We are quite blessed here in the nelson /tasman region for bush stalking because theres a huge area of country to look for a deer.
One of the key things you need if you taking up bush stalking is a area where there are actually deer in it . It doesnt matter what gear you got,
how good a hunter you are, what you do , but if the area you hunting doesnt have animals you have no chance.
So clearly after getting the gear you need, the main thing you need to find is a area or areas to go and the rest if the bush stalking secrets will come over time and experience.
Now i get asked alot from people starting out where to go, they cant find areas where there are deer and it seems thats a major problem for the ones starting out bush stalking.
What i have discovered in many cases trying to help these greenhorns out is they have actually been going to areas that hold deer but their inexperience, and not knowing what to look for
and hunting the area the wrong way they just dont see the sign, see any animals and after hours in that block decide theres no animals in there.
Of Cause they are wrong . They probably spooked animals, walk right past them etc and havnt even known.
Experience comes with hours on the hill, in the bush and you learn new things on every trip, be it if you know or not but its true.
I cant help them there unless i went with them or i probably could if i went into a number of tips in detail that help them but thats for another time.
Here, i just want point out that its not that hard to find areas that have deer, its just getting them thats hard but will become easy after time.
Today, even thou a heavy rain warning was issued i decided to go to yet another new spot i had no idea about to look for a deer.
This spot has good looking native and thats always a good start. Second, i had some good infor from another trip when i went past this spot. I stopped on the way home
and checked out the road edge that had soft mud and guess what, i saw some deer marks.
So that told me if there are deer marks there, there are deer in that bush so its worth a look.
So i arrived right where i saw the marks 3 weeks before, picked a low ridge that looked a easy climb to get deep into the country and went for a wander.
Straight away i had to cross a little creek 5 mins in, even thou its rained recently creeks are a great spot to look for sign as deer go there to drink and seem to always vist such places.
Yes, as soon as i looked around i saw deer marks in the creek which i now know this spot has deer and im in with a chance.
When i got on the ridge there was a game trail about a foot wide, well used but no fresh marks on it thou. still, this tells me animals use this ridge often and confirms animals are
in here.
I wander up for awhile, only see the odd old mark but the higher i climb the better the country looks for a deer.
Finding feed areas and getting the right height is key in the bush to find the deer. Lower down the bush was open, not much feed and deer tend to be often 3 Quarters up
the hill so thats where you have to head.
When i got some height, i see the bush changing, more broadleaf trees and short fern and thats normally a good sign.
While i was standing there, thinking this looks good for a deer only 60yards to the right i hear the crash and look and see a groupof 4 good size deer making a run for it.
Bugger, they were in a wee hollow along side me and i just didnt see them. Tried to line up a shot as they departed but the option just wasnt on the the deer were gone.
Still, the great news was first time here, and i find 4 deer just like that and if had a little luck would of got a easy deer and that would of made it 3 out of 3 in going to new spots.
Experience has got me the results , even in spots i dont know i pick the righjt sort of ridge, climb high and look for the sign and follow my nose and i normally do alright.
After losing those i sidled along to the left to a couple of other ridges and here i found fresh deer marks and old deer beds.
It was clear those deer had been living on a couple of ridges 200m to the left and had cut across higher up to the ridge i was on hence why i didnt see any Fresh sign on way up.
I know i prob could of found another deer as going higher im sure there certainly be a stag up very high and other deer.
If not on the ridge you pick to climb you have a good chance on another ridge you go down and you have the advanatage if you hunting down on animals.
So just taking note of a deer mark on the side of the road has lead me to another spot that holds deer and im sure i get one next trip in there(if not unlucky).
Sol, if looking for a spot, find some DOC land that has mature native. Bigger native means it be more open, easiler to see and move quiet and oftens better stalking for a newby.
When you get there, hunt with the wind in your face , and look for sign. the key thing is make sure animals are in there.
Find a ridge with a worn game trail, or follow a creek and look for a game trail heading into the bush and follow that. always be prepared to climb high, higher the better.
Look for marks, shit, broadleaf trees that have signs of been eaten. If cant find sign, walk faster, cover more ground, cut across to other ridges and find that sign.
Find sign and take it slow, but hard yards maybe requied. Climb high, always get to the spot first light.
Deer will tend to be lower down first thing or slowly heading back up high.
The wind will be in your favour first thing when climbing high, time you get very high or to the top the wind will be in your favour on the way down.
If you see sign and its not that old, theres deer in the area, It doesnt matter if you gone 5 times and seen nothing, if theres sign theres deer so dont give up and keep
going back and cover more country, they in there.
I often go to spot and sometimes walk 20 mins, no sign i just drive up road and look again. Just covers ground and when you see that sign you in.
I have so many spots now i couldnt hunt them all in a year now and im still hunting for new spots. Theres just something about tracking deer down in a new area.
Good thing is now im not only finding the spots but im finding the deer in the first trip in there as im hunting the right areas and covering the ground and prepared for a full day hunt
to find those animals.
Anyway, deer areas are easy to find, just finding the deer can be tricky but thats the beauty of a bush stalker cheerrs
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