HUNTING AT SHELLEY WITH MY DOG

By Martin Auldist

Nov 8, 2024

*Inge with the fallow deer mentioned in the article.*

FEATURE Paul Rogers

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I have a love of hunting that has been a part of me since my father first took me out aged 6 with my grandmother’s 410. But even better than ‘just’ going hunting, is going hunting with my dog. At the ADA National Camp at Shelley in July, my 5-year-old German wired-haired pointer Inge was my companion. Deer hunting with a good dog can yield really good results but requires a little adaptation to normal methods to give the dog the best chance to do its stuff.

It was a clear morning with a steady southerly breeze coming up the valley of our designated hunting block as we quietly made our way south along the ridgeline track through the thick regrowth from the 2020 bushfires that ravaged some areas on the eastern side of the Shelley region. After about 2km we dropped off the ridge through the granite outcrops and regrowth, giving up 150m of height to reach a more gently sloping valley, which the fire had not reached and was much more open.

Heading directly across the wind and watching the dog as much as the surrounding bush, we slowly worked through the valley. Crossing the wind gives the dog the biggest area possible for its nose to cover. If the head is down sniffing at something on the ground, keep going; if the head is up sniffing the breeze, watch carefully!

After a several hundred metres Inge stuck her nose in the air, froze and sniffed. The foreleg came up and for 20 odd seconds but the only thing moving was the flaring of her nostrils. Then she slowly turned her head and gave me a long meaningful look before turning back to the scent. Game on!

Into the breeze we slowly worked, Inge five or so metres in front, stopping regularly to turn back and check that I was still coming. By this stage her nostrils were positively dripping. After several hundred metres of stopping frequently to glass ahead, I was surprised when 40 metres ahead from behind a log, up stood a young fallow buck, which was duly dropped.

After a photo and gutting session all that remained was to carry out the carcase for hanging in the coolroom at the camp. Hunting with my dog is great but I do wish I could teach her to carry her share of the venison back to the car!