Thread: Bettison Stream Tahr Hunt

A group of us did four 2 week missions into Scone Hut as a base. These were in the late 60's and early 70's and all were walk in.

It was an interesting time as far as wildlife was concerned
- plenty of whio and keas, probably not exaggerating to say 100s.
- no rats or possums
- no deer, although we shot one stag at the confluence with the Barlow that came to see what we were, even after a couple of shots by one of the party that all missed. We also got a hind down by Nolans Hut which was still private at that time
- plenty of tahr on the ridge behind the hut, accessible via the first creek down river; we never got any trophy bulls of the standard we see today, but there sure were 100's if not 1000's of them up there, fire a shot and the whole hillside stood up and scarpered
- chamois not so plentiful but we all managed to 1 or 2, more of them in Scone Basin

We blazed the route from across Scone Creek up to the boulder field mentioned by Seventenths. Used that route to explore the Bettison and Prospectors; never attempted to get into the Bettison - that place just looked too scary. Not so many animals up that area at that time.

I have always meant to do a chopper flight back in there to see what it looks like these days, I am past being to climb around there, but it would be great to do a fly over.