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Well I thought I would be up to my armpits in roaring red stags this season for sure, having planned the timing for my trip to SE Queensland perfectly.
Should have known better!

For several years I had been forced by circumstance to tackle the hills too early in March, battling hot weather and silent stags, and last year had missed the roar altogether due to other commitments. This time though, the good wife and I planned to arrive in South-east Queensland's Cressbrook Valley on the easter weekend, right in the middle of the rut, just as the cool change should be arriving.

What could possibly go wrong?

Turned out to be bloody hard work once again, due to unseasonally hot weather persisting well into April and no stags vocalizing whatsoever.
Boy is this becoming a familiar picture!
Must be global warming!

Walked the hills for those few days over easter regardless, and saw a few deer but no opportunity for successful conclusions.

Plenty of fresh rubs on the lower slopes so I knew there were stags in the area!

Best chance came on the second morning: I was creeping up a steep ridge right on sunrise when I noticed a silver-wattle in the gully below copping an awful flogging from a worthy stag with visible top tines. Sneaking in to perhaps 30 metres above still failed to present me with a view of his shoulder through the tops of the scrub, and I could get no closer due to the steep terrain. Eventually tiring of waiting for him to move into a gap, I attempted to reposition slightly but the slanting rays of the rising sun took my shadow through the bushes just above him, and he didn't stand for that!

Never saw him again...

Watched this silver-wattle get belted-up by a very good stag for perhaps 20 minutes, but no shot...

Then off down the Gold Coast for holiday with the grandkids, followed by the rellies circuit, and finally back in the Cressbrook Valley for a "last hurrah" before heading back north.

This guy was the only stag I could find in two full days of hard hunting on the two adjacent properties I can access.

As I skirted around a particularly difficult ridge-line I heard him carrying on in the head of a steep gully, the first stag I had actually heard roar this trip, but he was moving around a lot and headed off down the slopes before I could close in. After crossing the gully and cautiously following in his tracks for a while, I caught him coming back with a single hind. I was totally in the open but she walked right past me thankfully. She must have alerted when beyond my peripheral vision though, because he propped in alarm at about 20 metres, staring in her direction, and caught the bullet in the base of the neck.
Only a 4x4 but a fairly big fellow with a nice tall rack. I was so thankful to even get the crosshairs on a hard-antler stag this year, given the hot weather and so few animals roaring.

Last few hours of the last day. Better to be lucky than good!

As I packed up to leave early the following morning it was a bit nippy and there was actually steam on my breath for the first time this trip!
...and a few stags started moaning off in the distant hills! (sigh).

Oh well... that 6x6 Royal with my name on will just have to wait till next year!

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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au