Harihari Hunting Advice

Hey Team,

Heading down to Harihari Labour weekend for a bow shooting tournament and will be heading out for a hunt afterwards. I have been looking at the maps and like the look of Hendes Creek which comes off of the Wanganui River.
Has anyone been up there and could offer some insight into what its like getting up the creek/ what the hunting is like.
Want to make sure I’m not heading into a shit show

Thanks in advance!

Hey mate,

All the flats around hot springs and Hendes down on the main river have plenty of deer.

Hendes has an ok creek head holds a few chamois, mixture of bush bashing and in / out of the creek to get to the head basin, on the true left.

Cheers for the reply bro, whats it like crossing the Wanagnui river? Or any suggestions on places that’d be better?

Wanganui can be tricky to cross. There's normally a good ford above Hot Spring Creek but its been moving around a bit the last few years. We have had regular fronts coming through here of the last 6 weeks which as meant that many of these rivers are uncrossable most of the time.

The walk up the valley takes a bit longer now as the road above the power station and up the hill to the quarry has been washed out so you will need to walk from the power station just off the highway. Allow a couple of hours to get to Hendes. Hendes pretty much as described by Southstag.

Cheers

You'll find more easy deer if you turn yourself 180 degrees from the Wanganui river bridge on SH6 and head downstream to Fontaine road. Check out WAMS, there's a shitload of easy country in that wide open valley system that is public land. You just need to know where it is.

Or you can head upstream and tip something over in in uber gnarly terrain and struggle back down across numerous flooded side streams to get it back to the wagon:P

The folks at the HariHari bowhunting club are pretty decent blokes, I used to get heaps of local hunting advice off them as a young fella. Listen to a few yarns while out on the course and I'm sure you'll get some good local knowledge

I second that.

Cheers guys, much appreciated

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jased81

Wanganui can be tricky to cross. There's normally a good ford above Hot Spring Creek but its been moving around a bit the last few years. We have had regular fronts coming through here of the last 6 weeks which as meant that many of these rivers are uncrossable most of the time.

The walk up the valley takes a bit longer now as the road above the power station and up the hill to the quarry has been washed out so you will need to walk from the power station just off the highway. Allow a couple of hours to get to Hendes. Hendes pretty much as described by Southstag.

Cheers

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Do you live in HH mate?.

No, i'm in Grey but go down that way a bit. I will probably be up.there before labour weekend so could give you a heads up what it's like

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jased81

No, i'm in Grey but go down that way a bit. I will probably be up.there before labour weekend so could give you a heads up what it's like

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All good thanks, wifey is from HH and we're over there every chance we can get....but as mentioned above weather has been crap and we can't get down the river. Hopefully it comes right as I need venison and wifey needs whitebait lol.

Punching down to the west coast from northland this weekend. Planning on heading up the Wanganui for a night or two. Thanks for the info above will have a look and report back. May even film it

Went up there over the new year allow an extra couple of hours over doc times if got a decent pack load . track is easily lost at times nothing major but does add to the route.
River was definitely not crossable even the lambert was to swift at hunters hut .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by XR500

You'll find more easy deer if you turn yourself 180 degrees from the Wanganui river bridge on SH6 and head downstream to Fontaine road. Check out WAMS, there's a shitload of easy country in that wide open valley system that is public land. You just need to know where it is.

Or you can head upstream and tip something over in in uber gnarly terrain and struggle back down across numerous flooded side streams to get it back to the wagon:P

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Probably a silly question bit what is WAMS?.

walking access mapping system

https://www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/map...or-access-maps

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Younghunter123

Went up there over the new year allow an extra couple of hours over doc times if got a decent pack load . track is easily lost at times nothing major but does add to the route.
River was definitely not crossable even the lambert was to swift at hunters hut .

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How long to hit springs creek? 2/2.5hrs? Any animals about?
Cheers

There's plenty of animals in the front country - just ask the locals.It seem everyone from north of Cook Strait are hell bent on pushing up the catchments close to the divide.Spoze it's good for your cardio vascular..
An easy morning shot for a Chammy if that's your target is the neighbouring Poerua valley.Drive to the end of Crons Road on the south side of Hari Two.Hunt the first and second side creeks on the T.R. Animals on the slips and you'll be back to the pie shop in time for smoko.
The takeaway tip is most out of towners go straight on by head down arse up past the easy ones on the coast.

Attachment 266969 Ford looks cross able just upstream of hot springs creek. 2.5hrs in stopping along the way. Less than 2hrs back out. Will try somewhere else tonight just looking at 1080 maps 🙄

Yeah the sods have dropped a fair few green carrots around HH recently.