Thread: Heading up waipakihi next week

Depending on the weather, at this time of year, would you be going up the tops? Stalking up the side rivers? Watching every other little slip at morning and night? I was thinking watching any sort of slips morning and night especially if it looks like its been used as of late, and possibly up side river clearings and looking for possible higher altitude slips which would give them sika some sun during the day time

Too early for the tops but deer can turn up anywhere of course. I would be focussing on the lower-medium altitude areas like side creeks and sunny faces that will have most of the early spring growth. Spring is a little later up there but it should be starting now. Not many slips up there either. Mostly river flats, bush stalking or open tops. Goodluck

Yeah, thats mainly what I was thinking. Also weather dependant, we may end up over Napier. In which case, I will need to ask question on the Kawekas instead. So if anyone has any thought about hunting either or at this time of year, it would be appreciated.

Sun and food,out of the wind..all I go by..

Originally Posted by The bomb

Sun and food,out of the wind..all I go by..

Yep Think like a deer

Yeah cool, looking like we'll be up the kawekas with the current forecast. Have a few nice looking camps there well probably stay at. Sorry about my unknowledgable questions, but I don't have people to show me skills etc and have to learn it myself... but again, up the kawekas, would there be any use glossing the open top Clay pans in the sun? Or would it be best to glass the edges of the slips etc leading in from the bush line ? Sorry... just have had a few failed attempts in the past, and would like to help narrow down where I'm Looking.

Best December onwards, I've done alot in there over the years. Feel free to send me a pm.

Up the waiparkahi river is well worth a look as long as the forecast is fine there are heaps of river flats and they may be a bit of growth on them by now

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If walking up the Waipakihi, keep an eye on this site for the river level. Ideally you want it below 5 cumecs for an easy walk up. Plan B is to walk in to the middle by climbing over the Urchin track. I think it's a bit early yet for much growth on the Waipakihi flats so you would be bush stalking looking for fallen trees and light gaps. The altitude there is about 1000m ASL which is quite high. I wouldn't worry too much about bad weather up there this weekend. It's a long way inland and not much rain reaches it, compared even to Tongariro National Park.



In the Eastern Ruahines there are valleys and slips around 600m ASL and OK fresh grass there now.

The Kawekas are a fair long drive from Wellington. Put Makahu road into a map app and see how many hours to allow. I don't know much about clay pan hunting sorry. Don't leave your trip there till late summer. It's a very dry rainshadow area and I think there is a risk of being caught in a bushfire.

Originally Posted by Bagheera

If walking up the Waipakihi, keep an eye on this site for the river level. Ideally you want it below 5 cumecs for an easy walk up. Plan B is to walk in to the middle by climbing over the Urchin track. I think it's a bit early yet for much growth on the Waipakihi flats so you would be bush stalking looking for fallen trees and light gaps. The altitude there is about 1000m ASL which is quite high. I wouldn't worry too much about bad weather up there this weekend. It's a long way inland and not much rain reaches it, compared even to Tongariro National Park.

Attachment 151349

In the Eastern Ruahines there are valleys and slips around 600m ASL and OK fresh grass there now.

The Kawekas are a fair long drive from Wellington. Put Makahu road into a map app and see how many hours to allow. I don't know much about clay pan hunting sorry. Don't leave your trip there till late summer. It's a very dry rainshadow area and I think there is a risk of being caught in a bushfire.

Thanks mate, its next weekend were going, not this weekend. Which looks wet up the kaimanaws at this stage. Hence the kawekas, our plan was to go up makahu rd and camp at the campsite there and day hunt in and out of there. So hoping around there may produce, if anyone knows the area well and how to hunt it at this time of year if live some input on which are to look at there, or even a semi spot x

Always see em year round at the 900-1100 mark in Waipakihi

Lookin out the windy this evening there's a good drop of snow all over the tops of the Kaimanawas, down to about half way through the bush. Could still be remnants around in a weeks time

Originally Posted by XR500

Lookin out the windy this evening there's a good drop of snow all over the tops of the Kaimanawas, down to about half way through the bush. Could still be remnants around in a weeks time

Came to this thread to post the same thing

Originally Posted by Bagheera

If walking up the Waipakihi, keep an eye on this site for the river level. Ideally you want it below 5 cumecs for an easy walk up. Plan B is to walk in to the middle by climbing over the Urchin track. I think it's a bit early yet for much growth on the Waipakihi flats so you would be bush stalking looking for fallen trees and light gaps. The altitude there is about 1000m ASL which is quite high. I wouldn't worry too much about bad weather up there this weekend. It's a long way inland and not much rain reaches it, compared even to Tongariro National Park.

Attachment 151349

In the Eastern Ruahines there are valleys and slips around 600m ASL and OK fresh grass there now.

The Kawekas are a fair long drive from Wellington. Put Makahu road into a map app and see how many hours to allow. I don't know much about clay pan hunting sorry. Don't leave your trip there till late summer. It's a very dry rainshadow area and I think there is a risk of being caught in a bushfire.

I was thinking of heading in there this weekend. That site is showing still 12+ cumecs. Does that put it out of the question or still doable but not easy?