# Hunting > Hunting >  18 months of hunting

## Frodo

Hi everyone.

This idea has been brewing within my mind for a while now, and it's time to make stuff happen. 

For the next 18 months, I'll be living out of my car and hunting all across the Southern Alps, solo. I'll hunt for 5 days per week, and work for two (to afford petrol and food,and to manage my online presence).

I'll be documenting everything weekly via video, photos,  and written articles (informed by diary entries from the field) on my blog. Hopefully I can begin submitting stories to some magazines, but that'll come at a later date.

The motivation behind this is that I don't quite know what I want to do in life, but I do know that hunting is a huge passion of mine, and so is writing,  and I'd like to get as good at both as I possibly can. Hopefully I can inspire a few people along the way as well. 


I'm willing to go all out and completely immerse myself in it. Rain, snow or shine. 

I'll be uploading stuff re: planning my trips, and I'll of course begin putting up hunting material once I begin my adventure in mid march.

Please follow me via website:THE SOLO HOBBIT - Home

My facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solohobbit/

I'll also update this thread as things progress.  :Have A Nice Day:  


Your support is much appreciated!

Regards, 
Arash

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## Sarvo

Should Clone this young man !!!
Hope you get time to spread a bit of seed around the urban areas too  :Thumbsup: 
Good luck dude - and "lets be careful out there"

Sarvo

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## Ryan_Songhurst

Awesome mate I look forward to this kicking off!

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## 223nut

Well that's going to make a few folks jealous.... Good on ya!!

If u decide to jump the ditch I came find a few evening to try get u onto a whiteail

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## Blisters

Is there a way we can help a little financially? Paetron for videos kind of thing?

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## Sarvo

I was just thinking, when he wears out his 1st pair of boots - I would like to "donate" a pair of Meindl or Lowa - if Frodo will accept

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## PillowDribbler

Jealous as phuck.Go hard.

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## akaroa1

Nice challenge you have set yourself.

What sort of work are you looking to do as you travel around ?

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## Ryan_Songhurst

> Nice challenge you have set yourself.
> 
> What sort of work are you looking to do as you travel around ?


Yea @Frodo hit me up mate I can hook you up a few days work no worries

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## Sideshow

I recon he might need a few roofs to dry out under, I'm sure you boys down there can probably accommodate :Thumbsup: 
Good luck to you and remember @Frodo they come in pints!

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## Pengy

Another bloody freedom camper  :Psmiley: 
 @Frodo. If you find yourself straying around the top of the south, I can let you dry out and replenish for a while at mine.

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## ROKTOY

Good on you. 
I hope you enjoy the adventure, 18 months will feel like an eternity.
I am happy to offer you my assistance if I can.

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## stug

Great stuff, I am very envious. Your website look great.

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## Frodo

Thanks so much for the kind words guys! It will really help motivate me when the going gets tough. B) 

Offers of free gear and donations: I wasn't expecting anything like that haha, and I'm stoked. In saying that, I'll try my best to get by on as little as possible and see how things work out. Perhaps, in the future,  if this project really takes off, I'll consider donations - but for now I'm working as much as I can to save up a bit of $$ prior to the commencement of it all. 

I suppose part of the challenge will be to embrace the dirt bag lifestyle and suffer a little....it'll make my stories a little more entertaining.   :Thumbsup: 

As far as work goes: currently I'm working on a farm in southland. Perhaps I can sort something out with them, but the plan is to devide the South Island in 3 sections, whereby i'll base myself in invercargill, Christchurch, and perhaps Nelson. It'll allow me to be close to the general region I'll be hunting, and not have to travel 100s of km to get to a spot, and then travel all the way back during nightfall to get to work at the end of my 5 days (while hungry, tired etc). 

So I'll look for some part time work (maybe general farm labour, fast food, or at a supermarket etc) in invercargill, Christchurch and Nelson. 

I'll begin my journey in Fiordland, and spend 6 months hunting there. I've already sorted out a place in Invercargill to wash hunting gear and take a warm shower etc. 



Cheers, 
Arash

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## akaroa1

I would add a fourth region.
Westland .... a life's time of hunting there alone.

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## Frodo

> I would add a fourth region.
> Westland .... a life's time of hunting there alone.


Yeah of course!  I'm thinking about how to split the middle section into two - maybe three months east of divide, and three on west.

I've hunted up the Copeland for chamois (unsuccessfully) - with one big fella sighted. So there's some unfinished business over on the West.  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Pengy

Website looks great, and your writing style is a winner in my view. Good luck Frodo, this has the makings of something big  :Thumbsup:

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## Smiddy

You the man bro, this has been attempted before and the end goal not achieved,  but I feel you seem abit more determined.
Go west boy, the valleys are spectacular and no better place to test yourself against the elements


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Smiddy

I hope you get far off the beaten track in your journeys, try stay away from huts and where most hunters go, get into those untouched areas where the true beauty and magic lies, it is in those places you will find the drive to keep going 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## R93

> I would add a fourth region.
> Westland .... a life's time of hunting there alone.


It's closed to huntting and fishing indefinitely. Sort of like the scollops up the top of the south.



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

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## Frodo

> I hope you get far off the beaten track in your journeys, try stay away from huts and where most hunters go, get into those untouched areas where the true beauty and magic lies, it is in those places you will find the drive to keep going 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks mate. Yes, I'll only be fly camping, and I'll be targeting the most remote spots I can safely get to on foot.

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## jakewire

Are you taking my rifle with you Frodo, I hope not.
For a mission like this I would happily loan you a Finnlight .

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## Frodo

Hahaa, the Mauser 98  - yep. It's lived all its like in a safe...time to get it used. Can't think of a more reliable action to use, especially in the thick of winter. Will keep metal work properly waxed.

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## jakewire

Ok  and why not ,Hunting is  what it was made for, damn good adventure coming up I shall follow your website, don't understand faceplant.

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## Frodo

> Ok  and why not ,Hunting is  what it was made for, damn good adventure coming up I shall follow your website, don't understand faceplant.


Damn straight.  :Have A Nice Day:  Cheers man. Yeah I'd like as many different options available to people, as I realize Facebook isn't up everyone's alley.

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## veitnamcam

> Great stuff, I am very envious. Your website look great.


^^^^ what he said.

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## GWH

Absolutely awesome mate! I see this as the best kind of 'gap year'.

I guarantee you will well and truly find yourself and likely get very clear on what's important to you and what path you want to end up taking.

I too as others have said can see this turning into something big and it certainly could have a huge impact on your life moving forward.

We live in a crazy error where all the old rules no longer apply.  A time where anyone can easily publish their own content through such platforms as youtube etc.

A time where lawyers turned vloggers can make more money doing their own niche video blogs on youtube than they made being a lawyer.

There are all sorts of opportunities that could well stem from this.

Such an awesome thing to do at your stage in life, before life gets in the way.

Will follow with eger interest mate. 

Enjoy!

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## akaroa1

> Yeah of course!  I'm thinking about how to split the middle section into two - maybe three months east of divide, and three on west.
> 
> I've hunted up the Copeland for chamois (unsuccessfully) - with one big fella sighted. So there's some unfinished business over on the West.


I'm fairly sure I could get you a casual farm job in the Grey Valley on a mates farm.
Very big place and a serious operation. Always something needing to be done there.
On the West Coast its always good to have a base to go back to and dry / sort out before the next mission.

But sadly according to @R93  ""It's closed to huntting and fishing indefinitely"".
Thats a bit of a shame as I was planning on going over there soon !

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## R93

Just to be more specific, it is closed from the Taramakau to the Kaipo.



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## Sideshow

> Just to be more specific, it is closed from the Taramakau to the Kaipo.
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


See this is what happens when you take your daughter hunting  :Have A Nice Day:

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## nak

Good luck bloke...sounds epic. Great time of your life to do something like this.

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## Pointer

I agree with all of the above but especially GWH- who knows where this could lead to. Such an adventure! Good luck and safe travels.

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## ANOTHERHUNTER

Good on you frodo , sounds better than a lot of peoples  O/E's . I had a go at 6 weeks hunting and really enjoyed it . 18 months is going to be amazing .  Once you get that high level of fitness it makes it a lot more enjoyable too. You are definatly starting at the top too . That first winter in fiordland is going to set you up for anything the rest of the country can throw at you.

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## Frodo

> Good on you frodo , sounds better than a lot of peoples  O/E's . I had a go at 6 weeks hunting and really enjoyed it . 18 months is going to be amazing .  Once you get that high level of fitness it makes it a lot more enjoyable too. You are definatly starting at the top too . That first winter in fiordland is going to set you up for anything the rest of the country can throw at you.


Thanks for the support mate. Means a lot.  :Have A Nice Day:  6 weeks! That's still a good stretch. Feel free to flick me a PM about it if you've got some cool stories to share. 

Yeah - no need for an expensive gym membership! Haha. 

Fiordland winters - gave it a shot last year, and it was the most challenging thing I'd ever done. Will be more prepared this time around for sure.

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## Mathias

Good on you Frodo. Give it heaps and enjoy the open spaces we have on offer. Most of us only dream about such adventures and never actually pull finger and do it, stick to you goal.

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## chalkeye

How much shooting are you going to do? What will you do with all the meat?

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## Frodo

> How much shooting are you going to do? What will you do with all the meat?


One or two animals (max) per trip is the goal. Some of the meat I'll keep for myself, and the rest I can give away as dog tucker.

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## Ryan_Songhurst

> One or two animals (max) per trip is the goal. Some of the meat I'll keep for myself, and the rest I can give away as dog tucker.


Don't shoot animals purely to give away as dog Tucker, I reckon you are better off using the camera more than the rifle and just taking anything that's special or if you really need some meat.

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## Frodo

> Don't shoot animals purely to give away as dog Tucker, I reckon you are better off using the camera more than the rifle and just taking anything that's special or if you really need some meat.


Yep, agree. I've sent you a PM Ryan. 

Cheers.

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## Frodo

.

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## outdoorlad

> Don't shoot animals purely to give away as dog Tucker, I reckon you are better off using the camera more than the rifle and just taking anything that's special or if you really need some meat.


I agree, i know you haven't shot many animals & it's tempting to get stuck into knocking plenty over but you don't want to diminish the experience or measure it by how many "kills" you get. If you are going to spend 18months hunting then you should set a few animal goals, like only chammy over say 9" with a goal of getting a 10" one, once you have shot a couple of 10pt stags only look for 12+ etc 

You learn a lot from watching & letting animals go. All the best

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## Mooseman

This sounds like a epic adventure, be safe and enjoy the great outdoors we have on our doorstep. Will be watching out for your posts etc in the future.

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## 300_BLK

Such a cool idea!

let me know if I can help!

What calibre is the Mauser? 8x57?

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## Nugget connaisseur

Have you thought about being more flexible on work? also look at having a week or 2 blocks of work at a time. 
Then also just have a couple of days to relax at a time if you can find somewhere to stay off the hills and not need to work.

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## Frodo

> Have you thought about being more flexible on work? also look at having a week or 2 blocks of work at a time. 
> Then also just have a couple of days to relax at a time if you can find somewhere to stay off the hills and not need to work.


I'd like to make it as challenging as possible, so I'm sticking to two days. I'll find a way to make it work... I hope.  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Frodo

> Such a cool idea!
> 
> let me know if I can help!
> 
> What calibre is the Mauser? 8x57?


Mauser is a 270 Win

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## Flyblown

> I agree, i know you haven't shot many animals & it's tempting to get stuck into knocking plenty over but you don't want to diminish the experience or measure it by how many "kills" you get. If you are going to spend 18months hunting then you should set a few animal goals, like only chammy over say 9" with a goal of getting a 10" one, once you have shot a couple of 10pt stags only look for 12+ etc 
> 
> You learn a lot from watching & letting animals go. All the best


^^^^ This

The advice above about selecting your kills very carefully is very very important.  Its all too easy to create the wrong impression in other hunters minds as lots of guys have very different ideas about how many animals is too many. Probably the best advice youll hear other than make sure your EPIRB is properly registered.

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## jakewire

> Mauser is a 270 Win


See. I know it is a 270, but somehow, just weirdly, I still like it.

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## Sarvo

> I agree, i know you haven't shot many animals & it's tempting to get stuck into knocking plenty over but you don't want to diminish the experience or measure it by how many "kills" you get. If you are going to spend 18months hunting then you should set a few animal goals, like only chammy over say 9" with a goal of getting a 10" one, once you have shot a couple of 10pt stags only look for 12+ etc 
> 
> You learn a lot from watching & letting animals go. All the best


I do not think the lad is going on a venture of "kill & destroy"
From what I have witnessed from his prior posts/threads etc - he will be a conservationist connoisseur.
This trip is not about “knocknim-over” but about been out there with them !!

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## jakewire

> I do not think the lad is going on a venture of "kill & destroy"
> From what I have witnessed from his prior posts/threads etc - he will be a conservationist connoisseur.
> This trip is not about “knocknim-over” but about been out there with them !!


Just what I was thinking , thinking about a polite way to say it, Sarvo did.

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## Flyblown

Have you got a gear list yet?

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## keneff

[QUOTE=Frodo;677404]Thanks so much for the kind words guys! It will really help motivate me when the going gets tough. B) 

Offers of free gear and donations: I wasn't expecting anything like that haha, and I'm stoked. In saying that, I'll try my best to get by on as little as possible and see how things work out. Perhaps, in the future,  if this project really takes off, I'll consider donations - but for now I'm working as much as I can to save up a bit of $$ prior to the commencement of it all. 

I suppose part of the challenge will be to embrace the dirt bag lifestyle and suffer a little....it'll make my stories a little more entertaining.   :Thumbsup: 

As far as work goes: currently I'm working on a farm in southland. Perhaps I can sort something out with them, but the plan is to devide the South Island in 3 sections, whereby i'll base myself in invercargill, Christchurch, and perhaps Nelson. It'll allow me to be close to the general region I'll be hunting, and not have to travel 100s of km to get to a spot, and then travel all the way back during nightfall to get to work at the end of my 5 days (while hungry, tired etc). 

So I'll look for some part time work (maybe general farm labour, fast food, or at a supermarket etc) in invercargill, Christchurch and Nelson. 

I'll begin my journey in Fiordland, and spend 6 months hunting there. I've already sorted out a place in Invercargill to wash hunting gear and take a warm shower etc. 

 Good effort, and I'd love to do it with you, but nothng exceptional here;you guys need to do your own plannng and financing here. That's all good, but bludging isn't. Do it right and folks will invite you. Hell, you can stay here a few days if liike ,and it's convenient.

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## Frodo

I've always been very fond of wildlife - that's how I got into hunting...it's an intersection of sorts between my interests in nature and my interests in firearms/shooting. Most of the joy comes from seeking the animals out. Then again, I love meat, and I'm drawn to the symmetry/elegance of a nice set of antlers! B)

I don't have anything against people hunting on private land, but the prime reason for me avoiding it in favor of public land, is that a large part of the enjoyment I get from hunting is the country I get to explore and momentarily be a part of. I think most of the satisfaction from killing a wild animal comes from knowing that I overcame a series of challenges to get to it in its' natural environment. And there's quite a deeply rooted, primordial feeling when you carry that meat off the hill...as I'm sure many of you can attest to!

My dog tucker comment was a censored version of saying something which may or may not be favorable in some peoples eyes (from a legal perspective). This is a public forum after all. 
All I can say is that, any meat I do carry off the hill will be used in its' entirety and very much enjoyed.  :Have A Nice Day: 

At the end of the day, I'm still a budding hunter. I've only got a few animals under my belt. This project is about educating myself about the game animals which frequent the South Island; about educating myself about 'myself' - what my level of tolerance is (how will I feel about mowing people's lawns for petrol money 10 months down the track?!) - and inspiring other people (especially younger people) who may be interested in travelling paths less traveled, and/or persevering with things which may humiliate them at times, but end up being rewarding in the long-run. I'll be writing about the entire experience. Not just posing with dead corpses and talking about the adrenaline that rushed through my veins as I pulled the trigger and watched the life evaporate from a deer's glassy eyes...

Right now, while I'm sitting in a well heated dining room, with clean clothes, a full stomach etc...it all feels easy. It definitely won't be when I'm out there, but that's the challenge. I want to discover how much I really love what I think I love. Would I do anything for it? What would I be prepared to sacrifice? And so on and so forth. 

Some people would call it life experience. But I'd like to treat it as an adventure and document it all. 

Cheers,
Arash

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## Tahr

You have got a good head on your shoulders.

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## Frodo

[QUOTE=keneff;679301]


> Thanks so much for the kind words guys! It will really help motivate me when the going gets tough. B) 
> 
> Offers of free gear and donations: I wasn't expecting anything like that haha, and I'm stoked. In saying that, I'll try my best to get by on as little as possible and see how things work out. Perhaps, in the future,  if this project really takes off, I'll consider donations - but for now I'm working as much as I can to save up a bit of $$ prior to the commencement of it all. 
> 
> I suppose part of the challenge will be to embrace the dirt bag lifestyle and suffer a little....it'll make my stories a little more entertaining.  
> 
> As far as work goes: currently I'm working on a farm in southland. Perhaps I can sort something out with them, but the plan is to devide the South Island in 3 sections, whereby i'll base myself in invercargill, Christchurch, and perhaps Nelson. It'll allow me to be close to the general region I'll be hunting, and not have to travel 100s of km to get to a spot, and then travel all the way back during nightfall to get to work at the end of my 5 days (while hungry, tired etc). 
> 
> So I'll look for some part time work (maybe general farm labour, fast food, or at a supermarket etc) in invercargill, Christchurch and Nelson. 
> ...


I'm not planning on taking up offers of free gear or living in people's homes. That's contradicts the entire thing. As much as I appreciate the generosity...

Any financing will be achieved through my own efforts. The few people whose' offers of an emergency place to wash gear etc have been accepted, are good friends who I've always supported. That's not bludging.

I will be scraping by at times, yes. But I'll be getting back on my two feet through hard work.

And thanks for the kind words.  :Have A Nice Day:

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## nickbop

Looking forward to following this, a hunter with morals on an adventure and can write too, good luck

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## ROKTOY

Must be time for an update  @Frodo, how are plans going?

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## Frodo

> Must be time for an update  @Frodo, how are plans going?


Hi ROKTOY,

Plans are going well, thanks. Cheers for your interest.

I'm putting together some topo maps at the moment and getting the last of the gear sorted out. 

The blog has been dormant over the past few weeks, but I'll update it soon! 1 1/2 weeks to go.

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## Pengy

> Hi ROKTOY,
> 
> Plans are going well, thanks. Cheers for your interest.
> 
> I'm putting together some topo maps at the moment and getting the last of the gear sorted out. 
> 
> The blog has been dormant over the past few weeks, but I'll update it soon! 1 1/2 weeks to go.


Maybe you should look for a sponsor ?? 
I am sure the big players would get behind you

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## Frodo

THE GAME PLAN - The Mountain Gnomad

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## Sideshow

Nice @Frodo hope the winter is a kind one for you :Thumbsup:

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## Frodo

Hey guys. 

For those of you who do not have access to facebook, here's a quick update on the first few weeks of my adventure panned out. It did not quite go the way I planned (haha). I don't regret it, however. Met some great people and I became more familiar with the Southland area, which will no doubt put me in good stead for the rest of my journey.

I'm now hankering to actually do some stalking.


From facebook: 

What I've been up to...

I left for the Princess Mountains (south Fiordland) in mid April, with intentions of doing a 21 day solo hunt in the alpine. 

I spent a day walking in to Teal Bay Hut, where I was planning to base myself for a night, before continuing on my journey.

The weather turned to custard by the time I got there (snow and heavy rain on tops and wet as all hell in the bush). By complete surprise, the hut I walked into had 15 odd hunters bunkered there that night (all had jet boated in) and they had a massive cook up/piss up. They were all from around Southland and had met at the same hut for the roar for the past 45 years. It was all about the socialising for them, and it's a tradition they've never broken. 

Some of them had cool nicknames - like 'Captain Awesome', 'Shaggy', 'Jock', 'Big Friz', and 'Little Friz' (who was actually bigger than Big Friz).

Anyway - as soon as they met me and heard that I'd walked in, they were literally chucking food and drink at me. I ate like a king that night and guzzled 6 or 7 beers. Their generosity was out of this world. 

I never in a million years thought I'd come across a bunch of 65 year olds dancing to the Flintstones theme song, while chugging gin out of a tea pot - and karate chopping/headbutting a roast chicken (all of this taking place in the middle of the Fiordland bush!)...but I'll be darned. 

I was nearly vomited on by an old fellow that night who insisted I was safe sleeping on the mattress beside him, only for him to hammer that very same mattress 10 minutes later - by which point I had luckily migrated to the floor! Who said you needed mountains to go on an adventure?!

The day before they were all due to leave (and kindly drop me off on the other side of the lake by boat) a helicopter landed by the hut by complete chance.  The pilot (who personally knew some of the hunters at the hut) was a professional hunter/helicopter deer recovery guy from Australia. 

One of guys introduced me to him and told him how I was gonna live on the road and hunt for a few years. The pilot said he could do with a hand with his wild venison operation. I was keen on seeing what helicopter shooting was all about and agreed on giving him a hand.

So about an hour later, I threw my pack and rifle into his chopper, and we flew out to a station near Lake Monowai where this guy resides with his partner and couple of dogs. 

The station ran sheep and cattle, but also had a safari park on it with some amazing stags (wish I'd taken pics). The station also backed onto some prime public land where I managed to roar in a stag one evening (only to be winded), and stumble onto a younger stag approx 10m away, who got spooked and bolted off.

During the next couple of weeks, I helped the helicopter pilot with loading deer into his chiller truck, and tried my hand at gutting deer (which proved to be a much harder than I expected - as venison intended for commercial sale has to be presented to the freezing works in a very particular way). 

Realizing that I had to continue with my journey, and that WARO (wild animal recovery) work wasn't for me, I left it behind, taking with me some amazing memories of flying around Fiordland in the helicopter and watching lego sized trees whiz past below. 

Helicopter shooting is a very technical and risky endeavor, and I take my hat off to the few genuine operators in the Fiordland area who do it with passion and integrity. It's a very controversial topic in NZ - whether WARO is conducive to good population management or not, but that's a discussion for another day. 

I'm now currently on a dairy farm south of Tuatapere, where I'll stay for another two weeks to save up a bit of $$ to get me going again. 

I'm humbled by the generous souls who have provided me with temporary accomodation along the way and shown me a bit of what they do and the lifestyles they lead. It's been a great ride thus far, and I've now got my sights on knuckling down and getting some animals on the deck.

Cheers,
The Gnomad


(And a poem I wrote about that fateful night...)

"Beer camp"

Deep within the Fiordland bush
A place some hunters found
Where productivity increases in Speights
And wives do not abound!

Every roar, for forty years 
These men have returned with enthusiasm
"Someplace to practice our cooking and cleaning
Without the risk of criticism!"

They are indeed an exotic breed
Self-improvement fuels their motivation
For once dishes are stacked and stomachs are in-tact
They begin working on their 'hydration'!

The nights are long and full of song;
beer bottles glistening in the moonlight
Scraggly beards and dance moves, weird 
Make for an experience they regard as 'alright'.

But when their trip is finally over
And they're packing up their gear
The realization finally hits them;
"...shit, we forgot to shoot a deer!"

Sorry for the lack of regular updates...trying to save phone data! :/ 

Hope lots of you have been having a successful roar period.


Cheers,
Arash

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## jakewire

Great to hear from you Frodo,what a wonderful start to your adventure.

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## 223nut

> Great to hear from you Frodo,what a wonderful start to your adventure.


+1 and good on you for trying your hand at waro, many hunters would have has other words with the pilot....

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## Sideshow

@Frodo sounds like your having a ball......keep it rolling! :Thumbsup: 

ps nice write up! Keep them coming for those of us that don't do feckbook :Wink:

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## Frodo

Cheers guys. Yes, i'll be sure to post updates on the forum. 

Yes WARO was quite exciting actually (I'll get shot for saying that)...but man - what an office. It's truly one of the last 'wild' ventures taking place in NZ. I don't think I heard the words 'health' and 'safety' muttered once!

To be honest, as a hunter, there were moments where I just got sick of seeing so many dead deer. And there were a few decent stags shot which I would have been happy taking myself. But the reality was - most of the deer on public land were shot in some very treacherous alpine areas (few people would climb up there) - and the bulk were actually shot on private property. 

Apparently there's quite a bit of competition between WARO's, and sometimes jealousy can crawl it's way into the picture, resulting in rumors being spread online; helicopters being tampered with etc. 

It amazed me how much of a problem deer really are in rural areas. Driving down rural highways, past blocks of bush gracing the hillsides - you'd be none the wiser. But we targeted one property in Southland, where approx 40 deer were shot in the space of 4.5-5 hours. And that was just in one small area of the property. Southland is CRAWLING with deer. It's amazing.

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## SGR

Just took the time to go back through this thread sounds like a bloody awesome adventure mate ! Look forward to hearing more

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## veitnamcam

> Cheers guys. Yes, i'll be sure to post updates on the forum. 
> 
> Yes WARO was quite exciting actually (I'll get shot for saying that)...but man - what an office. It's truly one of the last 'wild' ventures taking place in NZ. I don't think I heard the words 'health' and 'safety' muttered once!
> 
> To be honest, as a hunter, there were moments where I just got sick of seeing so many dead deer. And there were a few decent stags shot which I would have been happy taking myself. But the reality was - most of the deer on public land were shot in some very treacherous alpine areas (few people would climb up there) - and the bulk were actually shot on private property. 
> 
> Apparently there's quite a bit of competition between WARO's, and sometimes jealousy can crawl it's way into the picture, resulting in rumors being spread online; helicopters being tampered with etc. 
> 
> It amazed me how much of a problem deer really are in rural areas. Driving down rural highways, past blocks of bush gracing the hillsides - you'd be none the wiser. But we targeted one property in Southland, where approx 40 deer were shot in the space of 4.5-5 hours. And that was just in one small area of the property. Southland is CRAWLING with deer. It's amazing.


Great experience to be involved in and fast track your hunting, you will now have a good eye for "deery" areas.

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## ROKTOY

> Great experience to be involved in and fast track your hunting, you will now have a good eye for "deery" areas.


I like looking at "deery" areas but my wife keeps reminding me I'm married... I guess she thinks I am making an ass of myself

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## trooper90

Great start unforgettable experiences

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## northdude

Wow cool adventure your having and thanks for not just restricting it to those on fb some of us still use old school methods of communicating and this place is all some of us need

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## Frodo

Hey everyone. Have had some internet troubles (I've been writing all my articles on my phone) - but I'm now hanging out in the Invercargill library - putting up a big chunk of material for you guys to have a read of on a rainy day.
Links/posts will follow.

http://www.themountaingnomad.com/blo...en-of-teal-bay

Please subscribe to my blog and share it around with your mates. I'll always do my best to put up quality hunting/adventure content.

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## Frodo

Update (1-6-2018)
My three weeks on a dairy farm in Blue-cliffs (South of Tuatapere), is finally over.

I worked underneath a Jock Saunders - one of the most passionate and knowledgeable young farmers I've ever bumped into. He was firm but fair - and always eager to explain the rationale behind every minuscule aspect of managing livestock and running a milking shed.

The farm was situated near the coast, and on a clear day you could see Stewart Island floating in the distance from the back paddocks. I always thought this was rather neat, as if your eyes were to ever tire of the green grass, they rarely had to wander far - for the calm, blue of the ocean was a always a mere upwards glance away.

But the most memorable aspect of my stay in Blue Cliffs would have had to be my encounter with 'Paul', the local hermit and home-brewing maestro.

After my farming co-worker, John, introduced me to him, Paul would travel the entire 5 kilometers from his modest residence in the bush, to mine, on an almost daily basis (sometimes walking the entire distance with a bottle of home-brew clutched in his hand!), only to knock on my door and explain how he had yet another small job which required doing over at his.

I spent countless afternoons helping him whack in fence posts and pull potatoes out of his vegetable patch.

One night he suggested I stay for tea, and it quickly escalated to an impromptu movie night. We watched classic flicks, such as Crocodile Dundee and Dennis The Menace - all on VHS, and on a clunky old television powered by a 6500 watt generator. Mashed spuds and beer took the place of pizza and lemonade.

Then he suggested we watch Broke-Back Mountain, and I quickly realized I had important, unfinished duties I had to attend to back home...
(Story to follow)

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## Frodo

One Spud. Two Spud. Three Spud. Run!! - The Mountain Gnomad

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## Sarvo

> One Spud. Two Spud. Three Spud. Run!! - The Mountain Gnomad


I can smell/taste a VERY good book a coming !!

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## Frodo

There  she  was.  Twenty meters  below  me,  in  a  rocky  dip  behind  the  boulder,  watching  me  intently.  Her  head  slightly  cocked  to one side,  like  she hadn't  quite  made  out  what  I  was, yet. 

In  an  act  of  urgency  -  feeling  like it was  a  make  or  break  moment,  I  pulled  my  rifle  to  my  shoulder  and  lined  the  cross-hairs  on  her neck.  I  squeezed  off  the  shot  and  watched  a  puff  of  fur  burst  into  the  air,  as  she  crumpled  into  a  heap.  

It  was  a  triumphant  moment  -  embellished  by  the  knowledge  that  the  amendments I'd  made to my approach  (informed  by  hindsight),  had  prevailed. However,  it  was  also  a  moment  tinged  with  regret.  There  was  just  something  special  about  seeing  a  wild  deer  so  close  to  me.  Just  it  and  myself - on  a  mountain  top.  Two  independent  living  beings  whose  odds  of  meeting  at  the  same  time;  at  the  same  location;  could  only  have  been  astronomical.  

How  often  do  you  get  an  opportunity  like  that?  Where  a  truly  wild  animal  lingers;  its  gaze  locking  with  yours;  with  virgin  eyes  -  pure of any previous  human  encounters?  

I  guess  it's  something  a  lot  of  hunters  avoid  talking  about  or  expressing.  Perhaps  dwelling  on  an  activity  which  is  very  much  wedged  in  that  grey  area  between  primeval  instinct/necessity  and  a  fascination  with  nature,  just  unnecessarily  complicates  things.  And  I,  for  one,  with  only  a  few  deer  to  my  name,  was  content  to  kill  the  hind  for  her  meat,  and  the  sense  of  achievement  it  would  bring  me.  But  a  part  of  me  wished  I'd  put  the  rifle  down  and  watched  her  instead.  It  would  have  made  for  a  worthwhile  memory.  Perhaps  even  in  the  deer's  own  mind  -    

-  if  only  fleetingly.


(Story to come)

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## Frodo

Deer story: A deer and some lessons... - The Mountain Gnomad

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## stug

Good stuff, I like your writing style.

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## Frodo

Thanks, Stug! I don't think I've written this much since leaving highschool, haha - so I hope I'll improve with time.

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## trooper90

Always a bitter sweet moment to take an animal I seem to spend more time just watching these days:-)

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## jakewire

It's pretty good Frodo, i enjoy it to.

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## Friwi

Hi frodo, nice stories. What rifle are you using? It looks like a nice classic.

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## Russian 22.

> Hi frodo, nice stories. What rifle are you using? It looks like a nice classic.


Custom 270. On a Mauser action I  think. He had a thread or post about it somewhere.

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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## Sarvo

> Custom 270. On a Mauser action I  think. He had a thread or post about it somewhere.
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Yes correct

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## Mooseman

Nice write up, enjoyed that. Good to see you are surviving the elements. Your 270 is made on the same action as my 338 Win Mag, good solid action.

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## 300_BLK

> Yes correct
> 
> 
> Attachment 88962
> 
> Attachment 88963


That wood tho....

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## Frodo

Yep, nothing beats a Mauser. Reliable; immune to obsolescence; elegant; no frills. Something which has been around for over 100 years needs no marketing campaign.

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## Puffin

Mmmmn...Modelo1909, hinged floorplate in blued steel...very nice  
not sure about the calibre though,  I can't imagine the Argies would be happy with that. I can picture that sun on their flag with a bit of a frown over that.

Nice story by the way. Actually I've enjoyed them all.

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## Frodo

> Mmmmn...Modelo1909, hinged floorplate in blued steel...very nice  
> not sure about the calibre though,  I can't imagine the Argies would be happy with that. I can picture that sun on their flag with a bit of a frown over that.
> 
> Nice story by the way. Actually I've enjoyed them all.


Thanks man.  :Have A Nice Day: 

Hahaha - the sun crest has been removed from the action. Does that make the calibre okay?

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## Sarvo

> Mmmmn...Modelo1909, hinged floorplate in blued steel...very nice  
> not sure about the calibre though,  I can't imagine the Argies would be happy with that. I can picture that sun on their flag with a bit of a frown over that.
> 
> Nice story by the way. Actually I've enjoyed them all.


I had never struck negativity towards the 270 until on here
Can anyone explain why the 270 is not in flavour anymore - it sure was in the 80's - never saw a Deer lost with one (apart from the clean misses  :Angry: 
All we used for lighting

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## Frodo

Lol.     @ryansonghurst 

I think Puffin was being slightly tongue in cheek.

They're maybe not the most efficient cartridge - but in 90% of hunting situations it's just shot placement and a matter of using the right projectile, isn't it?

I've had negative results (twice) using 130gr Nosler Ballistic tips on body shots at deer in close range situations. Whereas soft nose projectiles have been great. Or just going for neck shots instead of lung shots.

As for recoil (some say the .270 is harsh)...in my limited experience, that's got more to do with the design of the rifle, not the calibre. 

The Mauser has very, very mild felt recoil due to the well crafted stock, weight and overall balance. On the other hand, I used to own a synthetic stocked 7mm08 which kicked more than it should have. A limbsaver pad helped tone it down some, though.

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## sako75

Fantastic travel stories Frodo

As you say it is not the calibre but placement that puts them on the ground

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## Smiddy

> I had never struck negativity towards the 270 until on here
> Can anyone explain why the 270 is not in flavour anymore - it sure was in the 80's - never saw a Deer lost with one (apart from the clean misses 
> All we used for lighting


It's just gay and that's about it 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Sarvo

> It's just gay and that's about it 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I know you not small @Smiddy - but I don't think you would want to say that to me old mate Sid Snot who had the Sako Finnbear 270  :Fighting: 
We used to say "even when Sid hits the bloody Deer in the leg it drops dead" 
I used his rifle a few times - only thing I disliked was its weight - only negative Re the caliber is the long action - IMHO

You guys just too "modern" I thought Gay was "modern" these days 
If the cap fits (no pun intended)    :Mouse:

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## R93

> I had never struck negativity towards the 270 until on here
> Can anyone explain why the 270 is not in flavour anymore - it sure was in the 80's - never saw a Deer lost with one (apart from the clean misses 
> All we used for lighting


I just like giving them shit as they're so pedestrian.

I meat shot with a mate who ran one and we were always having to look for deer.... They were dead on their feet but always got away a bit when body shot.
Was a pain in the ass looking for them. 

Had another mate who ran one for a while in Haast and changed because of the same reasons. They performed poorly over a large sample. Not just a handful of animals a year. 
However in saying that, it was imo more due to projectile availability back then.
Heaps better projectiles available now.


Poo 43 is another story. I hate them with a passion as I owned one.

Don't care what projectiles you can get now for them, I just hate them. Cost me a lot of time and money over a few seasons persisting with one. 

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

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## Sarvo

> I just like giving them shit as they're so pedestrian.
> 
> I meat shot with a mate who ran one and we were always having to look for deer.... They were dead on their feet but always got away a bit when body shot.
> Was a pain in the ass looking for them. 
> 
> Had another mate who ran one for a while in Haast and changed because of the same reasons. They performed poorly over a large sample. Not just a handful of animals a year. 
> However in saying that, it was imo more due to projectile availability back then.
> Heaps better projectiles available now.
> 
> ...


243  :-(((
I had an awful run with that caliber too
But - the rifle I used was on its 3rd barrel and had shot over 1500 Reds in Ruahine Ranges
My mate who owned it and lent to me was a master with it - he reckoned I was shooting slightly back on chest shots heence the prob I had loosing - he sure didn't

We used 130gr Silver Tips in the 270 (think Winchester)
Maybe its also to do with Deer size - Pureora Deer aren't overly big (stags dressed out at 75 -110kg - Hinds 45-60kg)

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## R93

> 243  :-(((
> I had an awful run with that caliber too
> But - the rifle I used was on its 3rd barrel and had shot over 1500 Reds in Ruahine Ranges
> My mate who owned it and lent to me was a master with it - he reckoned I was shooting slightly back on chest shots heence the prob I had loosing - he sure didn't
> 
> We used 130gr Silver Tips in the 270 (think Winchester)
> Maybe its also to do with Deer size - Pureora Deer aren't overly big (stags dressed out at 75 -110kg - Hinds 45-60kg)


I can count on my hands how many deer I body shot when meat shooting.
No point as top money was clean shot and it still wasn't that good apart from the odd hike in prices. 

Just hate them. Nothing will ever change that. 

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

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## Sarvo

> I can count on my hands how many deer I body shot when meat shooting.
> No point as top money was clean shot and it still wasn't that good apart from the odd hike in prices. 
> 
> Just hate them. Nothing will ever change that. 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


Apart from the fact I am no target shooter and mostly need to go for "largest" part - bush shooting seldom got a clear head/neck shot
Nearly always see an ear - but 9 times out 10 had to settle for shoulder as they mostly always knew you were there and they were spring loaded about to vanish.

I never did the shooting when lighting - just not good enough

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## Ryan_Songhurst

> I just like giving them shit as they're so pedestrian.
> 
> I meat shot with a mate who ran one and we were always having to look for deer.... They were dead on their feet but always got away a bit when body shot.
> Was a pain in the ass looking for them. 
> 
> Had another mate who ran one for a while in Haast and changed because of the same reasons. They performed poorly over a large sample. Not just a handful of animals a year. 
> However in saying that, it was imo more due to projectile availability back then.
> Heaps better projectiles available now.
> 
> ...


Your mate must have been a shit shot or using a shitty projectile that would have the same result in any caliber

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## Frodo

Guess I'll have to replace the .270 with a .243...

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## R93

> Your mate must have been a shit shot or using a shitty projectile that would have the same result in any caliber


LOL both mates I mentioned have shot thousands and made a living shooting deer. But yeah maybe they're just shit shots.

Where there is smoke there's fire mate.
243 and 270 hate amongst meat shooters is a thing for a reason. 



Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

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## csmiffy

I'm screwed then. Got a 243 and a project 270 lol

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## Sarvo

> Guess I'll have to replace the .270 with a .243...


Don't you dare !!

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## BRADS

> I just like giving them shit as they're so pedestrian.
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


They might be a lot of things but they ain't pedestrian! 
Factory ammo pushing 130gr pulls over 3k imagine how much the 708 boys would pay for that.
Yeah the pill selection has improved a lot, I've only had a 270 1 or 2 months and last nights stag was deer number 5 and all have been boom flops.
I think Ryan sums it up best " the 270 is a man's gun" 

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

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## Ryan_Songhurst

> LOL both mates I mentioned have shot thousands and made a living shooting deer. But yeah maybe they're just shit shots.
> 
> Where there is smoke there's fire mate.
> 243 and 270 hate amongst meat shooters is a thing for a reason. 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


You mean among the ones you know? The ones that are shit shots?

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## Sarvo

> They might be a lot of things but they ain't pedestrian! 
> Factory ammo pushing 130gr pulls over 3k imagine how much the 708 boys would pay for that.
> Yeah the pill selection has improved a lot, I've only had a 270 1 or 2 months and last nights stag was deer number 5 and all have been boom flops.
> I think Ryan sums it up best " the 270 is a man's gun" 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk


 @BRADS 
ouch  :Thumbsup:

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## R93

This is fun. 

I and others I know don't like a caliber for what ever reason. 
So they're wrong. They're shit shots.
Whaaa whaaa whaaa
It's like dealing with a bunch of butt hurt, vegan SJW's

Caliber racism. Its now a thing 

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## tiroatedson

Youd have to think that a person that shoots for there livelihood would know what works and what doesnt. If the .243 and .270 dont work...it just aint gonna work...


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## csmiffy

Glad my next gun is a 303 then. Poor deer wont know what hit them.
They are that scared of it from the old stories passed down the deer family from generation to generation about its mighty power they will fall over just from the smell of the bullet like frightened rabbits.
If that doesn't work ill get the 416 out.

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## veitnamcam

Come on guys this WAS a good thread.

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## R93

> Come on guys this WAS a good thread.


It's all in fun mate. I am not really serious with my dislikes of those cals. Each to their own.


Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

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## veitnamcam

> It's all in fun mate. I am not really serious with my dislikes of those cals. Each to their own.
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


Yea its all in fun but just try to keep it to the rambling threads like in off topic is all I am saying.
The OP will be updating here His experiences in His thread for 18 months.
Lets try and keep it about his adventure is all I am saying.

Sent from my SM-A320Y using Tapatalk

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## ANOTHERHUNTER

A young bloke choosing a wood stocked mauser in .270 instead of a bloody tikka t3 in 7-08 , I say good on you mate ! some pretty short memorys around here . Dont you guys remember driving round in valiants , escorts and toranas ?

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## Sideshow

> A young bloke choosing a wood stocked mauser in .270 instead of a bloody tikka t3 in 7-08 , I say good on you mate ! some pretty short memorys around here . Dont you guys remember driving round in valiants , escorts and toranas ?


Are no it was a strict diet of Kingswoods and the might muscle car The Mark III Cortina  :Thumbsup:  .303 and then a .270 till I got sick of it that only took three months :XD:

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## Frodo

Hey fellas,

Could I please have a show of hands of who may be willing to offer a few hours of firearm storage, look after any antlers or horns, or be keen on driving a few km's (you'll be paid in advance of course for time/petrol etc) to drop off a container of food in a specified location? 

Locations: Suburban and Rural areas across Southland, Otago, Westcoast, Canterbury, Marlborough - and anywhere in between; South Island only.

Thanks.

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## stug

Possibly, will depend a bit on where and when.

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## Tahr

Your web site and Facebook have disappeared??

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## veitnamcam

Depending on the when and where etc maybe, im in Nelson but could go Nelson lakes wairou valley etc

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## Sarvo

> Your web site and Facebook have disappeared??


He only has access to internet via Liabary at the moment
Has been the case for last few months.

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## Ryan_Songhurst

> He only has access to internet via Liabary at the moment
> Has been the case for last few months.


And when he sits outside New World and steals their free wifi haha

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## Sarvo

> And when he sits outside New World and steals their free wifi haha


Just Library now - his $100 replacement phone don't do the netty thing

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## TianBotha

Yea mate store it at my place for free, Im in Rolleston, Christchurch 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Pengy

> And when he sits outside New World and steals their free wifi haha


It is free anyway, so not stealing anything. 
Our local NW even lets freedom campers stay overnight.....wtf

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## Rees

interesting!

any leeds on whats up with this bloke?

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## Boaraxa

last I heard he was camped up with a gay dood watching reruns of broke back mountain deep in the bush north west of tuatapere ..in a swamp , I no it sounds like something from deliverance because it is iv seen it , spent 6 weeks looking for my dogs down there , they don't call it the national "park" for nothing ...just saying.

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## Chelsea

Hey! Great idea! We have been having a rough time over the last couple of years  and are looking at selling everything and buying a caravan and travelling NZ, we would be working for people to pay our way but also hunting and fishing to feed ourselfs and our young son. We are still in the very early stages and were going to document it all on a Facebook page also. Maybe we could join up at some point if we make it down south!

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## Been Upto

Any word about what happened to this guys story?

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## jakewire

And My Rifle

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## outlander

> And My Rifle


I don't believe the trusting nature of a New Zealander sometimes... :Zomg:

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## Stocky

> Any word about what happened to this guys story?


Don't think it went all to plan in terms of length. He did get upto some cool stuff. Worked with a few waro guys etc. Not sure what happened to the blog and what not. He's still alive and I believe labouring until March when he's going to start again.

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## Been Upto

> Don't think it went all to plan in terms of length. He did get upto some cool stuff. Worked with a few waro guys etc. Not sure what happened to the blog and what not. He's still alive and I believe labouring until March when he's going to start again.


Cheers for the update, really enjoyed his writing so far. Hopefully he swings into it again

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## Ryan_Songhurst

He ran all the way from Christchurch to my place a couple weeks back, wearing jandels,  keep in mind I live near Raes Junction.....

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## Stocky

> He ran all the way from Christchurch to my place a couple weeks back, wearing jandels,  keep in mind I live near Raes Junction.....


Not sure if actual or just Arash related yarns. That would be probably the second biggest hobbit journey I've heard of.

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## Samsamdjt

Wow mate enjoy a dream for many of us married family men!! Look forward to hearing about it

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## Rees

i seen the user name online the other day....

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## muka88

Nothing that i shoot with my 270 went anywhere, cheap factory ammo.

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## jakewire

> i seen the user name online the other day....


Yeah he"s lurking about, I to am keen on the next adventure from our Frodo.

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## Sideshow

Kicking @Frodo wheres or next adventure.... :Wink:

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## Rees

Yo @Frodo

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## akaroa1

> Yo @Frodo


He's hiding from me

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