August Hunting

So i finally thought I'd made a step up on this hunting down south thing haven't over the last year started to see multiple animals on every trip. Even convinced myself to buy a camera as I wasn't seeing anything that I really wanted to take home as I don't have the freezer space for excess and I was easily replenishing it when It got low.

Then of course winter set in and I have hardly seen a thing since. A few Tahr and 3 Hinds on the "other side of the boundary ridge. So this time of year where would you focus. I'm based in Christchurch but hunt the South Canterbury region mainly. I'm planning a trip for the weekend either into Arthur's pass or on the coast.

Where would people be focussing this time of year I've been targeting north facing slopes and sunny benchs. Would love to get a Cham as I haven't had any luck with them yet. Have seen a few Tahr hunting but had already shot a Bull Tahr so didn't want to get greedy so a quick snap through the scope and I let them be. Haven't seen one since...

Also if anyone wants to go for a hunt I'm just going alone so wouldn't mind the company of someone with a bit more experience.

I’ve been up behind Avoca Homestead a few times in the winter and never been disappointed. All depends on the river level for the crossing at the homestead... see below. Two roar hunts, two stags, two winter hunts, two hinds.

Last two times I’ve been there its just been me and the millions of mice in the house, two nights.

The deer have been low down, browsing in the gullies. I got this one there a couple of weeks after the roar 2 years ago.

Attachment 92765

Haven’t got a pic on this iPad of the last hind I got there but it was flippin’ big old girl, just about broke myself carting all that meat down the mountain.






(That is a serious business that crossing, in a vehicle, last time I was there I arrived at dawn to find a bloke on the other side with a completely rooted, drowned Hilux. He went in at the end of the track without thinking, where its bloody deep. As soon as his fuel tank became submerged it lifted up the rear axle and started to float the back of the truck. He was damned lucky not to go all the way downstream, what saved him was he hit a large root ball and tree sitting in the flow, and that knocked the vehicle onto a bar and he just got enough traction to drag himself up the bank. He has his window open, water pouring in! Brown trousers! When I arrived he was gobsmacked, how did I get across? I drove upstream to where its shallow and I walked it first in daylight.)

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

I’ve been up behind Avoca Homestead a few times in the winter and never been disappointed. All depends on the river level for the crossing at the homestead... see below. Two roar hunts, two stags, two winter hunts, two hinds.

Last two times I’ve been there its just been me and the millions of mice in the house, two nights.

The deer have been low down, browsing in the gullies. I got this one there a couple of weeks after the roar 2 years ago.

Attachment 92765

Haven’t got a pic on this iPad of the last hind I got there but it was flippin’ big old girl, just about broke myself carting all that meat down the mountain.






(That is a serious business that crossing, in a vehicle, last time I was there I arrived at dawn to find a bloke on the other side with a completely rooted, drowned Hilux. He went in at the end of the track without thinking, where its bloody deep. As soon as his fuel tank became submerged it lifted up the rear axle and started to float the back of the truck. He was damned lucky not to go all the way downstream, what saved him was he hit a large root ball and tree sitting in the flow, and that knocked the vehicle onto a bar and he just got enough traction to drag himself up the bank. He has his window open, water pouring in! Brown trousers! When I arrived he was gobsmacked, how did I get across? I drove upstream to where its shallow and I walked it first in daylight.)

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Haha I did that first time I went too, but luckily didn't drown my truck, certainly was a brown trouser moment. Never seen an animal up there but I'm still pretty new to this.
Might have to head back up there weekend after next if your keen ? @Stocky

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Originally Posted by dannyb

Haha I did that first time I went too, but luckily didn't drown my truck, certainly was a brown trouser moment. Never seen an animal up there but I'm still pretty new to this.
Might have to head back up there weekend after next if your keen ? @Stocky

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I'm always keen mate if I'm not working I'm up for it.

Yes they are hard work up there @dannyb. You have to get well away from the tracks and pick a good solid game trail and sidle into the wind looking up and down the gullies. I have always had to wait til right on dusk and by that time its getting a bit parky and its a long long way home in the dark.

When the temperature drops to the point the inversion starts and the cold mountain air starts falling down hill, that’s a bloody good time to start glassing the bushline above you, looking for the animals popping out on the scrubby clearings. You only have a while so the day needs to be spent scouting for strong sign.

Once before when there were 3 or 4 trucks parked at the homestead and I walked up to Broken River Hut and had the place to myself, but the climb up the spur upstream from there was pretty brutal. Thinking about it now there have been two nights out in the bivvy bag under the fly up there, due to being way too far from the hut after the kill and field dressing to get back safely. It is busy sometimes up there, but the animals are around.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

I’ve been up behind Avoca Homestead a few times in the winter and never been disappointed. All depends on the river level for the crossing at the homestead... see below. Two roar hunts, two stags, two winter hunts, two hinds.

Last two times I’ve been there its just been me and the millions of mice in the house, two nights.

The deer have been low down, browsing in the gullies. I got this one there a couple of weeks after the roar 2 years ago.

Attachment 92765

Haven’t got a pic on this iPad of the last hind I got there but it was flippin’ big old girl, just about broke myself carting all that meat down the mountain.






(That is a serious business that crossing, in a vehicle, last time I was there I arrived at dawn to find a bloke on the other side with a completely rooted, drowned Hilux. He went in at the end of the track without thinking, where its bloody deep. As soon as his fuel tank became submerged it lifted up the rear axle and started to float the back of the truck. He was damned lucky not to go all the way downstream, what saved him was he hit a large root ball and tree sitting in the flow, and that knocked the vehicle onto a bar and he just got enough traction to drag himself up the bank. He has his window open, water pouring in! Brown trousers! When I arrived he was gobsmacked, how did I get across? I drove upstream to where its shallow and I walked it first in daylight.)

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Nice mate I have avoided the area in the roar due to numbers. Well I avoided all areas for the peak of it. Sounds a good one current plan for the weekend is to due a loop up the Bealy spur and glassing in to the Jordan catchments if snow allows. Still coming up with backup plan

There always used to be a few chamois hanging around the Jordan and Anticrow area well worth a look. After a fresh snowfall tracks easy to see too.

Deers metabolism slows down in winter to cope with the lack of quality feed and they tend not to move around as much to conserve body weight/energy so just because you aren't seeing them doesn't mean they aren't about. I don't tend to chase them mid winter as I like fat ones! But try north facing where's there's shelter, above the frost line in cold valleys, or just above the bush line if there's tussock and it's below the snow level where they can get a feed, soak up the sun and be close to shelter from weather.

Failing that Kale or swede paddocks :thumbsup: