# Hunting > Hunting >  First Kaimai hunt

## Shaneo

Hey all, heading for my first nosey around in the Kaimai Range tomorrow, just a day hunt and plan to enter at the Wairere Falls before dawn with hopefully a forecasted NE wind. Basically asking for any tips on a direction to head in or any productive spots in the area ?
Any help is appreciated and I'll take the camera for some pics to report back with

chur chur

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## Rushy

i have never hunted the Kaimai ranges at all Shaneo but would be very interested to know how you go.

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## Spook

I live in the Kaimai's at Thompsons Track which is north of where you are going...the area you are going too is very flat up on top so make sure you are good with the compass and map...I don't know how well a gps works up there as you are in canopy forest most of the time...the streams will be running high with the rain we have had in the past few days...all the sign will be fresh. Plenty of animals around.

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## Shaneo

cheers spook, I get around no sweat with the compass but still keep a garmin etrex20 in the day bag to mark good spots. Thought it looked easy going on the map so might just keep my nose in the wind and mark ideal areas to target on future missions.... get to know the area. Keen to get the new marttiini knife bloodied up

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## Chris

Been a while since I hunted in there but from my memory. Big grass clearings round the hut with an arm of it running south worth a look.
If you follow the track up the creek from the top of the Falls to where it cross's the creek.This area there used to be a lot of deer sign,the supple jack is very thick & I think the deer used that as a bedding area.There is a little side creek just there too with a deer trail coming down it to the main creek. This is where I'd kick into low gear. 
The track goes up the spur on the other side of the creek & joins the North-South track from memory.
Good luck ,trip report required too Shaneo . 
Spook you neighbors of my cuzies Dave ,Chrisie & Bob ?

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## Shaneo

awesome, marked on the map. chur

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## Chris

Hope you enjoy hunting in the rain ,pissing down here right now Shaneo. 
Dripping wet bush not my idea of fun .

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## Rushy

> Dripping wet bush not my idea of fun .


No but it is quiet under foot.

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## Chris

> No but it is quiet under foot.


Ankle deep water not that quiet or the driving bloody rain.Been raining since Saturday night ,meant to clear Friday late. 
What ever floats ya boat I guess.

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## Rushy

> Ankle deep water not that quiet or the driving bloody rain.Been raining since Saturday night ,meant to clear Friday late. 
> What ever floats ya boat I guess.


I do prefer the dry Chris.  I hate getting wet but for some reason don't mind it once I am wet.

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## Chris

I don't mind a bit of light rain either Rushy & on holiday would love to be up in there too but we've had a lot of rain.
That area is fairly high ,with the low cloud ,rain ,flooded creeks & the area is flat as my lounge floor.

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## Chris

Don't know if they've improved the access ,use to be a swing bridge across the bottom of the falls & a stair case up the face to the top of the falls.Was quite a climb but may have put a new track in since those days .

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## Spook

> Been a while since I hunted in there but from my memory. Big grass clearings round the hut with an arm of it running south worth a look.
> If you follow the track up the creek from the top of the Falls to where it cross's the creek.This area there used to be a lot of deer sign,the supple jack is very thick & I think the deer used that as a bedding area.There is a little side creek just there too with a deer trail coming down it to the main creek. This is where I'd kick into low gear. 
> The track goes up the spur on the other side of the creek & joins the North-South track from memory.
> Good luck ,trip report required too Shaneo . 
> Spook you neighbors of my cuzies Dave ,Chrisie & Bob ?


I thought a profile check would have sussed that cuzzy

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## Spook

> cheers spook, I get around no sweat with the compass but still keep a garmin etrex20 in the day bag to mark good spots. Thought it looked easy going on the map so might just keep my nose in the wind and mark ideal areas to target on future missions.... get to know the area. Keen to get the new marttiini knife bloodied up


Rain has stopped...a bit of cloud on the peaks...streams have dropped already...probably no more than 50mm rain in the past few days...it wont be that wet underfoot...go for it...all the soft cocks will be tucked up in the dry...you will have the place to yourself.

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## Shaneo

exactly, I'm no soft cock haha, its the rain in winter I dont like. Thanks for the heads up Chris I'm keeping a eye on it and doesnt look too bad

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## Rushy

Good skills on the hunt Shaneo.

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## Shaneo

Wairere Falls is a awesome lil slice of paradise, got there at 6am and climbed up to the top of the falls. The track was clean with no boot prints, took a couple pics of the falls then headed down wairere track till I found some fresh prints heading SE, followed them 20 odd metres and found fresh shit so decided to stalk the area, wind was no good so went back down to the track and legged it round to the south track and came back up from the other side of the small ridge with the wind on my nose. The going is easy in there,  nice and flat but the stalking was made hard by the large water drops falling from the canopy. Went into bush ninja mode for hours following some fresh as sign and the odd snapping of branches but was interrupted by a txt from the wife saying she was off to A&E with my daughter who had a 29 deg temp !! hunt cut short.......
After heading back down to the carpark and passing countless tourists I've decided that I will return to that area but definitely head in deeper away from the falls (and tourists!!) probably go down the south track and camp overnight coz the climb up the falls is alot for just a day hunt. I couldnt do it this time as the whole area around the start of the north/south track was a foot deep in water as far as I could see.
So Kaimais 1 - 0 Shane
But was out there doing it

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## Rushy

Good on ya Shaneo.  I hope your daughter is OK but mate what were you thinking? Doesn't you phone have a vibrate function?  If you have to have the phone on at least use that.  You could have been lining up a shot when that message came in.

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## Shaneo

was on vibrate mate  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Rushy

> was on vibrate mate


Well that is OK then.

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## Shaneo

use it as my camera as its half the size of my digital, shit it was a good laugh seeing some of those tourists blow ass on the climb up to the falls, I even stopped to see if one guy was alright ! he had no water and I had to convince him he wouldnt kark it from drinking the flowing streams

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## Rushy

> I had to convince him he wouldnt kark it from drinking the flowing streams


There is nothing better than back country flowing water.

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## marlin_shoota

hey mate new here, iv been looking at going for a crack up there. if you want a tag along id be keen possible up thompsons track way or around mt te aroha as iv heard its good arond there too? let me know if your keen?
cheers
dan

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