FRANK’S FIRST DEER: 90 YEARS IN THE MAKING

FEATURE Greg Pegg

Back in 2019 Frank contacted me and said it was that time of year to give the ferrets a run. A few days later on a very nice autumn day saw us in the hills. As normal the ferrets worked well and in no time we had a few rabbits.

I suggested that we go for a drive to a nearby property and Frank saw his first sambar deer. "Well I'm 84 and that is the first deer I've seen," was his remark as the old hind crossed the track slowly about 20m in front of us. Not long after I shot a nice half-grown eater that stood up out of some bracken fern just off the track. To say Frank was impressed was an understatement; the next day he was at the local gun dealers ordering a 30/06.

Since then Geoff Broughton and I have had several failed attempts and close encounters but unfortunately there have been no deer for Frank. Then on March 21, 2025, after a bit of local rain and a drop in temperature we headed to the hills for a look. I tried several areas along the bush line where I could get Frank in close and used the caller to no avail.

Around 6.00pm with Frank in tow and with Bee the Brittany leading the way, we headed to my favourite spot overlooking both fringe and regrowth country across a small creek. The wind was in our favour. In no time Bee was up and indicating into the wind towards a small gully below us to our right but I couldn't see any deer, just a wallaby.

At about 6.30pm I was thinking that we were way too early for ‘deer o'clock’ when a deer appeared in front of us. It stopped on several occasions but Frank was unable to locate it in his scope. We moved to our right trying to get another look at the animal, then it disappeared into the small gully that Bee was showing so much interest in.

Upon searching the area the deer disappeared into with the binos I saw movement of other deer in the swordgrass covered gully. Bee started to move in closer when a three-quarter grown animal moved up out of the gully and stood out in the open about 120m away, across the gully and at our level.

Frank was sitting behind me using my shoulder as rest but could not acquire the deer in the scope. After about a minute the deer moved off. Then other deer moved from the gully and a velvet stag in very good condition and with antlers about 24 inches long stood in the same spot, perfectly broadside. He stood for about 90 seconds but Frank couldn't see him in the scope. Eventually he moved off and three others and a calf as big as Bee followed him up the hill opposite us and also disappeared.

We sat and discussed the events that had happened. Frank was very disappointed and kept apologising that he couldn't see the stag in the scope. He also realised that in our efforts to get a shot we had worked our way down the face of the hill into the gully; he was concerned how he was going to get back to the top. I reassured him by pointing to a gate about 50m below us that I could drive to. He goes downhill ok but can't get back up too well.

Bee started to indicate and was moving again towards the gully the deer had come from 20 minutes earlier. I then saw two spikers casually making their way out of the gully to the clearing that the others had crossed.

The spikers were watching Bee but with no real concern and Bee to her credit held back. As the second spiker crossed the clearing Frank was ready with instructions to aim for the shoulder. The spiker stopped to watch Bee. Frank was steady over my shoulder and took the shot. The deer took off and after 15m started ploughing the turf with his nose and was down.

After negotiating a way down the hill to the gate I left Frank in very high spirits there and retrieved the ute. Shortly after I was back to Frank and we drove around the head of the gully right to his prize. It had been a perfect shoulder shot. We took some photos with Frank, Bee and the spiker, then it was butchered. Frank was very impressed with the size and weight of a back leg.

We managed to drive out of the property in daylight, give Bee a swim in the creek crossing on the way out, and share a couple of hot Aldi pies from the 12v travel oven. On the way home we dropped in and shared the good news with Geoff, who also had been involved over the past 6 years in getting Frank his first deer. Geoff was elated. It was the end to a perfect day.

Frank turns 90 in April this year. We met some 55 years ago and we worked together many years later. It was an absolute privilege to help him get his first deer at the age of 90. Well done Frank!