Thread: The ‘feed belt’

Hi guys,

Getting back into hunting after some time away starting a family. I’m new to hunting the Ruahines, but have spent 20yrs hunting other parts of N.Z. I have heard a lot of people mention the ‘feed belt’. Am I right that this is the bush zone immediately downslope of the leatherwood? I’m hunting the mid-western Ruahines. Word on the street is that’s the place to be spending my time stalking....

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

Hi guys,

Getting back into hunting after some time away starting a family. I’m new to hunting the Ruahines, but have spent 20yrs hunting other parts of N.Z. I have heard a lot of people mention the ‘feed belt’. Am I right that this is the bush zone immediately downslope of the leatherwood? I’m hunting the mid-western Ruahines. Word on the street is that’s the place to be spending my time stalking....

Sounds like you have it sussed

Ibelieve you are correct...where I normally hunt down here in sth canturbury the area they seem to feed in most of the time can be between 50-100yards altitude wise,sometimes much less.we dont have the same sort of transition zone here.... stalk up a gut/gully till you find fresh feeding sign...take note of altitude then sidle....

Awesome, thanks guys. Can’t wait till things warm up, huntings been a bit hard lately and the freezers getting a bit low...

Yes from my time hunting the Ruahines I found the deer either just below the leatherwood or on the slips and river flats. The bit in between was mainly crown fern and held few, if any deer