Thread: Bivouac etiquette

Found a well setup bivvy in the central north island over the weekend. Someone’s obviously put a lot of work into it and it was stocked with firewood ready for the roar presumably. There was a log book with a few trip logs from 2018 and a couple of comments about “Bivy bludgers” not supplying firewood (no brainer) or beer. Left my phone number there as I would be keen to use it sometime, anyway who else has found huts and Bivvys in the bush? Do you frequent them?

If it's not on private land, there are no rights held by the "builder" having said that, use and leave in exactly (or better) the same nick you found it in. Log it for future use.

Found one around Kaikoura. Very weird since it was only about 90 mins walk from a proper DOC hut. Just a small grubby shack hidden in the bush about 200m from a track. A dirty mattress and a fireplace inside. Fairly well constructed, with stone and wooden walls, a tin roof, chimney, and a door.

My first thought was P lab / drug den but far too small, no equipment or rubbish, and the location didn't make sense.

No porno stash or dead bodies nearby either.

I'm at a loss as to its purpose.

Cant be one of ours
Ours were all Yellow with NZR written on them :-)

DOC let us keep 2 too !!
Mind you - I am talking 80's

Found a few in central NI as well and around Clements mill but only used 1 of them and left it cleaner than what it was, it did feel a bit weird like sleeping over in someone else’s house! It’s just about respect for others I recon

Originally Posted by Sarvo

Cant be one of ours Ours were all Yellow with NZR written on them :-),...

Ah, I have been wanting to meet you for a long time, Nathanlal Zacharia Reid as I have been stumbling on lots of your branded possessions, mostly tarps, all around NZ for some years now...You must begetting on a bit in years by now.....Or is it a family name which keeps getting handed down to the eldest son?

I wouldn't leave my gear at someone's bivvy. I'd stash it a bit of a walk away from it.

But I'd have qualms using it. Just don't trash the place and never tell your mates.

Last thing you want is it to be well known.

Originally Posted by Pommy

Found one around Kaikoura. Very weird since it was only about 90 mins walk from a proper DOC hut. Just a small grubby shack hidden in the bush about 200m from a track. A dirty mattress and a fireplace inside. Fairly well constructed, with stone and wooden walls, a tin roof, chimney, and a door.

My first thought was P lab / drug den but far too small, no equipment or rubbish, and the location didn't make sense.

No porno stash or dead bodies nearby either.

I'm at a loss as to its purpose.

haha I know a couple of bivvies within 20 mins walk of very well serviced doc huts.

This one is 3=min walk from a road!nice big tho and stopped for a brew a couple of times over the years..no deer in th though!!

Originally Posted by Sarvo

Cant be one of ours
Ours were all Yellow with NZR written on them :-)

DOC let us keep 2 too !!
Mind you - I am talking 80's

NZR don't make "bivi' covers of that quality any more.

Public land public property but show respect

I have a bivvy I made about 6 years ago that has a couple of other users, I left a felt on my little table and wrote a welcome message, I've had two replies and a phone call from one guy I'd bumped into in the Bush area a couple of years back. I'm happy for people to use it as long as they don't leave rubbish and happy to share it if in there at the same time, mine is in the Ruahines nicknamed black bivvy by one of the visitors

I know of 4 in Clements,all within an hours walk of the road,sometimes stop in for a brew if he weather is crap,most are rat magnets in the winter though.

I found one recently and have been trying to track down the owner. Didn't really want to put a pic online of it but if anyone recognises this bivy I'd be keen to have a chat about using it.

Cheers
Nick

Found a new one on Weds when walking the seaward Kaikoura range. Made of cut foliage. New as the leaves were still partially green. Missed it on the way in at 4am. Looks like the lodgings for some keen roar hunters.