Thread: Hunting the Akatarawas

Hey Guys

I'm pretty new to big game hunting, yet to take my first animal
I've been hunting the Aka's from the Kapiti side and am just wondering if anyone has any tips on finding deer in there

I've tracked up a ridge and saw 1 pig, couldn't get a clear shot. Have wandered up a few gulleys/rivers and saw nothing, is there certain elevation the deer usually stick to?
or am I better off driving further north into the tararuas

Cheers

Welcome aboard. Someone down there will have an answer for you.

be handy to know what you saw in the way of sign - saw nothing - do you mean saw no deer or saw no sign and no deer - no deer sign i.e prints droppings means no bloody deer -but sign around but see no deer means hunting technique just needs fine tuning

hey mate
I hunt karapoti from the upper Hutt side its bloody hard hunting in the Akas
If I was you I would be heading into hydro valley at first light or dusk and slowly walk around the grass
do you have a quad?

not much deer in the akatarawas bro, they are there but not many. id be heading into Waiotauru Hut, and towards renata hut. the roads been blocked to it for a while but walking access is possible. Id imagain the deer populaiton has boomed in there. Theres plenty of deer hanging around rikeorangi also, even on the locals famrs. weve shot a few on there, all reds though. id prob travel a touch further and head into the the linkes of mangahao area, behind shannon etc. or further up and hit ruahines alongt pihongina valley.

Used to hunt in there in the 70's. Was always a hard hunt. Vegetation and topography is pretty much a nightmare. There's soo much better terrain and opportunities further North.

Hours spent hunting (Incl your driving time!) will be more productive further North, even as far as the Southern Ruahines.

Exactly what others have said. I would rather drive for 2 hours to avoid that shit and hunt less often. Even driving up the Whariti Rd and hitting the track for 30 mins and then turning down a western ridge will get you a deer easily enough. Find a good posse where you can see onto grassy slips. Don't lose too much elevation. Sit down and start glassing through your binos. If nothing, change locations. Do the same. Sitting on sharp spurs off main ridges where you can look into 2 catchment by not shifting far is a good plan. Best time will be 6pm and later at the moment. Take a GPS and good torch because you will be walking home in the dark. Good idea to have a mate with you for the first excursions.

Keep at it and stay on this forum. Its a great information source.

https://nz.geoview.info/whariti_road,180968776w

Been there, done that, many moons ago. Surprised you did not get run over by motor bikes or baled up by pig dogs. It's a playground for these types, hence what deer are there are really good at hiding in the thicker regenerating bush.

Originally Posted by Slug

Been there, done that, many moons ago. Surprised you did not get run over by motor bikes or baled up by pig dogs. It's a playground for these types, hence what deer are there are really good at hiding in the thicker regenerating bush.

think less pig hunters go up these days as the amount of 4wd clubs that go through is insane. you could pass over 20 trucks on a nice weekend day. ( before the slip came down anyway !! )

My staff have seen a few on Akatarawa rd at night, very close to the Waikanae township.

I've seen a few, but all down the SW end where you're not allowed to hunt.

Because they found some Northern Rata in there it has had a dose of 1080 about 6 months ago

A few possums on the road but not nearly as many as before
Hares and bunnies on the Waikanae side

Don't leave a vehicle at the summit - too many scrotes about

Someone with more recent experience may put something up but definitely easier to get about if you have a quad or bike

GWRC post out free registration for bike riding and send you this map which is helpful

https://arac.org.nz/akatarawa-forest...access-tracks/


Also it is DOWN Devils Staircase and UP Rockgarden, don't ask me how I know
If you go into either, have a winch on yr quad or a light trials type bike, NOT an XR500
Again, don't ask

...Hold my beer


They haven't been looking very hard. The Northern Rata was everywhere when I frequented the place. But that was some time ago.

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

be handy to know what you saw in the way of sign - saw nothing - do you mean saw no deer or saw no sign and no deer - no deer sign i.e prints droppings means no bloody deer -but sign around but see no deer means hunting technique just needs fine tuning

I saw some tracks around where I saw the pig, and have seen a fair few plants that looked like they'd been nibbled on but no droppings or anything obvious

Originally Posted by Larskramer

not much deer in the akatarawas bro, they are there but not many. id be heading into Waiotauru Hut, and towards renata hut. the roads been blocked to it for a while but walking access is possible. Id imagain the deer populaiton has boomed in there. Theres plenty of deer hanging around rikeorangi also, even on the locals famrs. weve shot a few on there, all reds though. id prob travel a touch further and head into the the linkes of mangahao area, behind shannon etc. or further up and hit ruahines alongt pihongina valley.

Yeah I had a feeling it was that way, mint I've been down there a few times in the past in my truck I know the track pretty well but I haven't hunted it I'll check it out. That's good to know too I've been eyeing up rikeorangi as well

I've been up the Mangahao road a few times I know the area, I've noticed there's what looks like some large ish clearings just past the 3rd dam/basin thing so I've been thinking of heading up there for a few evenings


Appreciate the advice a lot, from all of you guys!!