In June 2021 we headed too Far North Queensland to meet up with our clients and friends Rob Templer, Shane Pepperell and John Hossack.
Rob wrote a short account of his adventure... After a year and half of Covid related travel restrictions I was delighted to be able to hunt Chital Stags on Markus Markus Michalowitz Chital hunting concession in Nth QLD.
Two days I hunted with several close encounters but no success. Finally on the last afternoon of the last day of the hunt I hatched a plan to be already out on the large marsh flats in position before the deer fed out for the afternoon.
As the sun sunk to the horizon at 5.30 PM, I knew they would be coming in the next 30 minutes or not at all. The wind was gusting back and forth quite unfavourably but I hoped I would at least spot some deer before they winded me. Finally, a few Chital could be seen leaving the tree line and feeding onto the flats.
After a few minutes it became clear that unlike the previous days they were not feeding out towards me and I was losing shooting light fast. The plan was changed and instead of my ambush I had to break cover and crouch run and then Indian crawl the last 200 meters to a small mound that should put me in shooting range.
After arriving and panning my binos around the few deer had morphed into a herd of 50 or more. Almost dark now with just five minutes of shooting light left I picked out the only stag in the herd. He looked ok and after ranging him at 208 yards I waited from him to lift his head.
Crack went the .243 followed by the thump of a hard hit. In the near dark I made way over and after a few nervous moments found a lovely Chital Stag piled up, shot though the heart. An end to a memorable hunt with some great friends and a worthy game animal species.