Thread: Canterbury Fallow Deer

Hey team, really keen to get onto my first Fallow this year, and was hoping to do some scouting missions early in the year. I’ve hunted most of the blocks that DOC says have numbers, but am yet to get eyes on any. I’d appreciate any general information about their behaviour, and where and how to hunt them within these blocks. As well as general areas of the South Island I may have better odds? Cheers guys, Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all.

Go down to Tapanui area (Blue Mountains) and try not to hit one on the road

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Go down to Tapanui area (Blue Mountains) and try not to hit one on the road

Haha that sounds tempting, never been that way but looks very nice.

Just another average night on the Canterbury roads.

Slow down.get out of bed earlier.use feet less and binoculars more.stay till dark.rain won't make you melt.fog can be a curse but also your friend.you don't see many from on the couch. Get out and keep looking. Thirty five years ago they were VERY hard to find. Now they are reasonably easy to find,private land holds lots in places so be aware of boundaries.

Originally Posted by jamiehogan

Hey team, really keen to get onto my first Fallow this year, and was hoping to do some scouting missions early in the year. I’ve hunted most of the blocks that DOC says have numbers, but am yet to get eyes on any. I’d appreciate any general information about their behaviour, and where and how to hunt them within these blocks. As well as general areas of the South Island I may have better odds? Cheers guys, Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all.

They are at most places that list them just don't see them every trip. If your not getting into country without huts or tracks your not looking hard enough. Call DOC they are pretty helpful and will give spots not necessarily in the website.

They aren't Reds and are often in different spots and often the population can't deal well with pressure and relies on surrounding private land so they may not even be in public when you look.

Also if anyone has spots that aren't listed on DOC please don't post it on the internet. It's forever and it might be someone else's go to. Some of the spots I've found just by running in to them and them someone posts a video or on social and the spots super busy the following year.

With the huge wealth of info available you will be able to find them but it may take visiting the same spots a couple times. There are multiple populations within an hour or 2 of Christchurch but the easiest is probably the more traditional routes in South Canty.

Well said Stocky...much more diplomatic than I could have put it.

Thanks heaps guys, good knowledge. Slow down is probably the best piece of advice, patience has never been my strong suit. I’ll take the camera out for a walk this week and see what I can find.

Fallow are "poppers" - orher than last light you need to watch over a wide expanse of likely country for at least two hours before you'll see something move, then within a minute of two you'll be seeing a bunch . .
.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Fallow are "poppers" - orher than last light you need to watch over a wide expanse of likely country for at least two hours before you'll see something move, then within a minute of two you'll be seeing a bunch . .
.

This is great info. All of the first Fallow I found when I started was within 30 minutes of sun up or sun down often by accident. Once you know they are there if you glass Matagouri or any cover (they don't need much) in the day you will often spot them in the gaps as they move.

I have found in the 70's fallow herds seemed to stay in the same areas . In the Greenstone anytime in the day
you could have a bomb up and next day back in the same place . Just a matter of glassing a likely place more
than walking .

Originally Posted by oraki

Attachment 265882
Just another average night on the Canterbury roads.

Yeah -- I just took a drive down manchester st & I didn't see any.

Originally Posted by flock

Yeah -- I just took a drive down manchester st & I didn't see any.

That's because you were in south south Auckland.

One other tip.early morning if you can get sun behind you so your looking into faces where sun is hitting they just pop out.if sun iss at low angle the brown fellas simply cannot hide as there pale plus stick out like neon signs.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

One other tip.early morning if you can get sun behind you so your looking into faces where sun is hitting they just pop out.if sun iss at low angle the brown fellas simply cannot hide as there pale plus stick out like neon signs.

Sun is your torch.