Big Pig Marks - Riverhead Forest and other urban animals

Took the family dog for a decent walk today and came across some decent pig marks including a real big one. I used to manage this forest many years ago and the pigs were very shy with so much pressure but good to see a decent one is still around.

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Woodhill nearby was a TB free zone and we used to hit any pigs hard and you never saw a possum due to intense control but recently there seems to be way more along the the explosion of deer as the nearby lifestyle blocks provide protection. I’ve been seeing a few deer in the middle of the day just waking the dog also near the common public access points.

Also saw two Canada geese this week feeding on the grass near the Esmonde Road on ramp to SH1 - one of NZs busiest intersections. Some good Flounder in the harbour also…..you don’t always need to travel far.

anything not zoned rurally is not worth the effort and risk. Hence why you will get bold deer and pigs since no one can sort them out legally.

how long ago did you manage it? i'm a woodhill forest kid but later lived in riverhead rd

Animals adapting to what New Zealand will become in the next 20 years, 100% pinetrees and (overpriced) housing developments

sure they arent reds? Am in there every second day packwalking and regularly see BIG red prints at northern end. Have only seen 1 small bit of pig sign, where they took apart an old pine stump, in 2 years.

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Originally Posted by Huntnfish4vr

sure they arent reds? Am in there every second day packwalking and regularly see BIG red prints at northern end. Have only seen 1 small bit of pig sign, where they took apart an old pine stump, in 2 years.

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Could be Reds

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

how long ago did you manage it? i'm a woodhill forest kid but later lived in riverhead rd

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About 20 years ago

There was a time when you could knock one of and discuss it in the pub,now knock one of and the armed offenders discuss it.

have seen them, wallows, browsed coprosma, and trail cam photos from Coatesville side dont lie.
Go have a wander off end of Escotts Rd or along forestry roads and skid tracks (Rahanui, Spinlay, Houston) - you'll be surprised what you see.

There were over 1000 Fallow taken out of one private pine forest between Woodhill and SH1 over a one week period last year.
Definitely the odd red around, not many in Woodhill, but some in Riverhead and surrounds as already mentioned.

One of the main council/Doc contractors has pulled the pin, compliance is too expensive and too hard. Kauri dieback, H&S, Police regs, Iwi, and the general population’s anti hunting stance.
Numbers are going up very fast.

I used to pig hunt riverhead a bit.
Pigs were very shy and would seldom be found near a road. Always hung out in bottom of gorse filled gullies or around toitoi.
They were runners too. Was quite normal for them to run for hours if a dog was tracking them.
Hunters used to release pigs in there a lot. Duroc, saddleback X etc.
They’re well used to humans.
Was no need to be quiet when hunting them. More we sounded like townies walking their dogs the more pigs we got onto.

Was talking to locals couple of times and they told me stories of what they’ve seen. Big ginger boar that was huge. Big black boar standing in middle of road late at night refusing to move even when honked at.
When they’ve been hunted hard they often hang out just over the back fence of lifestyle blocks.

Last time I went there my old main dog refused to even go down into the gorse. I’m feeling a bit the same way about the place too lol.

Was always plenty of red deer sign in western end and behind rifle range.

@Forestry S.D...? Still have that autographed copy of your book mate, and I'm still in the same spot!

Cheers, Ray.

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Originally Posted by Maddoghunter

Was always plenty of red deer sign in western end and behind rifle range.

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HAHA I wondered about that area.

The lifestyle blocks will be a great reserve for both game animals and pests.

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Originally Posted by Huntnfish4vr

sure they arent reds? Am in there every second day packwalking and regularly see BIG red prints at northern end. Have only seen 1 small bit of pig sign, where they took apart an old pine stump, in 2 years.

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That’s a pig mark

Beg to differ. In there yesterday going crosscountry and found beds (with deer hair) and identical big prints in them. A number of other similar prints through various other parts of the forest. All very "pointy". Must say they are BIG.

We currently have a forestry crew there who are generally there from wee hours of the morning. They haven’t seen any sign in last 3 months as opposed to crew in woodhill who nearly hit a few on the drive in every morning. Who handles the pest control for riverhead - would guess it’s a no hunting zone?

I don’t think anyone does. It’s always had a few posssums lurking around.
Always plenty of dog walkers in there so any close to the roads get clobbered by the local Jack Russel’s 🤣

Has been thrashed by local pig hunters for years. You can’t get a hunting permit for the place so any pig hunters with a gun always keep them well out of sight.
In the 5 or so years I hunted it I never actually saw a deer, just their marks in certain areas.
The pigs in there are extremely hard to catch and you’ll pretty much never see any rooting etc up by the roads. They stay down in bottom of gullies, usually in a place where they can smell dogs coming.

This was my location FYI

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yep. Deer prints along Rahanui/Campbell and at end of most skid tracks off those roads, and also further east/north between Escott/Spinlay, and in the mature pines between Whakatahi/Blake. Out there at least twice a week and see them every time.

You would have been on the gorsey/clay track between the newer plantings (with thick gorse/pampas) and more mature forest.

Been out there, with the dogs, for the past 10+ years
Never seen any deer or pigs, plenty of rabbits and fired shotty and 22 shells though.
I assume the locals spotlight the place ?
Rahanui Rd used to be my ‘go to’ but lately the whole forest has got a lot busier.
Never seen so many horse riders, mountain bikers and dog walkers.

Forestry. That area on the map Ive never been to. That whole side of the forest used to be known as “the nursery”. That is, strictly no hunting. It was an area for sows to have their litters in peace.
Was always a sad time for anyone caught intentionally hunting it.

Another walk today in a different area and more deer prints. Not far from Robinson road. A few interesting fungi also

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Biggest pig I ever saw in there was on Old North Road early one morning in the cutover when I was driving to work.

I’ve done some culling work in Auckland and there is more around then most people realise

Out and about in Hunuas today and came across recent deer prints in two locations


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Area had been 1080d about 6 months ago so they must have come back from nearby

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was in riverhead saturday morning and saw heaps of hoof prints just up road from the where they're currently logging by the range, where it goes back into the forest then does some gentle ups and downs. Thought they were deer but couldve been pigs now I think about it as there was quite a lot of little prints.

Found a rub earlier this year at northern end of the forest. I'm 6'. Wouldn't mind catching up with him.
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Forestry
Those marks in hunua will be pig.
I’ve pig hunted in there a lot last 15 or so years and have never seen a deer mark.
Having said that though a friend of mine saw a young stag at Wairoa dam early one morning once.
Every year the council fly the place on a frosty night with thermal gear looking for deer.
There has always been a lot of deer behind the 2 big quarries at Papakura and drury. There’s a corridor of scrub and bush from there to hunua ranges. The council hunters hammer this corridor to prevent deer establishing in the ranges.

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Originally Posted by Maddoghunter

Forestry
Those marks in hunua will be pig.
I’ve pig hunted in there a lot last 15 or so years and have never seen a deer mark.
Having said that though a friend of mine saw a young stag at Wairoa dam early one morning once.
Every year the council fly the place on a frosty night with thermal gear looking for deer.
There has always been a lot of deer behind the 2 big quarries at Papakura and drury. There’s a corridor of scrub and bush from there to hunua ranges. The council hunters hammer this corridor to prevent deer establishing in the ranges.

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The council and doc managed to get hunua goat free they reckon so the cullers would have shot any deer/pig they came across too.

I shot this in Woodhill one year. Smelly, scruffy bloody thing.

Confined deer in Hunua

Notice received today to stop access while sorting

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There are alot of deer right up to the Hunua boundaries - particularily on the Clevedon side. Council cullers have been in an around monument road and have shot quite a few. There will definately be deer in the Hunuas.

😂😂
If the deer are up to monument rd then they’re as good as in the park now.
By that notice I’d say some must’ve been seen on the paddocks down that valley.
I’m backing the deer on this. I doubt council will have the resources to throw at keeping them out.