I had an early start for my first hunting trip in nearly 20 years, and I was filled with excitement as I made my way to the Northern blocks of Pureora Forest Park. The feeling of returning to the wilderness after such a long time was almost surreal. As I headed into the park, the memories of past hunts started to come back to me, and I could feel the anticipation building up.

On the way in, I crossed paths with another hunter who was heading out. He mentioned that he and his group had camped overnight and that there were two more hunting parties further up the track. To top it off, his mates were also planning to head into the area that same morning. With all this information, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it might turn out to be a pretty busy block, which made me slightly concerned about how crowded the hunting grounds might be.

As I continued along the track, I started noticing plenty of sign—although much of it was very old, almost too weathered to be of any immediate use. I kept moving forward, scanning the area with my eyes, hoping to come across something fresher. After a while, my patience paid off when I finally stumbled upon my first set of fresh tracks. The excitement of finding a fresh trail reinvigorated me, and I carefully followed the signs, hoping they would lead me closer to my quarry.

At one point along the way, I believe I might have heard a stomp—maybe 15 to 20 meters away—but the dense cover made it impossible to see anything. I decided to wait, standing perfectly still for several minutes, listening for any additional movement. Unfortunately, nothing stirred, and I couldn’t confirm if it was a deer or something else. The area where I heard the sound was incredibly thick, the kind of cover where animals can disappear in an instant without a trace.

As I continued on the trail, I encountered a patch of sign that, while not exactly fresh, was definitely newer than the others I had seen so far. Among the signs, I found some scat that I couldn’t quite identify. It was smaller than most of the other droppings I’d come across, and I wondered what animal it could have come from. If anyone can offer an ID on the poop, I’d appreciate it!

Further along, I noticed several trees that had been rubbed, indicating recent deer activity in the area. Seeing those rubs, combined with finding fresh pee nearby, gave me hope that I was getting closer. Even though I didn’t catch sight of any deer that morning, the experience was still exhilarating. There’s something deeply satisfying about being in nature, observing the signs and tracking the wildlife, even when the hunt doesn’t result in a sighting.

To cap off the day, I did spot two goats during the drive in, so at least I saw some wildlife on the outing. All in all, it was a good morning spent in the forest, and I was grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with a passion I hadn’t indulged in for two decades. There’s always the next trip, and who knows, maybe next time I’ll get lucky!

<Edited for further context>