‘He could hear the magpie’s singing their early morning call as he slowly made his way up the fog filled gully. He decided to sit and wait out the fog as he was only going to spook any deer that may have been feeding in the gully. Only a few hours earlier well before dawn he had been dropped off on the main road with backpack, bino’s and his bicycle. He had then ridden the bike 15klms in total darkness up the dirt track to where he had been told he had a good chance of seeing some deer. As a starry eyed teenager he had grand hopes of seeing his first fallow buck in the wild. It was late February in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales and a cool morning for that time of year with the dampness of the fog making it seem colder than it was. As he sat and waited the fog began to thin out and intermittently he could see up to 150 metres in front through the lifting fog. Then suddenly, there it was, the buck was moving up the valley in and out of the fog, feeding. He sat there transfixed heart pounding pulse racing this was the most majestic animal he had ever seen and this vision is still imprinted indelibly in his mind to this day some 35 years later just as clear as if it was yesterday…..’
Now fast forward to 2006 the first year we exhibited at “Jadg und Hund” in Dortmund Germany at a hunting trade show. It was here that we first saw video of free range hunting of huge Hungarian fallow bucks. We got talking to a young chap in the booth (Zolt) who spoke perfect English and wetted our appetite for this hunt. We ended up buying a DVD of this hunt from him and that evening back at our hotel we popped the DVD into the laptop and could not believe what we were seeing. We have hunted fallow in four states here in Australia and taken some nice bucks for us and our clients but, nothing here compared to what we were seeing before us on the screen. We couldn’t wait to get to the show the next day to pick Zolt’s brain about these monster fallow bucks but at this time with the exchange rate the Aussie dollar against the euro, the hunt was just unaffordable for us but from that moment on we both dreamed of one day being able to experience and hunt these majestic fallow bucks in their home range.
Over the years we stayed in touch with Zolt and looked forward to catching up with him at the shows in Germany and Austria to hear the latest news on previous season’s harvest of fallow trophies. Along the way the GFC (global financial crisis) hit the world’s economies and especially hard on the hunting industry. Prices of hunts started dropping dramatically as the outfitters chased the ever diminishing pool of clients. It was around this time that we connected with a new agent in the Czech Republic who was sending us hunters. During one conversation with Iva we mentioned our dream of hunting fallow bucks in Hungary and she told us that she has a good friend that specializes in all forms of hunts in Hungary including fallow. From this moment we wasted no time in contacting Roland and with the record high Aussie dollar and the low euro there was never going to be a better time than 2012 to do this hunt. This was the beginning of our dream hunt coming true.
We flew into Budapest, capital of Hungary on the 14th October where Roland meet us and after a trouble free clearing of Customs with our rifle (if only it was so easy here in Australia) we were on our way with two other Norwegian hunters on the three hour drive to the hunting area in the North East of Hungary very close to the Ukraine border. The drive passed very quickly with lots of stories of hunting experiences from around the world and it still amazes me how very small the hunting world is. Roland has hunted here in Australia and it turned out we shared a number of mutual friends here and around the world and one of the Norwegian hunters (Vegard) personally knew a Swedish hunter we had hunt with us back in 2007.
We arrive around 11.00pm at the hunting house and were very encouraged to hear the croaking of fallow bucks in the distance forest. This didn’t make for a sound sleep that night with the anticipation of the morning hunt building through the night, we both tossed and turned and ended up with very little sleep. Roland had arranged to collect us at 5.30am the next morning to take us to the hunting lodge for a cuppa and to meet our guide Mikkie. We arrived at the dining room of the lodge to be met with a selection of huge fallow buck trophy heads. It was like kids in a candy shop as we all drooled over the size and weight of these fallow bucks. This hunt is priced the European way where the lower jaw is removed and the skull is boiled cleaned then left for 24 hours to dry and then weighed. This is the same system with red stag and roebuck and the trophy fee is calculated according to the weight. Looking over these heads was very helpful in determining what style of trophy you were looking for and how much you wanted to pay. Once you decided on the approximate weight that you are after it is recorded on a hunt contract and if your guide underestimates the weight of your buck once harvested you only pay for what size you had specified on the hunt contract. This is a very fair way of operating.
We left the hunting lodge in Mikkie’s 4 x 4 around 6.15am with it still quite dark. The area that we would be hunting in consisted of 9,000 hectares of oak, ash and elm tree’s most of which were over 100 years old. Mikkie and Ian communicated quite well despite Mikkie not speaking much English, luckily Ian knows enough German to get us by and to communicate with Mikkie’s limited German. After a short drive of around 15 minutes Mikkie pulled the 4WD up and indicated that we would be walking from here. The first thing we heard when we got out of the 4WD was this drone like noise in the distance, it sorted sounded like highway noise at first, but as we started to walk closer you could pick up individual croaks and it was only then that it was like ‘Oh my god’!! That noise is all fallow bucks croaking!!! We both looked at each other as it dawned on us what we were hearing and with goose bumps all over we realised that this was what we had seen in the DVD we got from Zolt all those years ago. At that time we had said how good would it be to experience this and here we were smack bang in the middle of it!!
We started walking and hadn’t gone too far when we heard the cracking of antlers. All three of us put our bino’s up and not more than 150 metres away were two bucks fighting. Great!! We stood and watched for about ten minutes we could see other bucks in the distance and some does moving through the trees. Mikkie motioned that we should continue in the direction of the noise of hundreds of croaking fallow bucks, clashing antlers and the chirping of the does that was growing louder as we stalked closer to the main rutting area. We had to take great care as the forest was alive with eyes and we were trying to make it to the edge of the rutting stand without being detected. The forest had opened up a little more with larger tree’s having a much higher canopy however it was still much darker than hunting in our bush at home. The soft leaves from autumns fall made for very silent stalking unlike the crunchie gum leaves back home.
We came to the edge of the main rutting area and there was a nice dip rather like a small washed out creek that afforded us some extra cover. Once in position the boy’s had their bino’s up and I quickly set the video and tripod up and tried to follow with the video the rutting frenzy that was taking place. The scene that was before us was just mind blowing. Bucks and does just running around in circles, backwards and forwards. The noise was almost overpowering with hundreds and hundreds of rutting bucks in this area of the forest. What was unfolding before us is one of nature’s phenomenons and we were totally absorbed in what was taking place around us. I can only liken this experience to watching a caribou migration or brown bear in Alaska gorging on spawning salmon.
The wind was perfect and we were in a great vantage spot to watch this scene unfold. Within the first minute we had both gone a number times ‘oh look at that one, oh look at the size of this one’ just a smorgasbord of big fallow bucks. This was going to be harder than I thought singling out which buck to take. The video camera was going left and right and everywhere in between trying to take footage of the big bucks in their rutting stands and the satellite bucks on the fringe waiting for their chance. Mikkie was delighted with our reaction and our enthusiasm, relaxing into the background and letting us absorb the atmosphere of this remarkable display of nature. If only every hunter could experience this in their lifetime. We stayed there riveted to the spot just soaking it up and letting the reality of our dream unfold. During this time over two hours many bucks came and were driven off by the larger bucks claiming the best rutting stands. Through this period Ian had spotted a huge buck to our right. He just stood out with these massive wide palms, not as long or as wide as some of the others we had looked over but those palms were just something else, his antlers hooked in at the front towards the centre and he was so heavy. Yes we had found our buck!!
There was another buck behind this one with a much lighter coat and paler antlers. We looked him over for some time with Mikkie and Ian having a whispered discussion comparing these two monster bucks. The pale buck pretty much stayed in the background and didn’t appear to be holding any does. Two smaller bucks closer to us and to our left were strutting their stuff and summing each other up , when one charged in head down and they locked antlers in combat. The clashing of their antlers ringing out over the constant drone of croaking and mewing does. The does added to the overall noise in that forest and could be seen running in and out of the different rutting stands adding to the scene of chaos and enraging the big bucks and driving them to further frenzy. It was starting to get late and with only a cup of tea we decided to head back for breakfast. So we backed away from the rutting area and headed back to the 4WD. We needed some time to digest what we had just witnessed and also bounce off each other which buck had all the qualities that we were looking for. We had come here with pretty definite ideas of what we were after as a trophy e.g. size, style, weight but after this morning’s events all that was out the window.
The big buck with the huge palms was going to be the one. The cost was going to blow out but hey what the heck we were only going to do this once so we may as well do it right. Also I already had him pictured on our trophy room wall and as far as I was concerned none of the others could hold a candle to him. So over breakfast we discussed with Roland and Mikkie what we thought of our choices. We reviewed the video I had taken and in his opinion there was only a choice of two, the big heavy buck or the pale buck. But really the decision was made, well for me it had been. I had wanted Ian to shoot the big buck with the heavy palms that morning in case we couldn’t find him again. He just had to come home with us. For so many years we had dreamed about coming here to hunt the biggest free range fallow bucks in the world in the forests of Hungary and here we were so it was going to be something special that we shot.
We again looked over the heads on display in the dining room of the hunting lodge and asked Mikkie what weight he thought the buck with the big antlers would weigh? His estimate was 5kg and actually in the end he was spot on, a testament to the experience of these guides. It was now time for a much needed siesta after our previous sleepless night so we arranged to meet back at the dining room for a late lunch at 2.00pm and by 3.00pm we were packing our gear into Mikkie’s 4WD to head back to the rutting area. We were so excited with the prospect of experiencing all over again the mornings hunt and the possibility of taking a great trophy if we could find the big buck. We had to change our approach as the wind had shifted and was proving unpredictable. As we parked the vehicle the noise from the rutting stand was audible but with less activity than the morning. We made our way towards the area where we had last seen the buck with the big palms and it appeared that most of the bucks had moved deeper into the forest from what we could hear.
It took some time to locate the big buck; I was just starting to think he may have changed rutting stands when Ian spotted him lying down beside an oak tree with only a portion of one antler visible. In a couple of minutes he was on his feet again resuming his patrol of his rutting stand, round and round in about a fifteen metre radius with one doe in the stand with him. There was another nice buck just hanging off the big boy’s area but would duck into his stand every so often just to test his reaction it appeared. This stage of events continued for about five minutes when the big buck we were after had had enough and he charged the smaller buck. The two bucks locked horns and fought hard for about two minutes, the clashing of their antlers was clearly audible over the constant croaking of hundreds of bucks in the back ground. At this stage we were about 180 metres from these two bucks and it wasn’t long before the smaller one conceded to the bigger buck and ran off. Again the big buck resumed the patrol of his stand.
We decided now was the time to make a move closer, there was a lot of oak trees and from where we were it was next to impossible to squeeze a shot between all the trunks and find the mark on the buck. We used the trees as cover and very slowly snuck into with 150 metres. From here I had no clear view for the video so had to move a little to my left and there he was, a great spot to video from. We stayed frozen to the spot as the buck stopped his patrol and started to stomp. We knew he hadn’t seen us but maybe got a slight whiff although checking with the puffer assured us we were still OK as far as the wind was concerned. Maybe a sixth sense had put him on alert; you don’t get that big by being stupid.
We were relieved when he started his patrol of his rutting stand again and he never stopped croaking the whole time. But every now and then he would stop and stomp the ground in alarm with his front hoof. Ian decided to make his move and about twenty metres in front of us there was a sawn off stump of a tree, Ian was going to take a rest on this but he still couldn’t get a clear view of the buck. He left his day pack there and inched his way hugging the forest floor further forward and to his right. Mikkie and I held our breath this was getting nerve racking as the buck continued round and round his stand. I was glad Ian was taking the shot, as the buck didn’t stand still for longer than a few seconds and then again off he’d go around and around. Ian looked quite steady kneeling on one knee up against a tree but I guess he mustn’t have been totally happy with his rest as he lowered himself down into the prone position.
Time stood still and yet it also seemed to tick by agonizingly slowly, we were all ready all we needed was the buck to stop in the window of vision Ian had and I had with the video camera. Many times the buck stopped but in the wrong spot or at the wrong angle. God damn this was so nerve racking my heart is pounding and I’m not even the one squeezing the trigger! Poor Ian, but then he is patient and a lot steadier and grounded, literally flat out on the ground ha-ha. Maybe five minutes passed and still the opportunity of a shot hadn’t presented itself, at this rate we will be coming back again tomorrow. It gets dark quickly in these forests with the dense canopies at the top of these old trees and I hate shooting late in the afternoons as you have to rush your photos and the light is usually not the best.
Finally………the buck stopped! Perfect! Then the boom rang out in that forest and the sound that every hunter loves to hear WACK!! The buck shuddered in the front end and spun around to his left and ran. I lost sight of him behind the trees but we knew it was a good shot and he wasn’t going far. Man I’m shaking, Mikkie is patting me on the back and heading up to Ian who has just got to his feet and gives me the thumbs up. YES! We have our buck!! He ran no more than 20 metres and fell just out of his rutting stand. Ian and Mikkie walked up to where the buck lay motionless on the ground. Our little Remington 700SPS .270 WSM has done the job yet again what a great rifle combined with our 130gr Barnes TSX hand loads hasn’t let us down yet.
It wasn’t until we actually walked up to the fallen buck that we could appreciate just how big he was and admire such a magnificent specimen of a fallow deer. It measures 35″ x 36″ x 32″ wide and scores well in excess of 300 DS. Was 10 years old and weighed in at just over 5kgs. It was almost a surreal experience and all Ian could do was shake his head in disbelief and smile. This is surely the trophy of a lifetime for a deer hunter and the culmination of a dream come true. What amazed us both was no more than a few minutes after the shot that bucks could be heard and seen running around back into their rutting frenzy. Mikkie then congratulated Ian in the European traditional way by breaking off a couple sprigs of oak tree, one of which is placed in the mouth of the fallen animal to signify the final meal while the second sprig is brushed over the wound and presented to the hunter with the saying “Weidman’s heil” (meaning:- hunters salute). I love the way the Europeans are so respectful to their game animals, you would never see a hunter sitting on their trophy and all signs of blood or lolling tongues hanging out are corrected before photos are taken.
Word had gotten out quickly and by the time we returned back to the hunting lodge with our buck there was already local hunters gathered to see and to celebrate our success. There was much hand shaking, back slapping and way too many toasts with what they call apple schnapps (translated means locally distilled rocket fuel) around a celebratory bonfire. It was so nice for us to experience this genuine warmth and goodwill from total strangers and yet a little sad that our dream had been fulfilled so quickly and our hunt was now over.
Such a long journey for a starry eyed teenager who sat in a gully in the fog all those years ago……………