Best realistic walk ins for Auckland hunters?

Its been 25 years, still getting my gear sorted, hoping to find mature tea tottler mates like me to hunt with. I spearfish a lot so have something to trade ha.

Anyway, what is the best REGULAR walk in for Aucklanders, south of Taupo? Any tips of ranges not too hard to walk into that definitely hold dear year round? If its going to feed me for a long time I dont mind a long drive, if its worth it.

How much is a fly in price usually? Im trying to keep this low cost and about hunter gatherer.

Im not familiar with any deer spots in the far north but thats where I plan to retire in 15 years. Either that or Marlborough region as I enjoy gold prospecting.

Id rather not have to fly in, as with my spearing and kina, scallop gathering I want this to be about the hunter gatherer LEGIT lifestyle. Once out of our apartment I will get a chicken coup too.

You certainly have a lot of walk in options in the Rotorua - Taupo / central north island area with a number of different game animal species. My suggestion would be to invest some time into reading the Mark Draper - Mark Airey book Spot X. I have a copy of the second edition that you are welcome to have for a cup of coffee.

South of Taupo, I would say Clements Road, but then if I was Auckland based I would hunt the Kaimai's...as for fly in, too expensive if meat hunting.

Would any other option by to come down to Wang's and pay a $100 per deer to get a wild deer on a farm to get back into hunting, even flying you still mite not get on to then yet alone geting one.

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Originally Posted by hunt08

Would any other option by to come down to Wang's and pay a $100 per deer to get a wild deer on a farm to get back into hunting, even flying you still mite not get on to then yet alone geting one.

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That is way cheaper than flying in...but I do enjoy the whole fly in thing.

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Originally Posted by Land2Sea

Its been 25 years, still getting my gear sorted, hoping to find mature tea tottler mates like me to hunt with. I spearfish a lot so have something to trade ha.

Anyway, what is the best REGULAR walk in for Aucklanders, south of Taupo? Any tips of ranges not too hard to walk into that definitely hold dear year round? If its going to feed me for a long time I dont mind a long drive, if its worth it.

How much is a fly in price usually? Im trying to keep this low cost and about hunter gatherer.

Im not familiar with any deer spots in the far north but thats where I plan to retire in 15 years. Either that or Marlborough region as I enjoy gold prospecting.

Id rather not have to fly in, as with my spearing and kina, scallop gathering I want this to be about the hunter gatherer LEGIT lifestyle. Once out of our apartment I will get a chicken coup too.

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If you are living in Auckland - forget low cost...Head to Marlborough for retirement - plenty more hunter-gatherer opportunities and less "Aucklander or ex-Aucklander types." Anytime you have to travel for 5 hours (just to get out of Auckland on a long-weekend sometimes) it's no longer purely cost-driven. :O_O:

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Originally Posted by Nickoli

If you are living in Auckland - forget low cost...Head to Marlborough for retirement - plenty more hunter-gatherer opportunities and less "Aucklander or ex-Aucklander types." Anytime you have to travel for 5 hours (just to get out of Auckland on a long-weekend sometimes) it's no longer purely cost-driven. :O_O:

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This is what I found.......

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Originally Posted by DavidGunn

South of Taupo, I would say Clements Road, but then if I was Auckland based I would hunt the Kaimai's...as for fly in, too expensive if meat hunting.

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If you genuinely want/need meat, flying isnt a bad option, Venison schedule at works currently sitting at about $10-$12/kg (Schedule is bone-in, "on the hook" prices) translate that to end consumer prices and youre looking at $30 easy, fly in and come out with 30kg of meat..... plus you get the experience of some time in the hills which in my view is priceless

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

If you genuinely want/need meat, flying isnt a bad option, Venison schedule at works currently sitting at about $10-$12/kg (Schedule is bone-in, "on the hook" prices) translate that to end consumer prices and youre looking at $30 easy, fly in and come out with 30kg of meat..... plus you get the experience of some time in the hills which in my view is priceless

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If I spent less time supping this and more time hunting


Attachment 125534

But we were flying in style so why not

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Reading with interest. I have a 2.5 hour drive to get to Auckland before I even think about hunting spots. Having thought about it a bit, fly in makes so much sense for me given time limitations.

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Originally Posted by MB

Reading with interest. I have a 2.5 hour drive to get to Auckland before I even think about hunting spots. Having thought about it a bit, fly in makes so much sense for me given time limitations.

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"Time limitations" go out the window if the fly boys cant come and get you due to weather, I have spent the odd day or two waiting for the plane or chopper.

A meat hunt is not a bad option. Using a tank of gas anyway driving half way down the island, this way at least you know you are going to come home with meat for couple hundred extra dollars.
The joys of living in the big smoke

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

If you genuinely want/need meat, flying isnt a bad option, Venison schedule at works currently sitting at about $10-$12/kg (Schedule is bone-in, "on the hook" prices) translate that to end consumer prices and youre looking at $30 easy, fly in and come out with 30kg of meat..... plus you get the experience of some time in the hills which in my view is priceless

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I always reckoned venison cost me about $300 a pound, what with multiple rifles, practice ammo, a dog and all it's costs, 4x4 to look the part, fixed and rotary wing costs, the clothing, the list goes on.

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Originally Posted by DavidGunn

"Time limitations" go out the window if the fly boys cant come and get you due to weather, I have spent the odd day or two waiting for the plane or chopper.

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Well, if I'm stuck up a mountain somewhere, there's not much I can do about it. Work will have to suck it up :)

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Originally Posted by MB

Well, if I'm stuck up a mountain somewhere, there's not much I can do about it. Work will have to suck it up :)

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"Work" can be very non understanding when one does not show up, and don't always think you can just phone in...the best hunting is outside of cell phone coverage.

Fly ins are only worth the money in my opinion if you're already shooting deer regularly on walk ins.

Going to a good area via chopper isn't necessarily going to be a guaranteed animal if you are not shooting them normally

Remember a lot of area around Rotorua lakes is no hunting this time of year. Check on DOC website.

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Originally Posted by DavidGunn

I always reckoned venison cost me about $300 a pound, what with multiple rifles, practice ammo, a dog and all it's costs, 4x4 to look the part, fixed and rotary wing costs, the clothing, the list goes on.

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Yeh - back in the day, somewhere else, I worked out it was costing me the equivalent of $250/kg to catch fish...

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Originally Posted by DavidGunn

If I spent less time supping this and more time hunting


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That is a darn fine drop to sup.
Was just having a wee tickle of their port tonight. Unfortunately my last bottle is now but empty.

To be perfectly frank.... If you are after a "legit hunter gatherer" lifestyle unless you have a handy spot for deer then it's pretty much a waste of money chasing deer; especially flying in... For a holiday/break? Yup a great idea.

I'm trying to do something similar so I concentrate on goats for the everyday meat supply. Easy and cheap to get to, abundant, good meat and overall way more cost efficient to gather than deer. Unless you have a reliable close spot or a mates farm where you can easily pick up a deer or two.

It costs me about $30 worth of gas and a day to harvest 3 goats, get them out, skinned and in the fridge, That will give me about 40-ish kilos of bone-in carcass.

Hi Land2sea, welcome to the forum and thanks for your good introduction.

Of course people won't be tumbling over each other to post their best spots on the internet !
Some standard, well known, places like Clements Road and Waihaha in the Pureoras will come out but they won't be the best places.

I'd suggest getting in touch with Rushy and taking up his offer of a cup of tea. Then he can suss you out and point you to a suitable area (ie not advise a qick overnight weekend trip to Tarn Ridge in the Tararuas or some place up the top of the Whakatane river).

Flying in typically cost $1000 to $2000 depending how far it is and the size of the helicopter. A good place to start would be to look into joining the sika foundation which is a voluntary group dedicated to maintaining a healthy sika population and forests with some pest control. They run fly in sessions from time to time and those are probably the best value for fly ins at present. My rule of thumb is to only fly in to somewhere I have walked to before.

Guess I'm another Jaffa with country roots. I do most of my goat hunting for meat around Taranaki a couple of times a year. I'm free of full time work commitments now but of course that means I'm old enough to not be fast or durable enough for the hard yakka, young-fella bush bashing. Nevertheless I pretty much get there taking my time and usually accompanied only by my PLB. I've registered recently for DOC permits for upper half of Nth Island. Also joining Deerstalkers so going forward I wouldn't mind a like situated hunting buddy. I'm cool on riugh camping or using a spare barn, happy to cull where thats desired, e.g. private forestry block overrun with goats, in return for taking some meat. Not so fussed about trophy racks these days so can leave those for a block owner if required. An also a reasonably competent cook, house trained, responsible etc etc. Boring eh? Anyway I would not mind establishing a contact or two with chaps in similar frame of mind. I can travel under my own steam but am a bit allergic to the high dollar hi-life hunting gig - but each to their own. PM me if interested in a chat.