Thread: Help out a begginer

Hey guys i am a newbie to deer hunting, i have done a lot of rabbit shooting and a small amount of goat hunting, but am a complete novice when it comes to deer. I live in rural Wellington and hunt in Akatarawa forest, (bush hunting for red deer). I mainly follow a river bed but also have had a poke round in the surrounding bush and seen plenty of sign (fresh prints and poo). I am only 17 and unfortunately no other family members are deer hunters so i don't have anyone to show me the basics. I am prepared to be very patient as i just enjoy exploring the bush and gaining experience, however i was just hoping you guys would be able to give me some tips to get me moving in the right direction. I have been told that the wind is the key, and to move SLOW and STOP often, and was just wondering what other things i should keep in mind or just general tips.

Any and all advice is welcome,
much appreciated Josh

Keep going in the direction your going the advice you have been given is sound.follow the fresh sign and spend a bit more time I'n the bush at different levels.
Good luck

Jase

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From what you're saying mate you sound like the best newly hunter I've seen come to this forum in a long while.
It's great you have a passion for the bush and just being amongst it all. It's a shame you aren't 2,500kms West or I'd be happy to take you out. Always love seeing someone with a true appreciation for the bush.
If you have any questions feel free to PM me and I'll help you as best I can.
Jack

if you want come along with me one day i can show you a few things, i hunt in the wairarapa so not far away from you.

Originally Posted by silentscope

if you want come along with me one day i can show you a few things, i hunt in the wairarapa so not far away from you.

well done that man. great offer

If your seeing fresh prints and poo your in the right place, but maybe not at the right time?
If your seeing fresh sign in the open try and stake out the spot at first and or last light.


Fresh sign in the bush, try and work out if its a feed area or if its just on the way travelling from river flats to bedding areas.(sorry don't know your area at all)

Thank you all for your advice, Veitnamcam i am local to the area and dont mind walking in there regularly for dawn and dusk, i have camped out there overnight and walked up the river bed 7km at dawn and dusk in hope of spotting something coming down for a drink as there are plenty of used game trails coming down into the river as of yet i haven't seen anything accept brown trout. The bush on the true left side of the river is where i see the deer sign, there are many used game trails running a few hundred meters in the bush parallel with the river i am wondering if maybe i should follow these instead of the river bed??

Is there any feed in the river or is it a gorge? If its gorgey they maybe using the trails just inside the bush as highways between old slips(feed) or just to move areas with the weather.
Find food find deer.

As i say i am very new to deer hunting so am not to sure of what im looking for in terms of sign and particularly "feed", but from what i have seen when i have been in there is that there is some browsing on srubs and small trees from deer near the trails in the bush although its not particularly fresh. There is the odd grassy meadow that i have found and can see from a vantage points but haven't seen that much sign in them. It is mainly just long dry grass not clover or anything however there is one large flate area that has pines on one side and native bush on the other and patches of clover and grass between, however most of it has been ruted up by pigs, there was some deer sign there but no where near as much as i see on the trails near the river.

Keep looking Dawg, it sounds like you are in the right areas. By the way, are you the Dawg that Randy Jackson talks about when he says"Yo, Yo look it here Dawg"?

Rushy, Thanks for your advice, and know my name Dawg has no relation to randy Jackson

Buy or get from library "red deer in new Zealand" by lentil and saxton.

Great information on all things deer.

This is one of the many game trails that run parallel to the river.

Sure that's not a doc track!

yeah trust me there are no tracks in this area