# Hunting > Hunting >  Help out a begginer

## Dawg

Hey guys i am a newbie to deer hunting, i have done a lot of rabbit shooting and a small amount of goat hunting, but am a complete novice when it comes to deer. I live in rural Wellington and hunt in Akatarawa forest, (bush hunting for red deer). I mainly follow a river bed but also have had a poke round in the surrounding bush and seen plenty of sign (fresh prints and poo). I am only 17 and unfortunately no other family members are deer hunters so i don't have anyone to show me the basics. I am prepared to be very patient as i just enjoy exploring the bush and gaining experience, however i was just hoping you guys would be able to give me some tips to get me moving in the right direction. I have been told that the wind is the key, and to move SLOW and STOP often, and was just wondering what other things i should keep in mind or just general tips.

Any and all advice is welcome,
much appreciated Josh

----------


## Neckshot

Keep going in the direction your going the advice you have been given is sound.follow the fresh sign and spend a bit more time I'n the bush at different levels.
Good luck

Jase 

Sent from my HUAWEI Y210-0100 using Tapatalk 2

----------


## Bavarian_Hunter

From what you're saying mate you sound like the best newly hunter I've seen come to this forum in a long while.
It's great you have a passion for the bush and just being amongst it all. It's a shame you aren't 2,500kms West or I'd be happy to take you out. Always love seeing someone with a true appreciation for the bush. 
If you have any questions feel free to PM me and I'll help you as best I can.
Jack

----------


## silentscope

if you want come along with me one day i can show you a few things, i hunt in the wairarapa so not far away from you.

----------


## mikee

> if you want come along with me one day i can show you a few things, i hunt in the wairarapa so not far away from you.


well done that man. great offer

----------


## veitnamcam

If your seeing fresh prints and poo your in the right place, but maybe not at the right time?
If your seeing fresh sign in the open try and stake out the spot at first and or last light.


Fresh sign in the bush, try and work out if its a feed area or if its just on the way travelling from river flats to bedding areas.(sorry don't know your area at all)

----------


## Dawg

Thank you all for your advice, Veitnamcam i am local to the area and dont mind walking in there regularly for dawn and dusk, i have camped out there overnight and walked up the river bed 7km at dawn and dusk in hope of spotting something coming down for a drink as there are plenty of used game trails coming down into the river as of yet i haven't seen anything accept brown trout. The  bush on the true left side of the river is where i see the deer sign, there are many used game trails running a few hundred meters in the bush parallel with the river i am wondering if maybe i should follow these instead of the river bed??

----------


## veitnamcam

Is there any feed in the river or is it a gorge? If its gorgey they maybe using the trails just inside the bush as highways between old slips(feed) or just to move areas with the weather.
Find food find deer.

----------


## Dawg

As i say i am very new to deer hunting so am not to sure of what im looking for in terms of sign and particularly "feed", but from what i have seen when i have been in there is that there is some browsing on srubs and small trees from deer near the trails in the bush although its not particularly fresh. There is the odd grassy meadow that i have found and can see from a vantage points but haven't seen that much sign in them. It is mainly just long dry grass not clover or anything however there is one large flate area that has pines on one side and native bush on the other and patches of clover and grass between, however most of it has been ruted up by pigs, there was some deer sign there but no where near as much as i see on the trails near the river.

----------


## Rushy

Keep looking Dawg, it sounds like you are in the right areas. By the way, are you the Dawg that Randy Jackson talks about when he says"Yo, Yo look it here Dawg"?

----------


## Dawg

Rushy, Thanks for your advice, and know my name Dawg has no relation to randy Jackson  :Pacman:

----------


## veitnamcam

Buy or get from library "red deer in new Zealand" by lentil and saxton.

Great information on all things deer.

----------


## Dawg

This is one of the many game trails that run parallel to the river.

----------


## veitnamcam

Sure that's not a doc track! :Grin:

----------


## Dawg

yeah trust me there are no tracks in this area

----------


## Dawg

There are tracks like this all through the area of bush just next to the river, and in areas where the the ground is wet i can clearly see deer tracks but cant seem to spot anything even when i have the wind right. 

Here's another one of the trails...

----------


## Dundee

> There are tracks like this all through the area of bush just next to the river, and in areas where the the ground is wet i can clearly see deer tracks but cant seem to spot anything even when i have the wind right. 
> 
> Here's another one of the trails...
> Attachment 19680


Looks like a highway set up a road block :Grin:

----------


## veitnamcam

Yea was being a smart arse.

Just keep goin back and following those trails trying not to have the wind up your Arse.
You will bump into one or work out where they are going to/from soon enough.

----------


## Dawg

Ok thanks guys, the only problem i am having is that i lose the trails after awhile and they just seem to cris cross the river so i cant find any particular bedding sites or anything so was thinking i might just stake out a open ish part of the track with good visibility and solid back stop??

The other thing i was going to ask about is roughly how long your scent will stay in a certain area, and how soon you could look at coming back and checking the area again for animals??

----------


## veitnamcam

No hard and fast rules on that one.
If the area gets a lot of human traffic deer can get pretty bloody cunning and sneak off at first wif of human scent and be back 5 mins later.

----------


## Dundee

Don't wear deodorant.

----------


## savageshooter

I think I have that red door book by saxton or a similar one, or is it the bush craft one?
What sort of gun your carrying Dawg? Is it properly sighted in?

----------


## Lentil

Hey Dawg - I'm not a bushstalkers arsehole, so I just find clearings and slips, and wait for them to come to me (got to be at first light or last light). Beats crashing around in crumbly rock and crackling bush like a draught horse. I get the odd one in the bush, but shit I scare a lot doing that. I think the key is to get to know your area, and the only way to do that is to get off the track. If you are like me when I started, I was too scared to wander too far in case I got lost. Get familiar with using a map and compass (with a backup GPS), and explore. I'm still learning too, but I was lucky to have a mate show me around, and put me onto some spots. Sorry Dawg - sworn to secrecy on those spots.

----------


## Dawg

Savageshooter i am carrying a Remington 700 chambered in 7mm08 i have sighted it in for 100 meters which i figure is good enough for the bush. Rifle shoots pretty well, i am no marksmen but i can hit clay birds out to 100 meters 5 times out of 6 so i figured i should be accurate enough, but always trying to get better...

----------


## Dawg

Haha thanks Lentil, i will try your tactic's off staying and one place at dawn and dusk because i imagine that i sound something like a herd of elephants crashing through the bush when i am in "stalking mode".

----------


## Blue Arrow

Hi Dawg,
just wondering how you have got on? I have recently started hunting the Akatarawa area and are having the same issues you were.

----------


## Rusky

Are you guys seeing any sign to start with?  Deer poo/prints?

----------


## TJM

Yeh,, need to find fresh sign, prints and poo, otherwise it will be tough

----------


## Dundee

There it is. :Grin:

----------


## Rushy

Difficult shot though Dundee"

----------


## Pengy

POP with the faithfull 243

----------


## Dundee

Its all down hill from there :Grin:

----------


## Pengy

Ok. Maybe the 17hmr would be a better option then  :Wink:

----------


## DanS

Hit up the local NZDA group they will be able to help you with everything you need to know man, best thing I ever did was talking to those guys 
Our Outdoors, A Hunting Tradition | The New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association

----------


## Jimmynostars

In the words of Joe Dirt "Keep on keepin on". Change of light is a good time if they are hammered, once you get the first one your away

----------


## Gapped axe

take your time, you're obviously in the right area. There are obviously Deer around and sooner or later you will get one. Oh did I say take your time??? slow down and stop often.

----------


## initiaz

> There it is.
> Attachment 28910


Dundee i figured you always in the fingering mood... hahahahahha.. but nice though makes reading fun..

 :Grin:

----------


## Blue Arrow

> Are you guys seeing any sign to start with?  Deer poo/prints?


Hi Rusky,
Finding a few small deer prints but no poo yet.
When I see sign I take no more than 5 steps then stop, look and listen before stepping again.
I think it probably going to end up being a patience thing.

----------


## veitnamcam

> Hi Rusky,
> Finding a few small deer prints but no poo yet.
> When I see sign I take no more than 5 steps then stop, look and listen before stepping again.
> I think it probably going to end up being a patience thing.


Find a feed area, you will know when you find it because there will be lots of old and new Shit and prints.
Go slow when you find fresh sign.
prints in sun that haven't dried out, in a wet spot that haven't filled with water, glossy green Shit still warm, steaming patch of piss,etc.
In damp ground a print can appear fresh for days. have a close look if there is one strand of spider web its old... any leafs in it(unless its in leaf litter of course!) its old.

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

----------


## Gibo

Also learn the difference between goat an deer shit. Can catch ya out if you let it

----------


## veitnamcam

Hey just got on pc and read threw this thread again, those open bits you talked about with stale brown grass will be starting to grow now, at first glance it will all look dead but with a closer look you will probably see tiny new growth, deer go nuty for new growth in spring.
Check them out and have a good look around for sign, if it looks like they have been feeding recently worth a stake out at first and last.
If it is definitely not growing yet I would be looking for broad leaf in the bush, seems to be one of the first things to start growing in the bush.

----------

