High Flying

A year ago today: Into Vic’s high country with The Grey Flyer.  At last our draconian Covid restrictions have been eased a bit and we are able to get away hunting/hiking for a few days by ourselves. It is almost too late for this year’s deer hunting season though, as soon it will be too hot. Next week looks good to start canoeing (though truth to be told, I have already been out)!

I had been yearning to get away all winter. I would like to have had better weather. It rained a lot – and even snowed. Also, unfortunately it was close to a full moon which always makes hunting less productive – or at least harder, as you have to go higher, harder for me these days with these old knees which had become sore again because of all the ploughing through mud the last month with the lambing. Because of it I have not been able to walk on my toes (as I recommended) which really helps, but I will be back to it now as the ground dries up a bit.

After a 4 1/2 hour’s drive and a three hour walk, we are set up for the night. The view of our first night’s fire. Honey was fascinated by it. Better than television. I have to agree.

Just warming ourselves up in the morning for some breakfast. You may notice my 13 gram Dyneema Hut Moccasins.

The first night’s camp was at Mt Darling Creek about 2-3 hours walk into our trip. After the 4 1/2 hour drive from our home at Jeeralang Junction this is far enough these days for old bones. . What a delightful spot! That’s it flowing into the Wonnangatta from high up at Mt Darling. I will be going there again this summer I hope (with Della). Because its plateau is 1600 metres up it is at least 10 degrees C cooler than  down on the flat country, so much more suitable for warmer weather hiking. it is also wonderfully remote. See Forbidden Wilderness

The view downstream.

The view upstream – where we are going.

Our camp is up just amongst those trees.

It rained overnight (in fact every night, and some days too) but the tent performed beautifully. However, don’t forget this strategum from the post The Secret of Fire. carry some dry tinder/kindling from the last camp on to the next. the beauty of these open ‘fire shelter’ tents is that the warmth of the fire every night always dries some fuel for the next day. You can also carry a Tyvek Fire Umbrella with you too to ensure that your fire does not go out in heavy rain (I did) . Weight 68 grams including guylines. Cheap insurance against being cold/wet.

After breakfast we head off upriver traveling upstream for a couple of days before we begin to return. In the past I often used to camp here on the first night usually because I did not leave home early enough to get much further. I will probably not camp here again. Too many others have decided to follow me here. I have selected another more secluded spot for my first night’s camp where I believe I will be undisturbed. Most do not go much further anyway.

Between my back and my knees I have had bad health these last couple of years and it has slowed me down. I hope to improve them again in the future. Daniel Boone walked 800 miles to the Platte to go hunting in his eighties. What he could do, I can do. Only five year’s ago I would have walked from above Hernes Spur to the Moroka Confluence where I left my car (or vice versa) in a single day thirty kilometres through the trackless bush. I did so many, many times over the years. It has been a good life – and I have no (or few) regrets.

On my second day out I would have been above the station homestead somewhere. I would spend ten days to a fortnight in the Wonnangatta and wander the whole valley in that time traveling thirty kilometers or more every day. I would be the nemesis of many deer – and many many trout! Why I even intended to be in there for a fortnight this year and had planted drums (of food) in there last year against that eventuality. I knew I would be moving much more slowly but I would move nonetheless. Circumstances this year have been against me, and against most Victorians, unfortunately.

Fortunately I have been vouchsafed this five days before the hot weather comes and I must address a myriad of farm chores which I normally get a break from in mid-winter. Spring is always the busiest time on a farm. When I get on top of those jobs I hope there is enough water to canoe both the Wonnangatta River (with my wife) and the Snowy (by myself – Della reckons it is too big a river for her. Let’s hope it’s not too big for me too!) I have a few other bush trips in mind too if there is time.

It has been a great spring in the mountains. There is so much feed about. It is the end of September (29th). Many deer will have produced and raised twins this year.

Look at the feed in the gully heads.

There were stag rub lines everywhere. On the slopes above over an area I guess a kilometre wide and 200 metres deep there was a fresh deer track in every space the size of a dinner plate. I can’t imagine how many that must add up to in just a couple of square kilometres – but hundreds!

A month or so ago someone had broken quarantine (good on them). A rule against going hunting/camping by yourself was just bureaucratic nastiness anyway – it is just possible for someone to have gotten to this spot for a day hunt (and not have broken an insane law). I know I could have done so when I was (much) younger, but it would have involved at least 5 hours driving (each way) just from Dargo, then a walk in of at least another four-five hours (each way). Quite a long day, but I have (thankfully) had many such.

They had clearly decked a monster stag here. It would have been as big as a cow/bull.  You wouldn’t have been able to even roll it over by yourself! I would judge it was 1,000 pounds. I know I have seen a few that size myself. Even weighed a couple.

Clearly they had been able to come in the colder months when the deer were more crowded along the river and at a moonless period when the deer are more likely to be out feeding during he day. It would have been an ‘easy’ shot too. No need for a scope. Just as you came over the shoulder of a small rise this mighty deer was standing less than 100 yards below completely in the clear. Still and all, it is a long trip in to this spot, and you richly deserved your trophy.

I hope you can picture yourself alone in the vastness of this mountain Eden in your Deer Hunter’s Tent – in this case, The Grey Flyer 476 grams in my pack, and plenty of room for two, as you can see (and perhaps a couple of small dogs)! And look at the huge vestibules (front and rear).

You can close it up completely if you need to but instead I will probably add a small triangle so I can close a little more of the top of the doorway, say about 18″ (45cm) more which will certainly prevent the ingress of any rain even in the worst possible conditions – yet you cam still enjoy the view, and even the fire under the fire umbrella! This will add 5 grams. (PS: I have done that now as you can see in the post Wilderness Hut)

A couple of small pockets low down near the front on each side (another couple of grams) will give us somewhere to place our torches, hearing aids, glasses and such of a night. I will make a floor for it (this one was made for the Aricxi)  which will be a better fit.

For Fiordland (and the like) travel I will make a floor which rises up the sides slightly (and attaches perhaps with Velcro, magnets or mitten hooks). When we are traveling in such places we will take a Hummingbird hammock apiece (around 200 grams each) in case we need to use this tent as a hammock tarp which it also is.

I am going to make an ultralight hammock ‘spreader’ arrangement which will keep your shoulders warm when you use your sleeping mat in your hammock of a night. That’s all you need. I estimate less than 5 grams.

I will never tire of the view of this beautiful Gippsland mountain river. There was a platypus swimming just behind me when I came down to wash the dishes! And of course lots of trout.

You may recognise this spot from the cover of the post Not Quite Alone in the Wilderness.

And you may recognise this as the spot in the cover photo of Sambar Deer Stalking # 101. My old dog Tiny was able to join me on such expeditions for a whole 18 years. Honey never knew her. She is her replacement but already at 2 1/2 very dear to me.

She is an excellent little hunter. If I was still young (or at least had good knees) who knows how many deer she would bring to me. I never have to look for them with her along. If there is a deer within 100 yards she lets me know right away and will flush it from cover very eagerly. On this trip she did this several times a day. I could have shot quite a few.

If I had been able top spend more time high on the steep slopes where the deer were at the moment I reckon she could have bagged me a dozen a day. She will be having a litter of pups before Xmas! All the equipment she requires is a small 150 gram sleeping bag and less than 100 grams of dry food a day. She repays this a thousandfold with immense affection and good company, far better than most humans. I would like to have brought Spot as well but I was trying to travel light. Perhaps when my knees are a bit better I will bring both again?

And you may recognise this as the platypus pool from last year. We did see one platypus this year, but not here and not for so long.

On the way home we had lunch beside this large wallow. My old dog Tiny would have been straight into it and black all over. Honey has cleaner predilections, thank goodness.

The Victorian bush is famous for its wildflowers – and particularly in spring. It is no wonder there are dozens of varieties of native bees. I don’t know the names of all of these, but here is a little sample anyway.

The wild clematis bedecked every gully with a dash of snow.

I never tire of the view of the wonderful river as I tramp on beside it day after day. It is nice that even at 71 I can still walk 15-20 km day after day (in this case five of them) through the trackless Victorian mountains carrying a pack with all my gear, and a gun – though I am thinking of ways to lighten it. A carbon fibre barrel and stock will shave at least a kilogram from it..

‘Home is the hunter home from the hills’ – with a couple more horns for Della’s craft collection. I doubt there will ever be enough for this arch though.

BTW: My DIY 33 Gram Roll Up SS Hobo Stove worked a treat both as a stand-alone cooking solution and more importantly as an excellent windscreen for my wonderful  ‘Gnome‘ alcohol burners. ‘Tinny’ has retired and no longer makes these so I will shortly be making a couple myself so that I can give you plans (and sources of materials) so you can make one yourself. I will also be making a Cosy for mine so I can save 33% of the fuel, and I will make a titanium version of the stove which weighs under 20 grams as the <$5 worth of titanium foil to do so has arrived. Watch this space!

PS: All these photos (and for most of my posts for months) were taken on my tiny Unihertz Atom phone (See A Phone in Your Fob). I think they are quite good enough. I have a store of books on mine. I was re-reading Asimov’s excellent ‘Foundation’ series while I was away. Also some music, videos, etc. I also have all the necessary maps. It has an excellent GPS function, so can really be a wonderful aid to wilderness navigation. You can link it to your Garmin Mini (for satellite communication) and your Go Tenna for high frequency radio SMS communication

The new model the Jelly 2 is available right now on Kickstarter (for Xmas – I bought two!)  I recommend you consider one. BTW: Their Atom XL is already available – with a 4″ screen and 48 mp camera and includes a UHF radio – this would be a great phone for deer hunters – but it would not fit in your fob!

First Published: Sep 29, 2020

See Also:

The Grey Flyer

Steve Intent

Deer Hunter’s Tent

Wilderness Hut

Forbidden Wilderness

Carpe Diem

A Cure for Knee Pain

The Secret of Fire

Fire Umbrella

The Grey Flyer

13 gram Dyneema Hut Moccasins.

Sambar Deer Stalking #101

Not Quite Alone in the Wilderness

The Seventieth Birthday Platypus

DIY 33 Gram Roll Up SS Hobo Stove

Tinny’s Gnomes

A Caldera Cosy

A Phone in Your Fob

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4 thoughts on “High Flying”

  1. Looks like a great trip Steve and the new tent looks great too.
    Did you manage to get any photos of the twins? I understand that’s a pretty rare occurrence. Victoria has probably helped them in this regard as very few people would be putting pressure on them.

    Thanks for sharing.

    1. Thanks Stuart. Not with the dog along I’m afraid. She bolts every deer she smells pretty damned quick. BTW: The tent also doubles as a hammock tarp. Cheers, Steve.

    1. Thanks Di. I too hope for more adventures. Many adventures with thistles and tree planting coming up hopefully interspersed with some canoeing. Cheers, Steve.

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