# Hunting > Hunting >  Hunting in the Kaimai ranges

## Muel

Hi All,

Me and two of my mates are hunting the kaimai's this weekend we're heading up towards Te Rereatukahia Hut has anyone hunted this general area before any tips advice?

Cheers.

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## kimjon

You should find lots of sign up there - but don't eat it, as it tastes like shit!

But seriously, I'd be looking to cover as much ground as fast as you can without making excessive noise, but when you do find the game trails and/or fresh sign, slow right down as this time of year the deer wont be that far from the sign. Hunt the thick shit too, that's where the deer live. Don't worry too much about the noise, the Kaimais is spook and shoot country anyway (please ID your target real good though).

kj

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## Happy

Looking across the valley right now  just about the area. (From inside the workshop) Its in the clouds at present. Cant even see the tops of the hill. Where you walking in from ?

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## Spook

> You should find lots of sign up there - but don't eat it, as it tastes like shit!
> 
> But seriously, I'd be looking to cover as much ground as fast as you can without making excessive noise, but when you do find the game trails and/or fresh sign, slow right down as this time of year the deer wont be that far from the sign. Hunt the thick shit too, that's where the deer live. Don't worry too much about the noise, the Kaimais is spook and shoot country anyway (please ID your target real good though).
> 
> kj


That's a hell of a play on words...I say "don't shoot Spook in the Kaimais"

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## Spook

> Hi All,
> 
> Me and two of my mates are hunting the kaimai's this weekend we're heading up towards Te Rereatukahia Hut has anyone hunted this general area before any tips advice?
> 
> Cheers.


Don't be put off by the low cloud that we get this time of year. You should still be able to see 50 metres, and that is plenty where you are going. Streams will be high but receding after the 120mm rain from a couple of days ago. All sign will be fresh. Which way are you heading in from?

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## kimjon

Fuck! No - do not shoot spook! say that 10x and 5 hail-Mary's before you head in there.

kj

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## BushHunter

> You should find lots of sign up there - but don't eat it, as it tastes like shit!
> 
> But seriously, I'd be looking to cover as much ground as fast as you can without making excessive noise, but when you do find the game trails and/or fresh sign, slow right down as this time of year the deer wont be that far from the sign. Hunt the thick shit too, that's where the deer live. Don't worry too much about the noise, the Kaimais is spook and shoot country anyway (please ID your target real good though).
> 
> kj


Awsome. Hopfully the weather won't be to bad, I will be heading near the Mangamuka Hut on sunday, Found a small clearing last time I wana go check out again. No where near where you will be tho Muel.

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## 199p

Good luck mate let us know how you get on

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## Twoshotkill

Take some garden sikateas..(spelling) with you !!! You will know why when you get there!!!

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## phillipgr

> Take some garden sikateas..(spelling) with you !!! You will know why when you get there!!!


+1

Expect it to take a hell of a lot longer to get from A to B than in some other places

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## Lentil

> Take some garden sikateas


I'm pretty sure Sikateas are a native parakeet that live in the Kaimais and out Pongakawa way

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## phillipgr

> I'm pretty sure Sikateas are a native parakeet that live in the Kaimais and out Pongakawa way


Think its sikatears bro. They fall out of the eyes of sika when they nigh laugh themselves to death over my sloppy attempt to shoot one of them :p

Sent from my MT27i using Tapatalk 2

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## Muel

Awesome Guys,

We're going in from Hot Springs Road will let you know how we get on. Thanks heaps for all the advice, hopefully have some nice pics to post on Monday.

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## Twoshotkill

Haha ...yea yea ... Spelling is not my best atra...atrebut................. Im Not good at it!! :Thumbsup:

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## Happy

> Awesome Guys,
> 
> We're going in from Hot Springs Road will let you know how we get on. Thanks heaps for all the advice, hopefully have some nice pics to post on Monday.


You don't mean Springs Rd I hope ??

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## Sniper

Anyone keen for a hunt on Sunday the 1st?
Just a morning hunt, Whaka, Te Puke?

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## BushHunter

> You don't mean Springs Rd I hope ??


Na I think he will be Hot Springs Road, Katikati.

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## BushHunter

> Hi All,
> 
> Me and two of my mates are hunting the kaimai's this weekend we're heading up towards Te Rereatukahia Hut has anyone hunted this general area before any tips advice?
> 
> Cheers.


Did you head out Muel ? Any luck ?

I went out at 5.30am this morning, Weather was mint at home, By the time I got to the Te Tuhi parking area the weather really turned to sh*t .......... Big down pour with massive gusts of wind's = Me heading home haha.

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## Gibo

> Anyone keen for a hunt on Sunday the 1st?
> Just a morning hunt, Whaka, Te Puke?


I would but cant sorry dude.

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## Muel

Secateurs were a life saver! Saw some fresh sign on the track about 2hrs in and managed to track what looked like a reasonable sized stag along a ridge on the Waikato side for about a km or so until the thick stuff got the better of us and we couldn't go on without making too much noise. I wasn't expecting to see much, so I was stoked to get on to something so soon into the hike. Went out Sunday morning and checked out some clearings to the west of the hut, visibility was bad so we headed of at about 9am down the Wharawhara rd track got soaked! cant wait to get back out there. Thanks again for all the advice.

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## Muel

We got soaked coming out, was a mint trip though I've never hunted the Kaimais so I'm keen to get back out there and familiarize myself with the place a bit more.

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## Shaneo

> Anyone keen for a hunt on Sunday the 1st?
> Just a morning hunt, Whaka, Te Puke?


chur I'll be keen if you know those areas well, I'm a Thomps track an wairere falls hunter

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## Rusky

> chur I'll be keen if you know those areas well, I'm a Thomps track an wairere falls hunter


Whats the hike like (time wise) to the top of the wairere falls from the carpark?

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## BushHunter

> Whats the hike like (time wise) to the top of the wairere falls from the carpark?


Ive only done it twice, About 2hrs to the top for me, Hate those stairs haha.

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## Shaneo

haha you must hate them alright, I get up in about 1 hour. Its a steep climb

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## Pengy

Last time I went up the falls I was overtaken on the stairs by friggin joggers.....mad bstards the lot of em

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## Rusky

I have seen a guy in the kaimais running around in jeans  :Wtfsmilie: .  I then passed him some 30 minutes later on the road cycling to somewhere?  Mad doesn't begin to describe them.

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## outinabout

funny what some people do for fun aye... I guess they think hunting is for weridos, Still, I wont be donning the lycra and doing time trials it through the kaimai anytime soon!

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## Bill999

I was up thompson track/north south track over to the kauritatahi hut over the last weekend, didnt see bugger all of anything and certanly no deer

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## Spook

> I was up thompson track/north south track over to the kauritatahi hut over the last weekend, didnt see bugger all of anything and certanly no deer


I wouldn't hunt that high at this time of year. Spring growth is only just showing around the 200 metre [asl] at the moment. Plenty of deer seen at this time of year grazing with the calving cows. If you hunt the bush/farm edge just make sure you spook them enough that they jump the fence back into the native before you ping them.

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## Happy

> I wouldn't hunt that high at this time of year. Spring growth is only just showing around the 200 metre [asl] at the moment. 
> 
> Plenty of deer seen at this time of year grazing with the calving cows.
> 
> If you hunt the bush/farm edge just make sure you don't shoot spook .


 Fixed it

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## Spook

> Fixed it


I should have known that would happen

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## Spook

Anyone heading into the Kaimai's via Thompsons Track [Waikato], just be aware that access could be blocked due to logging operations which will include walking in as well as driving. Track will be clear this weekend and will keep you posted as to when they will close it off. They are not dropping trees onto the track but where they are felling, the trees could slide a considerable distance due to the steepness of the terrain.
Track could be closed for up to a week or more.

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## Spook

Seems that the track will be closed from tomorrow till probably Christmas...anyone wanting to go in or out, let me know...there are ways and means.

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## Spook

Update: track is closed during their working hours, 7.00am - 4.00pm Mon - Fri and 7.00am - 12.00 on Sat.
They are not felling onto the track but there is a chance of logs sliding down the steep face to the track. Should a log go all the way to the track they will not be clearing it, so if planning on driving up the track make sure you have a chainsaw big enough to cut your way in or out.
Should a log take you or your vehicle out, I can assure you it will fuck you up big time. Logs don't just hurt people...they fucken kill them.
If you ignore the signage and end up in a predicament, don't bother climbing to the top of the hill to inform them as they wont care. When I say these guys don't give a fuck, I really do mean they wont give a fuck. They have a job to do and take it seriously and the signage is there to keep you alive.

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## Gibo

If only signs could keep people alive!!!

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## Pengy

Thanks for the heads up Spook. 
Anyone know if the area around old kaimai road gets a hammering? I would guess that is does being close to Tga

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## Gibo

yip, but theres some in there. same old shit bush mate but a few clearings about. 
Mate delt to one in there not long ago.

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## Pengy

Came accross a fair bit of sign last week but all within the easement around Lazy tramper so no go with rifle.

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## KaimaiScout

Old Kaimai Road, Yeah easy access for most people, gets a hammering and a lot of trampers. But doesn't mean the Deer aren't there.... :Wink:

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## Spook

Once again the forestry are going to close Thompsons Track on the Waikato side. This time it could be for three months starting early February. This will seriously stuff up anyone's plan for the roar. I have been talking to the roading guy and he says the track will be impassable at the 6 km mark. You will not get a vehicle through, but I imagine one will still be able to walk, although I think you would have to go in before they start work each day and not return till they knock off...I will update if I hear anything more.

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## phillipgr

> Once again the forestry are going to close Thompsons Track on the Waikato side. This time it could be for three months starting early February. This will seriously stuff up anyone's plan for the roar. I have been talking to the roading guy and he says the track will be impassable at the 6 km mark. You will not get a vehicle through, but I imagine one will still be able to walk, although I think you would have to go in before they start work each day and not return till they knock off...I will update if I hear anything more.


Cheers for keeping everyone posted

Sent from my MT27i using Tapatalk 2

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## Spook

Update on Thompsons Track...the track will now be closed between the hours of 5 am - 4 pm [excluding public holidays and weekends]...Monday 17th February 2014 - Friday 30th May 2014...the actual closure is 6 km from Thompsons Track/Wairakau Road intersection to 300 metres west of the summit.
Any dedicated hunters will fit this into their schedule...might have to get up a bit earlier in the morning.

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## Sniper

Any one know what the north south track is like to walk/use for access? Aongatete area.
Chur

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## Pengy

Easy as last time I looked.

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## Sniper

Cool. I read somewhere its a 'skilled only' walk. Im sure Ill be aight.

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## Pengy

N S track from Wairere falls is like a two lane highway. Pretty sure the rest is good and clear too. lots of traffic though.

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## Bonecrusher

> Any one know what the north south track is like to walk/use for access? Aongatete area.
> Chur


Just some wind fall around at the moment fine in the light of day can be a challenge at night

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## Gibo

> Cool. I read somewhere its a 'skilled only' walk. Im sure Ill be aight.


Crack up :Grin:  ive been walking since I was one, hope im classed as a skilled walker  :Grin:

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## Sniper

> Crack up ive been walking since I was one, hope im classed as a skilled walker


Haha, yeah. It said you need navigational skills.

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## Gibo

> Haha, yeah. It said you need navigational skills.


Im out then! Notorious circle walker  :Grin:

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## Pengy

Fark me with a pineapple ! The track in question runs North to south and South to North. Even you couldnt manage a circle on that one  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Gibo

> Fark me with a pineapple ! The track in question runs North to south and South to North. Even you couldnt manage a circle on that one


Want a bet  :Wink:

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## Spook

There have been several rescues on the North/South track...one of the latest was a guy sitting in the middle of the track and didn't know which way to go...a helicopter went in after dark to help him out.

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## Gibo

> There have been several rescues on the North/South track...one of the latest was a guy sitting in the middle of the track and didn't know which way to go...a helicopter went in after dark to help him out.


Ha ha ha fuck thats a hard case

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## Pengy

I retract my last post after reading that

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## Spook

> Ha ha ha fuck thats a hard case


A couple of years ago a dairy farmer shot up the track after morning milking for a quick hunt, was on the cellphone within two hours saying he was lost...didn't get out till late the next day as the police rescue unit got lost trying to get to him.

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## Bonecrusher

Mate you can hear the traffic thundering down SH2 at least use that to get your bearings  :Zomg:

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## Spook

> That's a hard case, I really don't know how you get 'lost' in there. After all, it's less than a day from matamata to the katikati side (I've done it).  The range runs mostly nth-sth, the creeks tend east-wst with the bigger ones running to the south, and if that's not enough the area is littered with old logging roads and cuttings for skids that run due east-wst.  I'll admit it and say most of the time I never even bothered to take a compass or map in with me (however they are essential kit now).
> 
> I have once spent an entire day covering 200m to get back to the Waipapa Rd track.  Went in on a possum trap line south from the car at the top of the track from the blade carpark, then followed a animal track into the thick crap.  Lost the track, decided to follow the compass due nth, 5 hours later arrived at Waipapa Rd.  In the middle of that pile of crap, a huge wallow with rub marks higher than my head and no way or track through the supplejack - I mean impassable without a saw or secateurs.  Unbelievable - how do they do it?  Been back in to that spot a couple of times since, utter mission to much work but regularly used.


You spent an entire day covering 200 metres and you weren't "lost"?...if you ever hunt further to the north you will find those highways of tracks and tram ways peter out and once the cloud comes down there is every opportunity to become "lost".

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## Chris

You can go a long way on those old tracks & tramways in a short time.Very easy to get disoriented when the cloud comes down ,very good reason to own a GPS .

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## mohawk

I keep a compass taped too my stock . Nothing better and quicker for keeping you heading the way you want .

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## Sniper

> You can go a long way on those old *tracks & tramways* in a short time.Very easy to get disoriented when the cloud comes down ,very good reason to own a GPS .


Are you kidding? Im yet to see this mythical things  :Pacman:

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## Pengy

> I keep a compass taped too my stock . Nothing better and quicker for keeping you heading the way you want .


I would have thought the metal in your rifle would stuff the compass up  :Sad:

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## mohawk

Nup , mauser is good and stainless rossi lever shouldn't be too magnetic anyway. 
Try it and see , you will know soon enough.

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## mohawk

I made a.cute little leather thingy for the 357.

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## Eyesplice

> Take some garden sikateas..(spelling) with you !!! You will know why when you get there!!!


Nuthin wurst than badd speeln huntrs - tha choppy things r .......  "Secateurs" 

Get a good pair as you will be needing them   :Have A Nice Day:  
also having some form of holster for them makes life simpler

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## Eyesplice

> Take some garden sikateas..(spelling) with you !!! You will know why when you get there!!!


Nuthin wurst than badd speeln huntrs - tha choppy things r .......  "Secateurs" 

Get a good pair as you will be needing them   :Have A Nice Day:  
also having some form of holster for them makes life simpler

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## Gibo

> Nuthin wurst than badd speeln huntrs - tha choppy things r .......  "Secateurs" 
> 
> Get a good pair as you will be needing them   
> also having some form of holster for them makes life simpler


I have killed a few secatears in the kaimais :Sad:

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## Sniper

Im yet to understand how people get lost, with all respect. Me and a mate were hunting Pureora a few years back. Neither of us are what you would call experienced hunters. We walked around for about 6ish hours and god knows how many Km. We never used the map, and the GPS wouldn't get a signal. We just used our 'mangation'. Turned up about 200m from the truck when we got back to the road. Never once were we worried about getting stuck in there overnight. I get you can get lost, but it really does come down to preparation and common sense. 
The Kaimais is pretty basic really. If your lost lost, follow a creek out or keep going down hill. It will lead to a road at some stage. Same goes for MT Taranaki. Walk down hill.
Fiords, Uru etc a bit different. But if your hunting the really big ones, you need to sort it out before hand and be on to it.

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## Pengy

Having been called out to search for the same pair of pig hunters on two occasions, in the same catchment, I can assure you that "Mangation" doesnt always work. And yes, they are locals.  :Sad:

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## Spook

> Im yet to understand how people get lost, with all respect. Me and a mate were hunting Pureora a few years back. Neither of us are what you would call experienced hunters. We walked around for about 6ish hours and god knows how many Km. We never used the map, and the GPS wouldn't get a signal. We just used our 'mangation'. Turned up about 200m from the truck when we got back to the road. Never once were we worried about getting stuck in there overnight. I get you can get lost, but it really does come down to preparation and common sense. 
> The Kaimais is pretty basic really. If your lost lost, follow a creek out or keep going down hill. It will lead to a road at some stage. Same goes for MT Taranaki. Walk down hill.
> Fiords, Uru etc a bit different. But if your hunting the really big ones, you need to sort it out before hand and be on to it.


In actual fact, both you and your mate were lost...everyone will tell you that when lost you will walk in circles...you just had a six hour circle.

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## Spook

> Having been called out to search for the same pair of pig hunters on two occasions, in the same catchment, I can assure you that "Mangation" doesnt always work. And yes, they are locals.


Some years ago my son and I were hunting in a catchment where a police officer from Tauranga had become lost some months previous. He was found almost naked with his survival blanket around his head and both feet soaking in the stream. He had lost the plot along with his clothes and rifle. He had been in the NZ army previous to being a policeman. From the head of the catchment we could see a haybarn in the distance...of course he would not of seen this if the cloud was down or he was in the creek bed. I would have thought that with all the training and experience of life that he had had, that this would not happen to him. It goes to show that when the shit goes down in the bush all sorts of strange things happen in one's mind if we allow it to.

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## Rusky

I get lost in the bush with a GPS! Seriously though, you can take a bearing and keep heading that direction and eventually you will come out somewhere. I did a circle in there yesterday not far from the track in the fog. GPS sorted me on the right heading.

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## phillipgr

I think there's a difference between being lost and disorientated. Every so often I pull my compass up and say "I swear north isnt that direction" but you gotta learn to turn that off and trust your compass. If you panic when you get disorientated, thats when it goes down hill.

Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk 2

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## Sniper

Nah I wouldn't say we were lost at all. We just knew we went over this ridge, down this creek, up another ridge, sidled around a bit. We always new roughly witch way to go. Kept an eye on the sun, used it as a rough compass and walah, Mr Truck. Don't see the point in walking out the way you walked in. But I get what your saying, and we don't hunt like that anymore.

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## MSL

Trouble is, no one wants to admit defeat and say they are lost. It's a big call to just hit the creek and head down. Everybody would prefer to just have a bit of a wander round hoping to find a known point. Those that do get lost just wander around for too long then it's dark and they are stuffed


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## Scouser

Been 'disorientated' a few times off Clements rd in the Kaimanawas......would swear blind i knew what direction i was going only to look at my compass and be way off!!!!!!.......good thing there is you just 'have' to hit the road, then its a toss up which way you go!!!!!!........use a GPS all the time no drama.......

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## Spook

In the Kaimai's the one thing I would never suggest to anyone is to follow a stream out...they all follow the line of least resistance and many drop off the face of the earth...the same could be said for many of the ridges that end up bluffed out.

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## Pengy

Could not agree more Spook. I have nearly come to grief in there when the ground simply disapeared beneath my feet. Sure gives one the shits when it happens.

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## kiwigreen

If you think the Kaimais is bad, go up Otawa in welcome bay/te puke.

Couldn't be bothered walking back up the hill(30-45min to track) so I thought I could just walk back to the carpark following a stream, worst decision I've ever made in the bush. It took 4 hours to get back through the most horrendous country I've ever been that bluffed out heaps, each step was a nightmare through the supplejack and trying to go down and up hill with slippery mud not to mention trying to hold a torch and a rifle.
The worst time in the bush I've ever had. Easily could've died in there.

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## Gibo

> If you think the Kaimais is bad, go up Otawa in welcome bay/te puke.
> 
> Couldn't be bothered walking back up the hill(30-45min to track) so I thought I could just walk back to the carpark following a stream, worst decision I've ever made in the bush. It took 4 hours to get back through the most horrendous country I've ever been that bluffed out heaps, each step was a nightmare through the supplejack and trying to go down and up hill with slippery mud not to mention trying to hold a torch and a rifle.
> The worst time in the bush I've ever had. Easily could've died in there.


Yip it can be shit in places.

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## Shaneo

> In the Kaimai's the one thing I would never suggest to anyone is to follow a stream out...they all follow the line of least resistance and many drop off the face of the earth...the same could be said for many of the ridges that end up bluffed out.


very very true, its is a area you need to get to know bit by bit, hunt by hunt

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## Shaneo

and some of the streams you swear would lead to the matamata side infact head to tauranga side

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## Bonecrusher

One example of the rock formations

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## kiwigreen

> Otawa and Otanewainuku are a bit like that but the Kaimais by comparison is not quite so shits-inducing.  Some sections do need a fair amount of care or some cunning rope work, and the ability to tell a deer or pig trail from a goat trail is very handy!


Ever shot anything or hunted up there much?. You know where that 'clearing' is at the welcome bay end, never ever try to walk back to the carpark via the river, it was just mud and rock and very very nasty gorgy jungle. I fell head first down a a rock face because supplejack was wrapped around my legs.

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