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Righto guys, after the HUNTS course, reading the Lentle books and various tips on here, I am pretty confident about being able to find goats and deer in the NZ bush.
My next mission is Mr Piggy :D Shooting, not stabbing :o
In general, what should I be looking for ?
Same types of areas as deer and goats ? Dawn /dusk ?
im not sure about up there but down here its very hard to catch a big boar out in the open they tend to be cunning and hide. I cant really help with tips on stalking pigs since I use my dog or wait for them in the evening
Tinui got some pigs outa there in my younger days. Spouse it all changed? Past the old Tinui pub there used to be an old conc bridge with a 52 Skoda imprinted on it! Go right,down the track, into the back of Otahome Station, but back then you just needed a permit to access. Probably all in hay these days?
Macca, Tinui Station is/was up for sale Tinui Station Homestead and Homestay Cottages - Realestate.co.nz - bit out of my price bracket though :D
What I am keen to understand is what type of terrain should I be focusing on. Best time of day etc ?
have you got access to a private block where you can bait them up?
Without dogs the best success I've had is late afternoon onwards , if they haven't been hastled they are happy to come out well before dark . Spring and summer is harder to spot sign ( digging) as they graze more .
Anywhere out the coast, used to be good, or the pines round TokaroaQuote:
Originally Posted by ebf
Nope possumer, doc and regional council land, definitely pigs on the regional council land.
Just for interest, what do you bait them with ? Carcass ? Any species better or worse ?
Sheep and goats worked well when we use two bait them at lambing time,Quote:
Originally Posted by ebf
I'm sure you old use anything for a hungry pig, the like there dead stuff aged:)
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any rotton meat works. they love goat sheep and cow. if you have spots with huge scrubby faces sit and watch for awhile. or try find their wallows in summer and sit and watch them. ive noticed at my block the main wallow gets used just before dark so we head up and see a pig in it most times
Doughnuts ??
Spuds, most to country I've got pigs in was fairly open, where pines had been cut from with rubbish,, re growth, soft ground
Or pines steep banks, either side of vehicle track and running water, close country, but with dogs
Read Terry Ngaphiki's book, might have a copy you can borrow
Hopefully someone with some local knowledge can point you in the right direction, failing that recall any pig sign you have seen on any walks, do some research, even ask a pig hunter where your best shot with out dogs would be
Also ask about , even drop an add in some sort of ag or local paper offering pig control without dogs, plenty of cockys are not so keen on dogs, especially around lambing, they will also be getting into maize crops during the season, could be worth ringing a maize contractor and ask if he knows of problem areas
This time of year they will be keeping out of the heat and starting to get up and mootch about late arvo onwards, and hitting the more open areas just before or after dark
South facing cool gullies/ valleys with moisture, springs etc, pigs will leave plenty of sign in areas they live in, from poo to nests, wallows, digging, nosing, hook trees, grazed grass, plucked seed heads etc
Not sure of the berry types in your area, but in summer the berry drop will bring pigs out from the pines and thick rubbish to feed and also camp up if conditions are good
Try some plucked possums for bait, 2 o 3 here and there, check them once in a while and add some more and also maize if you get them feeding on them, they cant say no to maize once they get a taste
A game camera is worth its weight in gold too, saves a heap of guess work when you do find a likely spot
The Terry Ngawhika book is a good read, one of Kim Swans books, I think its Grunter hunters don't quote me, but it has a bit about diet, habits etc. quite informative rather than just storys - I will check it out I have it somewhere
pm sent
ebf in answer to your question "what should I be looking for?" I am sorely tempted to say "Pigs" you will know when you see an area where that have been rooting as it will look like Dundee has been in there with a plough. Bush stalking pigs is generally low percentage hunting unless you know where they are coming out to feed around the fringes of a farm land. That said I know a fellah that has an annoyingly good record at it so it can be done.
Round here any large bit of forestry cut over that has been been left for a few years is guaranteed to have pigs in.
Gorse for cover and heaps of rotting logs for grubs for food.
In the native cool wet gullys and areas of braken and fern.
Cheers guys, much appreciated :thumbsup:
Pan B is to get some tips from possumer and turn Fred into a pig finding machine :D probably have to find a miniature tracking collar, coz the little fecker has a mind of his own :o
Now your talking, does Fred need a mate, I know of a 3yr old foxy that's looking for a new home, male, good with cats stock etc, too much for a young family with another child on the way
Mate you are in Wellington, theres heaps of them in a pen down town......trying to disguise themselves as bees :P
Yep thats where Ive shot most, good description, Ngamu might be another option be know nout about acess, but must present this type of enviroment down thereQuote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam
them foxys have their own built in tracker haha well mine does anyway. pm me if you wanna chat.
Macca & moonhunt, thanks for the book recommendation. Mrs got it from central library for me, good read :thumbsup:
iv seen them up the haurangis and tararuas in the same areas i look for deer, so if you go up there youre likely to find em anywhere.
Now you have to read 'Two dogs and a rifle' -Ken Cuthbertson, the first book written about pig hunting in NZ I think
And if you enjoy a good story any of Reg Carrs books are great, more modern times in northland
[QUOTE=moonhunt;188058]Now you have to read 'Two dogs and a rifle' -Ken Cuthbertson, the first book written about pig hunting in NZ I think
Yep good read,