# Hunting > Hunting >  Who's going DEEP on Thursday?

## Yesmate

Who's going hunting this week?

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## PillowDribbler

Yep. It is going to be like letting the hens out of the chookhouse.

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## MikeB

I'm dying to go bush. But i wont be going any the hell where near public land for at least a couple weeks. F that. Private land it is.

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## Dama dama

Yes have a quick walk planned for Friday morning all going well.

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## Mohawk .308

I might avoid the weekend, not that brave

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## PerazziSC3

Yep main divide for me, hopefully not to many people yet

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## stingray

Going 25 meters got a cray hole...bucks only so problerly have a we peak take a outsider and leave the rest alone til November ....but just have to have a look!

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## tetawa

Will be off Thursday, even if DOC aren't open before to renew my permit.

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## Mark M

The South Island weather forecast is looking better than the north, still keen though.

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## stug

@tetawa if your permit is still current it is fine. Doc did not cancel permits, they only suspended them for level 3.

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## Happy Jack

Not me, I'm thinking with everyone rushing to try and get the end of the roar the likely hood of a fatality is too high. I don't want it to happen and neither do I relish being called out on a body recovery.

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## Flyblown

Me.

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## High Country Boy

Sat-Wednesday, hopefully got an area that should keep me away from the masses

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## deer243

Yip, off to get some venison. Got thurs, friday, sat, Sun off. Only problem is where to go, narrowed down to 5 DOC blocks so far lol. 
Mmm...chase a fallow or a red? 223 or 243 or 308 ?  Stayed tune for the hunting report by the weekend. Area will dictate Cal. All are sighted in and ready to roll.
Shoulders still dodgy, prob unfit as but be a all dayer until ones on the deck. Prob should chase a stag but think any deer that walks into range is getting a death sentence.
Might even go twice over the four days. Mate told be a spot last week he saw two good fallow stags on the road. Havnt hunted that DOC bush before so that could be the second trip, esp if get a deer thursday.

Hot barrels everyone, pictures and a report will come, stay safe ....lets do this lol

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## tetawa

> @tetawa if your permit is still current it is fine. Doc did not cancel permits, they only suspended them for level 3.


Ran out during level 4, will call in tomorrow but understand they are "all working from home"

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## tetawa

> Not me, I'm thinking with everyone rushing to try and get the end of the roar the likely hood of a fatality is too high. I don't want it to happen and neither do I relish being called out on a body recovery.


Will you take the same attitude with driving, think the road will be more "scary" than the bush.

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## Allizdog

Yeah, deep into the freezer for some venison. 

Will give it a couple of weeks.

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## deer243

> Not me, I'm thinking with everyone rushing to try and get the end of the roar the likely hood of a fatality is too high. I don't want it to happen and neither do I relish being called out on a body recovery.


I hardly go where the masses go anyway. Im always going where theres no access points, side of road hop in bush. Crawl down the bank, cross river and hunt where no mans been before etc lol.
90% of all doc areas i hunt never seen anyone else ever, talking years. If someone is there, i go plan B.   Pity those North Islanders fighting over good DOC land.
Moral of the story...go off the beaten track, try a new spot no one wants to look at in favour of a good area 10km away. You be surprised what you might run into.....

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## 300wsm for life

I will be off on Tuesday next week for 3 or 4 days. To many pre booked meetings this week, bugger it.

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## Larskramer

Leaving Wednesday arvo, should arrive to our spot wed night sleep in the truck for the night, up first thing Thursday morning hunting!@

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## Happy Jack

> Will you take the same attitude with driving, think the road will be more "scary" than the bush.


Haven't been over the bridge for the last 6 weeks, don't see that changing in the next 3 weeks either everything we need is here. My daily drive to work is max 7km and with no tourists I might see 1 vehicle.

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## stevodog

Yep, going out at the weekend, back on monday

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## Gamehunter

Come on you young bucks. You should all be working and leaving the first 3 days for us old roosters. 
Where the hell are your manners.

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## Ronin007

Got Friday off work (although that's subject to change} so looking at heading out to bowl some wallabies.  Assuming I can get a permit, I'm picking DOC will be swamped come Thurs morning

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## Cigar

Nah, got chemo on Wednesday and hooked up to porta-pump until Friday. Probably shouldn't go bush anyway due to infected wound, only 4 days since I was in hospital.
I need to get the dog out for a run and swim before she explodes!

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## Bobba

Yep definitely thinking about a day hunt. Apart from sausages I'm out of venison and it sucks.

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## Pongo12

Yeap main divide for a week come thursday, too good

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## Gapped axe

Thursday camt wait, have finished all of my small jobs on the boat so the Bride and I will go out on the Lake for a fish. Saturday Down to work on the Maimais, all of my team will be there. Two from Orewa and one from Morrinsville.

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## tetawa

> Haven't been over the bridge for the last 6 weeks, don't see that changing in the next 3 weeks either everything we need is here. My daily drive to work is max 7km and with no tourists I might see 1 vehicle.


Your lucky traffic wise, was quiet around here under level 4 but now it's close to normal less tourists. A few line haul trucks have forgot about cars on the road, twice on roundabouts have had to stop due to them not giving way.

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## JoshC

Nope. Might let the weekend warriors get their fix first. Not a fan of bumping into other hunters in the hills.

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## Nick-D

Yep, first flight into north arm after almost 2 months of no pressure.....

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## ElDax

As tempting as it is after there being no pressure for so long, I can't even begin to imagine how many will be out and I have no access to hunt private property so I'll be waiting a few weeks I'd say. Plus I bought a Fierce Fury in 6.5 creedmoor during the lockdown and swapped over scopes so nothing in the cabinet is sighted in atm anyway haha, makes the decision to not head out a bit easier.

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## 257weatherby

> Nope. Might let the weekend warriors get their fix first. Not a fan of bumping into other hunters in the hills.


Not a fan of bumping into other hunters either, or anything human for that matter, sitting on a hill glassing, and you see 1 person 3km away down the valley, and suddenly I feel like I'm in a small  lift with 9 fat people on a wet day......... going for a day walk up a wee stream other people don't hunt cause they think there is nothing there :Have A Nice Day:

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## paddygonebush

> Yep main divide for me, hopefully not to many people yet


Same here Thursday through Saturday.

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## Scott29er

From the DOC website just now.

_Hunting allowed on public conservation land
Hunting on public conservation land is allowed under Alert Level 2. Hunters will need the appropriate hunting permit or hold the required concession.

Recreational hunters can apply online for a hunting permit from 5 pm Tuesday 12 May. Permits will be valid once New Zealand returns to Alert Level 2 at 11.59am Wednesday evening. Hunters should first check their existing permit as it may still be current.

Fish & Game NZ have announced the game bird season will open on Saturday 23 May. At Alert Level 2, DOC district offices can issue small game and game bird hunting permits for duck hunting on public conservation land and waters. 

DOC staff are focused on ensuring any hunting ballots or bookings planned for the next few months go ahead. Once this process is complete we will contact affected ballot holders regarding next year’s ballots and hunting blocks_

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## Mohawk .308

Good that you can apply for a permit before hand

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## Mohawk .308

Still nothing from Tuhoe about hunting Te Urewera

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## Freezer

When they opened the beaches to surfing, the extreme jump in people in the water was bigger than a public holiday. Every person that had ever thought of surfing was in the water. 
I can’t help but think it’s going to be same here. Every person that missed out on their roar trip, hunting trip, or has hunted in the last 10 years, or thinks they might like hunting is going to head to the hills this weekend. 

There is going to be a concentration of people at all points.  Be safe, wash your hands and don’t shoot someone

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## outdoorlad

Mate was talking to James Scott last week and he’s been getting heaps of bookings for Tahr trips

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## Sako851

> I hardly go where the masses go anyway. Im always going where theres no access points, side of road hop in bush. Crawl down the bank, cross river and hunt where no mans been before etc lol.
> 90% of all doc areas i hunt never seen anyone else ever, talking years. If someone is there, i go plan B.   Pity those North Islanders fighting over good DOC land.
> Moral of the story...go off the beaten track, try a new spot no one wants to look at in favour of a good area 10km away. You be surprised what you might run into.....


That sounds lovely!

Bit different up here, not as blessed with half the island being DOC land like you fullas!

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## The bomb

Is online permit system not working ?!

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## tetawa

> Is online permit system not working ?!


5.00 pm tonight, it will probably crash.

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## Mohawk .308

> 5.00 pm tonight, it will probably crash.


Just got mine, she’s up and running, get in quick before it crashes

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## Gibo

Deep, yip I hear the Big eye are in numbers of the east coast, the Bluefin might be coming along soon, be about 1000 metres deep  :Grin:

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## madmaori

yup , hopefully going deep into mumsie if she isn't tired or has a headache! then i might go for a weekend mission up Ruakaturi. Fark going anywhere near public land for the next few , it will be worse then the roar i reckon.

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## hebe

No way. Hawkes Bay will be an absolute madhouse I'm picking, even further back. I'll give it a couple of weeks once things (hopefully) get colder and wetter

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## Puffin

It was not really my intention to try to be back in on day-1, but the weather was forecast to be perfect at my favourite part of the Ruahine FP, and as it turned out it was. On the road a 2:20AM, walking at 5AM, and on location at sunrise. A stag was giving short, rather unenthusiastic roars about 400m away. Then 25 metres away from me a small six wandered out, and it too began giving quiet moans in response. The young hind it was following flushed back in my direction at the shot and will make for better eating. So still a bit of late-season action happening and the early bird catches the worm an' all. I did hear one other vehicle arrive after I had left the roadend, but there were no other shots all day, so I would say it was a pretty quiet first day out of lock-down in my neck of the woods.

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## dollarknife

Heading out tonight will stalk tops tomorrow around lake summer hopefully won't be too hectic

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## kiwi-adam

Will be heading out tomorrow, managed to get a Restricted Permit for Te Tapui Block A for Saturday only, couple people were quicker than me and got Thurs-Fri & Sun-Mon.

From what I gather, there has been no hunting there between Nov-Feb (Closed for Fawning), followed by 3 weeks of Balloted hunting (pre-lockdown), followed by 7 weeks of no hunting.

Here's hoping with the lack of disturbance, and possible tail end of the rut, my chances of finding something in here is higher!

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## stug

You had better luck than me. I was at bush edge by day light, saw 2 but couldn’t get a shot. Bumped into several other hunters. One group had camped out in the middle of the main clear area. Might be why there weren’t many deer around

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## Pommy

Got dropped off super early on Thursday morning and hiked a good 10km to my spot. I could hear at least two stags roaring away in the dark, and I managed to spook a couple of hinds en-route who barked at me a bit before running off. I got into position and settled down in the frosty grass for a bit of sleep before sunrise.

I wake up and grab my binos. Immediately - no kidding, literally the very first thing I see through the glass - there's a hind. She's 250m down from me so with my tunnel vision engaged, I start stalking down to a shooting position. I don't make it far before I hear another hind bark to my right though. And she sounds close. I spin around to look and once I locate her I see she's got company - a yearling and a bloody 10+ pt stag! They're 175m out but I don't want to shoot standing over the tussock so I drop down and begin to close in.

About 75m away, the hind and her yearling have buggered off, but the stag's still stood there, ignoring the hind's warnings. I settle down to shoot but at that very moment, two more hunters (a man and a young lad) appear over the ridge behind the stag - it sees them and bolts down into cover. Oh well, he'd have probably tasted shit anyway.

The hunters see me and their faces drop when they realise they're not the early birds. They walk across to me - right over the ground the stag was stood on (whilst I watch, hoping he might reappear further down, but alas). We have a chuckle over it and agree to team up and stalk our way across the faces to our left where we can see at least 3 more hinds and another stag about 500m away.

By the time we get to a more comfortable range, most have moved off. But there's a pair of hinds and a spiker still enjoying the morning sun.

I line up on the larger hind with my 284 and the man hands off his 270 to the lad for him to line up on the spiker. We coordinate our first shots and an opening salvo gets sent across the face. The hind goes down but I hit a bit too far back for my liking so send a second into her to help her shuffle off a bit quicker. Meanwhile the young lad has rattled off all 4 rounds from the 270 and the spiker's still stood there wondering what's going on. With their gun dry, I ask "do you want me to shoot it?" and it's a yes, so I get a shot away at the spiker as quick as I can before the he decides it's time to vacate the area. He stumbles around and collapses. Result!





The guys are planning on continuing their hunt over into the next gulley, and thankful for the assist, are keen let me take as much as I can carry. One very long slog back to the carpark ahead with a very heavy pack later and I'm wrecked today. Worth it.

There was one other party that had arrived. I'd say if you know an area that's not renowned for being busy, you should be alright.

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## Projects

> Will be heading out tomorrow, managed to get a Restricted Permit for Te Tapui Block A for Saturday only, couple people were quicker than me and got Thurs-Fri & Sun-Mon.
> Here's hoping with the lack of disturbance, and possible tail end of the rut, my chances of finding something in here is higher!


Good luck up there. Let us know how you get on. I'm itching to get up there also.

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## kiwi-adam

@Projects, will definitely pass on an update tomorrow evening, I am hopeful, but I have also heard it is fairly baron up there.
Maybe the past 7 months minus first 3 weeks of March have helped it.

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## Cigar

> Will be heading out tomorrow, managed to get a Restricted Permit for Te Tapui Block A for Saturday only, couple people were quicker than me and got Thurs-Fri & Sun-Mon.
> 
> From what I gather, there has been no hunting there between Nov-Feb (Closed for Fawning), followed by 3 weeks of Balloted hunting (pre-lockdown), followed by 7 weeks of no hunting.
> 
> Here's hoping with the lack of disturbance, and possible tail end of the rut, my chances of finding something in here is higher!


That's kinda weird because they told me this afternoon that "We are not able to do permits at the moment. They have been put on hold until a decision is made and it maybe that permits are only issued a week in advance." Maybe you got in before they were put on hold?

I have found numbers can vary a lot from month to month, but generally May has been pretty good. I got a spiker and weaner exactly two years ago today. I think numbers in the bush depends a lot on what pressure they are under on the surrounding farmland, and where the feed is.

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## kiwi-adam

@Cigar sorry to hear you could 't get a permit. If I didnt have company, I would invite you along for a walk.

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## Cigar

> @Cigar sorry to hear you could 't get a permit. If I didnt have company, I would invite you along for a walk.


 @kiwi-adam No worries yet, i cant hunt this week (just had another round of chemo) so was looking at late next week/early the following week (before the next round). They have me pencilled in so we will see what happens between now and then.
I had the last two ballot days before lockdown, I passed on the first day due to the weather, and that afternoon they announced the lockdown so I spent the second day getting prepared for lockdown buying animal feed etc.

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## Pengy

> I hardly go where the masses go anyway. Im always going where theres no access points, side of road hop in bush. Crawl down the bank, cross river and hunt where no mans been before etc lol.
> 90% of all doc areas i hunt never seen anyone else ever, talking years. If someone is there, i go plan B.   Pity those North Islanders fighting over good DOC land.
> Moral of the story...go off the beaten track, try a new spot no one wants to look at in favour of a good area 10km away. You be surprised what you might run into.....


Update please

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## Sideshow

Hey guys just read the last 4 pages!

Might I add! Please stay safe you dont want to be the one that survives lock down and then gets taken out on the first outing! 

Also Identify your target and your fireing zone!

And enjoy I can hear the Bell Birds from here.......in the uk :ORLY:  :Thumbsup:

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## PerazziSC3

Not the species I was after but still a nice animal and will make a great rug. Shot on Thursday during a rare break in the cloud

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## stug

We went back to an area I was sure would have other hunters there, but we had it to ourselves. My daughter shot her second deer, I missed mine.

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## bang

i went to an area i didnt think would have many people.  spent 3 hours crashing up through some of the worst scrub i have ever found.  got to the top and heard 6 shots.  a little while later found the homemade track old mate had used to get up there.  then it socked in and started raining. i did hear some lazy moaning and some croaking, but no deer seen.

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## mopheadrob

I was highly surprised to be the first vehicle at the trailhead late on Thursday morning. Less surprised when a couple of other hunters passed us on the track in... my mate was not as fit as he thought  :Sad:  Fortunately the trail divided and they were planning to head the other direction from us anyway.

We took the high road and had the hut to ourselves on Thursday night. Couldn't believe it. Had to go halfway back down the hill to pick up my mate's pack that he'd been unable to carry any further. Friday was spent going deeper, but it was too clagged in to see anything.

Saturday was gonna be the day. Got up for a look as the cloud lifted, and a bloody microlight buzzed down the valley and then back up again. Eventually gave up on that side, hauled over the ridge and up to the head of the next catchment. Glassed some great country, and saw nothing. Flummoxed again. Put the binos away and headed back for a late lunch. Paused in the last gully before camp - it looked too good, there had to be something in it. Sure enough, a stag stepped out 280m away. After a quick fumble with gear, I got a round through the base of his neck. Absolutely stoked, my first in hard antler.

Back to the hut that evening to find 5 guys already in the 4-bunker, they'd come up from the other hut because that was also full. I was quite happy to carry on and camp on the side of the track! Walked out on Sunday absolutely buggered and still bemused by the way everything unfolded, but not complaining  :Wink:

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## kawekakid

Just spent 4 days in the Kawekas
Te Puke tops .Feed is short  very low numbers up high  ,the odd stag roaring  Shot yearling hind,  skin and bone .had a good trip .Was snowing on pick up

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