Thread: 42 Traverse

Spent yesterday going back over an old haunt...ye gods the deer sign there has gone ballistic since I was last there. Appeared to have had a mob of sheep moved along the first 8 k or so of the track. The carpark at the end of Kapoors road was all churned up with recent sign. Anywhere the animals have a bank to negotiate to get down onto the track there are deeply incised fresh churned up slots. All along the track the water tables and open areas were mown off clean. Further into the 42 Traverse the sign lessened. I suspect the animals are being drawn out to where the farm paddocks now have abundant grass.

For the first 8 ks or so all the watertables looked like this



The slip that has closed the 42 Traverse main track is only about 150m wide. Interesting to see that the quad hunters have not made any effort to push a track through. I suspect the quad hunters on the western side are happy with that outcome!

If I was 10 years younger I would have ridden the bike all the way across, but I don't bounce at all these days, when I fall off.



Would only be a few days with a 12 tonne digger to clear the slip. Obviously 1080 has a higher funding priority.
The bypass has been deeply rutted by quads, as always happens. And the spotlighters are easy to follow by the trail of discarded Codys cans along the trail.

A local said the carpark sees about a dozen hunting/ 4x4 parties each weekend camped up. So the weekdays would be the time to visit.

Having said all that, the topography in that part of the Tongariro forest is horrible to hunt. Its either 5m point and shoot action, or from ridgeline to slip shooting, and you have to know where the shooting possies are, or you will waste an awful lot of sweat.

There are easier bits of Public land to hunt, and perhaps thats why the numbers have crept up so much.

And lastly, the Public land in there is all higgilty piggilty around the edges, so look at the WAMS maps to ensure you know what is actually public.

Been thinking of putting some time in down there, especially now my home patch is effectively of limits for my dog for the next 6 months.

Camped at mill car park a couple of months ago, found sign and spooked one but as you say, that was tiger country.

Originally Posted by 7mm tragic

Been thinking of putting some time in down there, especially now my home patch is effectively of limits for my dog for the next 6 months.

Camped at mill car park a couple of months ago, found sign and spooked one but as you say, that was tiger country.

Bit late on this one but how was the bush? Scrubby and thick? Looks like plenty of tracks to use too?

Cutover regen. Or at least a fair bit is where I was anyway. Can't go over it, hard to go under it

No deer in there mate....

Haha, nah, This is where i tend to go in for my hunting as well. And i suspect with Pureora getting some green rain, a lot more people might be heading a little bit further south this year.
I used to go into 10man a bit before the cyclone, but got put off that with the volume of 4x4 guys/girls coming through. Peaceful hunts turned into loud trucks and dirt bikes ripping up and down the track. I think the closure of the track did put a bit of a damper on the volume of vehicles along the top track.

I think its due for 1080 later this year, be safe, it'll be busy in there this year.

Checked it out in weekend, walked into a stream with rod and rifle, caught some good fish and found some very nice bush to stalk but no animals seen in this area. Had one starting to make some noise in behind camp but one other hunter was already up in the area.