Thread: Forgotten Highway

I just drove SHW 43 - on the long way back from a family holiday in New Plymouth - Wife and daughters flew home so I could dawdle. I have never seen so many wild goats on a road! It had just stopped raining so maybe they were coming out to feed. I saw dozens on the road and verge, stacks more on the old railway line and hundreds if not thousands anywhere I stopped to check out the countryside. Wild country it is too. I can't imagine how hard that stuff would be to get through if it was still covered in bush.
I wonder do the farmers down there muster them and sell them?

Sounds like nothing has changed since I was last there in the late 90's. Could also see a fair few pigs from the road as well

I've done this journey and the number of goats made me drool. The farmers just want them shot.

Yer plenty of goats around there. Believe a few our now rounding them up but most want them gone. I've heard the going rate is around $50 each.

Awesome, almost intimidating looking country in there. I couldn't believe the steepness of the terrain. Would be a major job hunting some of the bush.
Only been through once, a few years ago now. Must do it again. Saw plenty of Goats, plenty of roadside Pig tracks.

Originally Posted by lostagain

I just drove SHW 43 - on the long way back from a family holiday in New Plymouth - Wife and daughters flew home so I could dawdle. I have never seen so many wild goats on a road! It had just stopped raining so maybe they were coming out to feed. I saw dozens on the road and verge, stacks more on the old railway line and hundreds if not thousands anywhere I stopped to check out the countryside. Wild country it is too. I can't imagine how hard that stuff would be to get through if it was still covered in bush.
I wonder do the farmers down there muster them and sell them?

Alot do as they are worth a $ or 2.
It's still hard to find places to hunt them.

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Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP

Alot do as they are worth a $ or 2.
It's still hard to find places to hunt them.

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okay very little of what you see from the road is DOC land - what is has good goat populations - especially the hill section from Wangamomona heading south over the saddle towards Stratford - all the rules of hunting apply -what is DOC i,e our land public estate yes lots of goats - permission to hunt not so great - they have a value and here is how it works - when some of the lamb chains at local works close they will for awhile buy goats and then those cockys muster and sell feral goats so they have a dollar value - permission is the key - but that DOC land just south of Wangamomona over the saddle bush hunt it full of goats - but all those road side buggers on private land nah

I live just off the highway. Yep we muster them where possible but bluffs in many places make easy escape routes for goats. Plenty get shot but they are pretty good breeders and after a while shooting them isn't very sporting and gets to be a chore. Lots of farmers around here like us will have some people that regularly are allowed to hunt as they are trusted.They are often seen on the road sides as there is heaps of feed the and the fences don't mean much to them.
You can always door knock. You never know. Farmers can only say no. Like a lot of private land hunting it can be ruined quickly not so much by over shooting but gates being left open etc. we have also had some poor shots in the past. Know of one 3 legged goat that I need to try and catch up with in a neighboring doc block

I love that drive, last time I went through there was a huge amount of sheep being relocated via the road. Patience is the key here and some jockstrap behind me in a flash car was tooting and yelling. I had to get out and give him a tune up

Originally Posted by Gibo

I love that drive, last time I went through there was a huge amount of sheep being relocated via the road. Patience is the key here and some jockstrap behind me in a flash car was tooting and yelling. I had to get out and give him a tune up

good on ya - need more like minded like you -

Its a road to travel cautiously. Meet a stock truck on a blind corner and you will be the loser. Sheep and cattle on the road is standard practice out there

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_..._(New_Zealand)

One of the most beautiful tiki tours one could take…

Its i the process of being sealed now. Which will ruin the charm of the journey.
Very historic past in the area , and some interesting folk who live there now

SIL has a mate with good dogs. 12 yrs ago it was "there's a mob of 300plus goats on the back pastures, go shoot them all please". Now its "we get $65 +- a head at the goat, just shoot the ones with big balls that defeat the dogs" lol, and grab a couple of meaties for yerself.

Any locals want problem goats shot on the FWH area give me a yell. I have good local references and a couple of young fellas with experience who are a lot fitter than me..

It's my go to drive now between home on the coast here and heading to Turangi. Might only be 10-15min more drive time at the most than going Mokau/Piopio but I find it so much more relaxing with barely any traffic. Last trip home I even picked up a young French couple on the edge of Taumaranui (barely see any hitchhikers these days). Stopped for a break at the Whanga pub so they could take it in a bit. It's a great bit of the country. And yeh, riddled with goats.