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Doing a trip first week of November into Gold Creek Hut. Anyone been in there before and willing to share any intel on the area? Have seen the hunters club episode from the block.
Looks like quite a massive block so with the hut on the edge of the south eastern boarder I’m definitely going to take the tent to camp away a couple nights depending on the wind.
Also packing the fly rod as reading up on the river there seems to be some decent trout in the river.
Probably 10 years since I've been in that block,think it was a winter trip coz it was bloody cold. Good hut,had a flushing toilet but no heating (I think helisika have put a gas heater there now?) Saw most of the deer sign to the north of the block on the bush edges but across the river is good to look around if it's crossable. Saw the biggest eel I've ever seen downstream from the hut,thought twice about having a bath after that! To the south towards Golden Hills was a primo little valley well worth some time glossing and chased a big 6 point stag looping around from there to the hut. Good luck,it's not a hard out block, feel free to pm me if you want to know more.
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All I know is that in the meat days it was a great block to accidentally wander into from the Boyds strip. :)
I recall nice little gullys holding good cover that you could stalk the edges of.
And very easy contour, and easy to move around in after dark...
Mate "I think if you went that far down river you would have been in the private block"
Me "Really???"
Tahr is correct. Plenty of little bush gullies that are worth sneaking along first and last light. Or if you prefer, get into the bush and have a look. Or if sitting and glassing is your thing then there’s plenty of that too. It can be quite hard work if it’s hot. Get away from the hut is my advice. Plenty of people walk 20min from the hut and make mention that deer numbers are low. Funnily enough, the further from the hut you get the higher the deer numbers are.
For clarity I haven’t hunted your particular block. But have hunted the block that borders it a number of times which is where the photos are from.
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All those photos are looking towards the Gold Creek Block. If my memory is right the ridge in the 3rd photo is the boundary to the Mangataramea block and Gold Creek on the true right of the creek and gives an idea of the little gullies that are around. The little ridge running from the left in the second photo is the same boundary but on the true left of the creek.
Possum with Hammer the first night, Trout in Pool below the Hut.
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Hut
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Did I trip in there hunt/fish probably 8-9yrs back. Heaps of nice trout in the river and plenty of deer once you get an hour or 2 away from the hut. Lots of hinds, saw bugger all stags. I guess the block gets a good hammering. Plenty of deer & sign SE from hut towards the Golden Hills block. Park up on hut side of Whakapaka Stm & watch the Nth facing scrub & bush edges first & last light. Or climb up thru that scrub on Sth side of stream there’s another big valley between there & Golden Hills block. Or wander northwest from hut up towards the beach. Lots of Manuka faces to look over.
Cheers for the info team. Is it boots terrain or trail shoes be adequate? Looking forward to it is a bit of an understatement :XD:
Will be targeting hind this time of year, in keeping with the Sika management program. Would expect most of the boys to have dropped their headgear
I have always worn boots on that block .
Although early for spring if the weather is good you will do well , there are some great areas to hunt with plenty of small grassy guts amongst the Manuka which will have new growth appearing , the Tussock is tall in places and easy for Sika to go unseen so hunt from above wherever possible and as always be patient , be prepared to hunt until dark .
Just got back from our trip, some great info but no one warned us about the tussock swamp hahaha was an interesting walk back to the hut on the first night when we suddenly dropped waist deep into swampy shite! Nearly 2 hours to cover 1.5km in the dark hahaha. Lesson learned that’s for sure, great block! Loads of animals, saw around 30 critters and shot 2. The guts are full of loads of fresh spring grass which meant the animals were in prime condition. Very easy block to make your way around, had animals out feeding until 11am and back out again at 5pm. Most animals were spotted at 300-600m away and we attempted to get all shots inside 300.
Highly recommend this block to anyone who’s got some fitness under their belt, watch out for the swamps and the bloody mingimingi!
