Clements 8/9 January

Quick trip report from Clements over the 8th/9th Jan. I can't tell you where the Sika are as I didn't find them but may be some useful intel for you regardless. I hunted three zones, all north of the road.

1. North side of road near Quarry. Started here but pulled the pin as there was very little sign/activity and wasn't 'feeling it'
2. North side of road near Kapako
3. North side of road, west of Kakapo

Few recent tracks, scattered sign but nothing fresh.

Bush is very dry and noisy underfoot, very difficult to stalk quietly despite recent rain. Also the howling wind turned into dead still so no noise protection there. Probably a better time of year to park up on a clearing than bush stalk in there at the moment unless you're a lot quieter than me (admittedly not a high bar).

Pretty quiet on the road, a few cars/people but not many. Suspect it's probably been very busy over Christmas. Clearing had maybe 4-5 groups staying. Most other campsites empty or near empty

Only had an evening and a morning to hunt, focussed on hunting right up to change of light so I never got very far from the road, perhaps not far enough? Heard one shot not too far from me on the morning of 9th, north of Kakapo near the forestry presumably, might have been somewhere on here and if so hope you got'em.

This tree stump got the pulse going and a round chambered...
Attachment 266823

Excellent, nothing like stalking in undetected on a tree deer. Had a couple of brilliant stalks like that myself. Had to chuckle when you posted that image.

Yep that would of got my attention to and made me look more closely.
Generally the further back you get off the road the better the sign and numbers are, but plenty get shot close to it as well.
Summer bush hunting in beech forest is harder going especially without wind, rain or creek noise.
At least you've got some intel for next time you're there.

Just came out of there with my lad.
Can confirm it is SUPER dry and noisy as anything.
We went south of the road before quarry. Loads of fresh sign the higher up we got towards Manawakarau.
Heard one or two and tried to make our way towards them but couldn't get through without making what I consider a huge amount of noise.
Agree, it's a good time to park up with a decent view of a gully.. tough going at the moment. Great day out in the bush though and the road is in great condition as well.

The old horizontal line in the bush that gets your attention. At least you weren't like the 2 young fellas in there 13 years ago that put 6 shots into an orange coloured tree stump before deciding it wasn't a deer. My brother and I were just a little bit scared. Luckily we weren't too close.

Was in there before you as well. Never had so much wind in there. Branches falling everywhere, small tree fell on my car at 2am which made a loud bang and woke me. Found the best country I have ever hunted in there but every couple minutes the wind would be up my arse. Saw one bouncing off at about 10m but only got its arse in my scope so didn't get a shot. Very dry and not alot of sign in most places so think I may give it a miss until the end of summer

Hahaha love how they put 6 rounds into it. Just in case the first 5 didn't kill it...