Thread: 2 week South Island DIY / Potential US Swap Hunt

Hey @mallard833 some good solid tactical beards there, they'll come in handy for sure.

Just to echo two things already said... the wind on the tops. Its made many a trip a miserable failure, both in terms of the hunting (excessive windage / dodgy shots and getting winded by the game) and especially with the tents. Sounds like you are well equipped, but do please ensure you are fully prepared for proper gale force and negligible natural shelter. I found that carry a USGI bivvy bag enabled me to avoid having to pitch a tent in locations where wind made life very difficult. Not for everyone, but works for me.

Second thing is the driving on the left. Its the reverse for me of course, but when driving in the US wilderness areas I've found I'm very much at risk of pulling away from a quick stop onto the wrong side of the road. This when I am in maximum "awe" mode and the mind has drifted away from driving and onto the scenery, when there's bugger all else around, especially on gravel roads or narrow tarmac roads with no road markings. Its not the junctions etc that get me, when there's other traffic around I'm fine, its the remote areas with no visual cues that can be a problem. We have a DOC campsite at the end our road, and every year we watch 3 or 4 tourist vehicles casually cruising up the hill and past our place... on the right. And that's only the ones we see. Having done it myself I know how easy it is...

(I did this in Colorado once, neither me nor the South African I was travelling with noticed what I'd done until a F250 came towards us in the distance, slowed up and carefully parked across both lanes... we had an entertaining conversation with the fair minded driver, who ended up giving us the advice on locations that turned that trip from good to bloody fantastic...)

Also of course here in NZ we have hundreds of roundabouts, whereas you have hardly any. This is where many a tourist comes unstuck by dithering and getting rear ended, or failing to give way and getting t-boned. Roundabouts, especially the 2 lane ones, caused my back country Colorado cuzzies some problems at first.

You'll be used to the lack of water in some the environments you hunt in the US, on the tops in the tussock or on the rock, good water can be very hard to come by. A bit counterintuitive that, for such a wet environment, but if you're in a windy dry spell it disappears very quick. Has caught out many an unprepared bloke. Definitely a case of use it and fill up whenever you come across it.

We have very high UV levels here, it will still be quite high in March. Sunburn is a killer here, and again many a tourist gets hammered. SPF 50+ a must.

Saving the worst til last...

We have the sandfly, nature's most disproportionately itch size to insect size biting bastard, it will deliver an itch completely out of control to those with no built up immunity. High up you'll mostly be fine, but the minute you go down lower, especially on the West Coast, you'll get hammered. Ever been bitten inside your ears? You will fucking hate them. Cover up, use DEET, keep your tent closed and do not take sandflies lightly. Take hayfever type antihistamines proactively to control the itch response and use topical anti-itch creams immediately you get bitten, Anthisan is the best.

Good luck and please write up your experiences for us.