Thread: Best peaks/slips/flats parks for glassing? (keen to try this out over bush stalking)

The SI is a glassers paradise, where the NI tends to largely be thick bush. I really am jealous of the open mountain peaks in the SI.

Been out for 15 years, overseas, been underwater shooting. Mostly interested in filling the freezer for winter not trophy's but the better I get Im sure that will change along with the more meat in the freezer.

Im keen on doing multi day weekends. Im more interested in peaks and glassing for the freezer than stalking in the bush.

Have a couple of questions to try improve my chances of success, of course feet on ground experience will take time anyway.

Which parks or public land areas in the south to mid NI have the best peaks for glassing for a feed? (is there any statistics on deer numbers per location?)

Which park would be considered the most productive or largest number of deer in the NI?

Im doing my own work with doc info, old posts on here, looking at google earth. It seems to me Tararua has a lot of open tops/peaks. I guess that whole desert area has a lot of tussock peaks. Is there anything similar in the other more central areas like the Kaweka and Kaimanwas?

I'd love an indicating dog, but have no experience with this type of dog. My mrs wants a pet, which kind of makes an indicating dog not possible given how much leg work they need daily. Not sure if there is any use in a Lab/Header type mix?

Best way to find good people/mates to hunt with, join a club?

Buying the SpotX, but thought some general tips for my preferred style of hunting in the NI may get some help.

Go easy guys, not asking for specific spots and clearly just trying to find my bearings with the sport/hobby/food.

There have probably never been more deer in NZ than now. Most places will have deer. Just pick a spot and go. If no deer first time, give it a couple more goes then try elsewhere if no luck. Make sure you stay right till dark or get there before first light if hunting the morning

The Ruahines north of the Tararuas is holding a lot of deer, lots of slips , river beds and open tops. Big country so go prepared.

Originally Posted by stug

There have probably never been more deer in NZ than now. Most places will have deer. Just pick a spot and go. If no deer first time, give it a couple more goes then try elsewhere if no luck. Make sure you stay right till dark or get there before first light if hunting the morning

Thanks mate, still remember the basics. Its a lot like fishing in some ways with the twilight hours etc.

I guess what Im trying to do, given Im in Auck, is narrow down where Red deer and Sika are in their largest numbers where there are peaks that I can climb with open areas like Tongariro that I can glass. ie if there are closer spots with this type of hunting Id be much obliged the general areas. I look at some of the east central areas and they just look like bush everywhere, so they dont looks suitable for what I want to be doing. ie not a lot of tussock areas at the tops of the peaks. Although the Kiawmanawa's and parts of the Kaweka have what Im lookin for. Would be super keen to meet some middle aged gents and ladies into similar hunting as well.

Ironically I use to work on a deer farm bahaha ;-p. Was much easier back then.

Currently just getting everything sorted including the fitness. I might miss the roar, but thats ok, catch it next year. Fitness is incredibly important imo.

Originally Posted by Mooseman

The Ruahines north of the Tararuas is holding a lot of deer, lots of slips , river beds and open tops. Big country so go prepared.

I had forgotten about Ruahine, some peaks there for sure, just looking at google earth. I imagine under a days walk in?

What would be the closest drive in, well one that isnt packed?

Also would be good if there was a Maori land overlay, I want to make sure I am respectful.

Starting to find more places of interest using the DOC areas, finding a likely looking area, going to google maps, then youtubing nearby huts.

Is there anything else I should take into account when scoping out an area?

Wondering what areas like Kawekas are like for camping in winter. I prefer a swag, sometimes a fly.

The Tararuas can be brutal. Beautiful country for sure but not the most accessible tops.

You don’t need an ‘indicating dog’ to hunt open country. Get anything smart and happy to keep you company during the hours sitting glassing the headwaters. For the hunting you are looking at doing she will become more valuable recovering your kills than indicating the live ones.

Find some of the huts in your chosen area that are maintained by ex forest service or the local tramping club. Enjoy their character and history and use as a base camp into the head of that river catchment.

Round ruapehu might work find a road end & go for a walk

Look on the Dept of Conservation hunting permit site and for each area they have a jpeg map showing the permit area and that is all public land not specifically Maori. Te Urewera is both. You get a permit from a special web site. That public land is honeycombed with maori land. Sorry not much glassing country there but i just thought id mention it.

Around waiouru there is a lot of open country of defence land we cant hunt on.

Some hunting areas require permission from pakeha owner or more important manager to go across to access the public land. Contacts numbers are either on the doc permit or available by phone from the nearby doc office.

The main north is ranges with open country hunting are rimutakas tararuas ruahines and kawekas. Best time of year is spring and mid summer. From may onwards bad weather and fewer deer out make them less hood.

A lot of the tararua tops are actually leatherwood with just spurs in tussock.
Without giving away a spot X quite a good place to visit would be kime hut / mt hector. Go in from otaki forks (sorry theres a poxy road walk to start). Theres a good amount of open country there and a hut and well marked track for some safety. A few people have died up there but take it easy and you’ll be fine. Will give you an idea of the middle end of the spectrum of north island tops hunting. Not many people hunt up there ( a long way to walk) so deer should be quiet. A long drive from Auckland (full day) plus a full day to walk in so youll need a pretty long weekend,

As said Ruahine Tops on the western side is loaded, no helicopters hunting like the SI, get up there, you will soon find deer, from now to March is the best time!!

Kimanawa and Kaweka tops offer some fantastic hunting.

Originally Posted by Bagheera

The main north is ranges with open country hunting are rimutakas tararuas ruahines and kawekas. Best time of year is spring and mid summer. From may onwards bad weather and fewer deer out make them less hood.

I think the Raukumara has a lot of maori land as well doesnt it? Is the easiest way to just stick to the Doc Maps to be assured not crossing private or Maori land?

Thank you on the open country, that is what Im looking for and am seeing on google earth. Which of those gets the least pressure? It would be nice if they published estimated numbers for each.

Just on summer hunting, couple of questions. Its fawning season isnt it? So shooting hinds, whats the thoughts around this period of time? Also I use to use a meat hanging bag, but even those in summer with the crazy amount of blow flies, is there any better way to keep the meat cool and aired?

Surprising how much you forget after a couple of decades living overseas.

A lot of it for me is just being out there hiking and seeing our big native trees and the occasional birds where there isnt a lot of predator pressure. Im lucky in Auck we get a lot of native birds now thanks to Tawharanui and Tiri etc. I see they are worried about the growing number of deer and pigs in the waitaks. I hope they employ some hunters and trappers. I thought must have been Fallow down from Woodhill, but apparently reds, which would suggest have swum over from the other side of the manukau (which would be an insane effort) or somebody has deliberately released them. Sure its a shame we dont have more deer in Auck, Northland, Coromandel, but I personally would rather have our native birds and flora. And its not like driving 5 hours for a long weekend hunt is that far to drive. The priority has to be on native NZ fauna and flora over hunting which I think most hunters appreciate. With DOC staff getting cut by Keys govt and the statement "ecology is everybodies right", which is a bit like sacking Drs in the hospitals and saying "health is the right of all NZ'rs", anyway I think its really important hunters and DOC work together now with the lowered numbers of staff available at DOC, luckily most councils also have their own staff. But I think hunters and trappers should be part of the DOC system, not seen as just "contractors" or recreational "hunters".

Originally Posted by SPEARONZ

The Tararuas can be brutal. Beautiful country for sure but not the most accessible tops.

You don’t need an ‘indicating dog’ to hunt open country. Get anything smart and happy to keep you company during the hours sitting glassing the headwaters. For the hunting you are looking at doing she will become more valuable recovering your kills than indicating the live ones.

Find some of the huts in your chosen area that are maintained by ex forest service or the local tramping club. Enjoy their character and history and use as a base camp into the head of that river catchment.

Thanks mate. Yep do intend to use and pay the honesty boxes at the huts. I know a lot of DOC folk and we really are lucky with the work they do to give us access and help keep us semi comforted with huts. Very lucky indeed. Some have sooo much history which I love.

I was thinking more around Ruapehu flats that doc land sits on, not sure exactly where as I havnt hunted there before.

As for a dog, I agree. I do wonder what a Lab/Header dog mix would end up like haha. I see a lot of labs on hunting videos. And they are probably the best pet dog for families. Although Im a staffy lover, Im not sure how good they would be out and about, they are strong minded, so would have to be heavily trained. Might make an ok god for bailing up a pig though. I seeing more and more red dot sights used with bailed up pigs, I guess just need to wait for the moment dogs are clear.

Originally Posted by hunt08

Round ruapehu might work find a road end & go for a walk

That is the exact area I was thinking about when I said Tongariro, I just havnt been there before so have zero idea where the deer are in that area, so any tips (not asking for spot x) where to look on the aps would be appreciated. cheers :-)

Originally Posted by Bagheera

A lot of the tararua tops are actually leatherwood with just spurs in tussock.
Without giving away a spot X quite a good place to visit would be kime hut / mt hector. Go in from otaki forks (sorry theres a poxy road walk to start). Theres a good amount of open country there and a hut and well marked track for some safety. A few people have died up there but take it easy and you’ll be fine. Will give you an idea of the middle end of the spectrum of north island tops hunting. Not many people hunt up there ( a long way to walk) so deer should be quiet. A long drive from Auckland (full day) plus a full day to walk in so youll need a pretty long weekend,

Cheers for that. I think I was mainly thinking about the tussocky higher country of around Ruapehu etc. I will go look at Kime Hut after this. What have the peopled died from up there, what safety issues should I be aware of?

Everywhere is a fair drive from Auckland to be fair. But thats ok. I use to commute 5 hours a day in Aus and once drove my 100 series, my 20ft boat and all my gear in it, straight from Wollongong to Perth, only stopping for Gas and pee breaks, took turns with the GF, 5 hours on 5 hours off. Took 54 hours, not bad for a ~4500km drive haha. Even though the big 8cyl uses a lot of fuel they have a massive reserve tank so was getting about 900km between tanks.

Originally Posted by Shearer

Kimanawa and Kaweka tops offer some fantastic hunting.

Yes indeed, scouting some good areas. I know a lot of people Fly into hunt, I cant afford that and to be honest for me, walking a full day is part of the enjoyment.

I have a big pair of Nikon binos, they a bit heavy for hunting, I might have to invest in some good budget friendly glassing gear. Perhaps a scope that I can attach my cellphone to, just to record memories of seeing animals not just for killing them.

Im mostly interested in meat hunting, but like anyone if I see some mutant Elk come out Id love to bag a trophy stag. But in between the kia moana, I want to fill the freezers. Despite buying directly from purely organic pasture fed meat. free range chooks and eggs, I still have the yearning to hunt for everything we eat. We grow our own Vege at home.

In saying that Im not sure if hunting is cost effective given the cost of gear, but it must pay for itself fairly quickly, 30kg of meat lets say, minimum avg of $20 kg (back straps would not be cheap and that eye one under the ribs, where something like the fronts only good for mince) thats $400-600 a trip, $150 petrol. $300 of meat, 10 successful trips and gear is largely paid for.