First DOC animals seen..........

So after my last trip I went back to the maps to see if I could locate some more DOC land to check out. I found what looked like a pretty good spot and organised an afternoon / evening hunt. While climbing to the tops I was surprised by a couple of chamois that ran down off a ridge and stood in front of me about 20m away. My rifle was strapped to my back and by the time I got it off and loaded up they'd gone. I went up through the bush where they had come down and there was another chamois up the hill from me about 100m away. I loaded up and found a decent rest. It fed its way over the ridge without stopping for a shot so once it had totally disappeared made my way around below it. I didn't feel that I'd taken too long to get around to where it should have been but next thing it was almost out of sight up the mountain. Unfortunately I didn't see it again. I had a feeling that the wind wrecked my chances as it often swirled. After about 7 trips to this spot I've seen chamois, deer and pigs AND a lot of sign. At some stage on every trip the wind has ruined my chances and often the animals I've seen are clearing off fast, no doubt having smelt me. There aren't massive pockets of bush, as you'll see from the photos so I feel that the animals that are there are spread over a fair distance, however maybe move around a bit. I've hunted it in every season now but have decided there are no doubt 'easier' places to find less pressured animals. It was bloody good to see animals on Doc land, it had taken a while. I will give it another crack there one day I'm sure!


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Wonderfully looking country. Re your rifle being strapped to your pack, this just means no wages for you this week.

nice looking country...keep going back,it will happen.

Climb in the dark, the thermals will be sinking, then mid morning they will rise and carry your scent away, leaving you free to hunt down on all the animals. Chamois especially. They always look down for danger

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Originally Posted by Jus

Climb in the dark, the thermals will be sinking, then mid morning they will rise and carry your scent away, leaving you free to hunt down on all the animals. Chamois especially. They always look down for danger

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really good advice - it would seem your positioning -the way you are hunting the country- and wind are the things you need to work out - have a good think about what happened when you see animals but dont get a shot - what could you have done differently - coming down on animals always good way of doing it

Man that country looks beautiful! Im sure you'll be connecting soon!

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Originally Posted by Jus

Climb in the dark, the thermals will be sinking, then mid morning they will rise and carry your scent away, leaving you free to hunt down on all the animals. Chamois especially. They always look down for danger

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Was scrolling down to write pretty much the same. Get up high and hunt down once you feel the breeze.

Nice hunting area,walk AROUND it if possible,not up thru the middle.Youl scent up the area as well.Sit high on top and watch down on it as the thermal heat rise.Youl spot yr animals befor they see or smell you.

What Jus said or camp the night up there away from the places you have seen animals & work the thermals/wind to your favour

Great to see that you're 'out there doing it', not just on here asking for someone's Spot X so you can get an easy animal.

Just getting up in the hills and nature should be the motivation, not just the meat/head from an animal - particularly on DOC land

Look forward to hearing about your next trip

That is amazingly good looking country!!!! There would have to be animals around the bush edges at dawn and dusk, have to be!

I've never strapped a rifle to a pack in my whole life! Mind you, at the time when I was carrying a pack in those sized hills, packs didn't have scabaths!

I all my hunting life I have hunted on half cocked, with one up the spout. I have a permanent indentation between my thumb and first finger of my right hand caused by holding the bolt in the half cocked position. I've tripped, fallen, crossed rivers and slide down slips all on half cocked and haven't shot myself in the foot ("YET!"). That first round goes up the spout the minute I leave the car, (excluding public walking tracks) the hut, or the tent, and it stays there until I stop for a brew or a sleep.

My advice is Learn to hunt on half cocked. Learn to carry a rifle one hand, whilst carrying a pack across steep country. There are always going to be animals which pop up twenty meters away, so be ready to hunt your feet first.

I know that today's super safety conscious NIMBYs will be SCREAMING at this post, but..........

I will head that one off at the pass
you hunt with bullet in chamber and bolt not closed....... the 1/2 cock thing is now reserved terminology for someone part way through gender realignment surgery ...or those who hunt with external hammer on rifle or shotgun.

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Originally Posted by Hugh Shields

That is amazingly good looking country!!!! There would have to be animals around the bush edges at dawn and dusk, have to be!

I've never strapped a rifle to a pack in my whole life! Mind you, at the time when I was carrying a pack in those sized hills, packs didn't have scabaths!

I all my hunting life I have hunted on half cocked, with one up the spout. I have a permanent indentation between my thumb and first finger of my right hand caused by holding the bolt in the half cocked position. I've tripped, fallen, crossed rivers and slide down slips all on half cocked and haven't shot myself in the foot ("YET!"). That first round goes up the spout the minute I leave the car, (excluding public walking tracks) the hut, or the tent, and it stays there until I stop for a brew or a sleep.

My advice is Learn to hunt on half cocked. Learn to carry a rifle one hand, whilst carrying a pack across steep country. There are always going to be animals which pop up twenty meters away, so be ready to hunt your feet first.


I know that today's super safety conscious NIMBYs will be SCREAMING at this post, but..........

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I agree in part with above - if you’re not on a public track and in an area with good sign then at least have the rifle in your hands with a full magazine, you never know when and where a handy animal will pop up.

Nice looking country!

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Originally Posted by Hugh Shields

That is amazingly good looking country!!!! There would have to be animals around the bush edges at dawn and dusk, have to be!

I've never strapped a rifle to a pack in my whole life! Mind you, at the time when I was carrying a pack in those sized hills, packs didn't have scabaths!

I all my hunting life I have hunted on half cocked, with one up the spout. I have a permanent indentation between my thumb and first finger of my right hand caused by holding the bolt in the half cocked position. I've tripped, fallen, crossed rivers and slide down slips all on half cocked and haven't shot myself in the foot ("YET!"). That first round goes up the spout the minute I leave the car, (excluding public walking tracks) the hut, or the tent, and it stays there until I stop for a brew or a sleep.

My advice is Learn to hunt on half cocked. Learn to carry a rifle one hand, whilst carrying a pack across steep country. There are always going to be animals which pop up twenty meters away, so be ready to hunt your feet first.

I know that today's super safety conscious NIMBYs will be SCREAMING at this post, but..........

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have hunted for well many years same way - ready- especially the blocks I hunt - deer around every corner almost- if in right place on block -and sorry I will keep calling it half cock even though I know that really should be for hammer guns -but its been half cock for to many years now

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I will head that one off at the pass
you hunt with bullet in chamber and bolt not closed....... the 1/2 cock thing is now reserved terminology for someone part way through gender realignment surgery ...or those who hunt with external hammer on rifle or shotgun.

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Not according to the 7 rules

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Originally Posted by Gibo

Not according to the 7 rules

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sorry..I mean/meant when said "you hunt" I was referring to the OP....... NOT you as in everyone..... these days in open country I often have empty chamber..at least at beginning of the day,or on tracks.

Thanks for all the feedback and pointers for the next time I'm up there, it's very much appreciated.

I will definitely be going back!

The country screams animals, won’t belong and the tide will turn in your favour, keep at it.

Joining the chorus with everybody else - bloody good looking country there! Might be hard work but if you're seeing animals keep going back. There's a local DOC block in Marlborough, I'm sure everyone who's ever hunted around Blenheim will know it and has had a crack. Got a road goes right to the bloody top of the hill, big country, looks really likely... Took me nearly six years to even see a deer up there, couple of attempts every year in different seasons. They're in there but the area gets an absolute hiding with such easy vehicle access putting you basically above the animals and on the ridges.