his phone. He is videoing.
From: APauls
03-Mar-20
Very cool hunt! Keep at it! You’ll get em
From: FORESTBOWS
04-Mar-20
Incredible hunt. One of the best ever! Had that giant droptine bull in a wallow at 45 yards for a hour and a half. Wind switched and when he finally stood he spun around and bolted all in one motion. 15 minutes later a got busted drawing on a huge stag at 30 yards. We had 8 different stags under 80 yards at one time. All this is why we all are so crazy about bowhunting and how rewarding it is when it all comes together! How can a hunt of a life time be unsuccessful???
From: BULELK1
04-Mar-20
Great reading!!
Thanks for taking us along
Travel safe,
Robb
From: FORESTBOWS
04-Mar-20
Got close this morning. We got 2 more days. Just got to keep showing up. legs are sore!
From: Guardian hunter
04-Mar-20
I took a beautiful stag on the last day of my hunt. I was sweating bullets. I mean arrows. Finally in a rain storm I nailed a great stag. Wow. Down to the wire. Keep after em.
From: Bugle up
04-Mar-20
This has been great to follow along. I can't believe the size of the deer and the stags!
From: FORESTBOWS
04-Mar-20
Mike is bare foot and I can barely keep up.
From: APauls
04-Mar-20
That’s cause he doesn’t have to haul footwear! Put a pair of rubber boots on the guy then show him where it’s at ;)
Good luck!!!
From: Medicinemann
05-Mar-20
Barefoot?......I guess "extra" human scent isn't a factor...…
It's pretty cool to see that what most whitetail hunters in the US would consider a big No-No (walking barefoot in your hunting area), doesn't necessarily apply in Kiwi country.....
From: FORESTBOWS
05-Mar-20
Way more like a elk hunt than a white tail hunt.
From: TrapperKayak
05-Mar-20
Is it private land? Stags like that on public are rare. And with scenery like that, I probably wouldn't be able to focus on hunting the whole time...
From: Medicinemann
05-Mar-20
^^^^Forest, I agree^^^^
From: Jaquomo
05-Mar-20
Down to the wire! Good luck! Barefoot seems to be sort of a "thing" down there.
It's very close to an elk hunt, for sure. My feature in Bowhunter about hunting red deer was around that theme: "An Elk Hunter Down Under".
From: FORESTBOWS
05-Mar-20
Took the morning off. 2 more hunts to make it happen.
From: FORESTBOWS
06-Mar-20
Wind blew us off the hill this morning. great hunt over all. Memories with good friends is all I'm taking home this trip and it ok. Good reason to come back ASAP!
From: Bugle up
06-Mar-20
Wow, I sure had fun following along! Everyday I've been ready for a picture of a big deer or stag, but it is hunting. Thanks for the ride.
From: Charlie Rehor
06-Mar-20
Safe travels...
From: Buffalo1
06-Mar-20
Sounds like you had a great time and adventure. Safe travels home.
From: BULELK1
08-Mar-20
Dang good reading FB.
Happy for ya,
Robb
From: Paul@thefort
08-Mar-20
Forest, here I am trying to convince the Colorado Larimer County Commissioners to produce a resolution opposing the reintroduction of the wolf into Colorado and there you and Kelly are having the time and hunt of a lifetime. What's fair about that? :),:),:)
Was glad to follow your adventures and that just makes me want to do what you just did. I can carry your baggage the next time you go. my best, Paul
From: FORESTBOWS
08-Mar-20
I would love to plan a bowsite trip down there if anyone is interested
From: Jaquomo
08-Mar-20
Great adventure! Thanks for sharing with us!
