Thread: Hunting along the Milford track.

My cousin, her husband and my wife and I are walking the Milford Track the first full weekend of May and I have been threatening to carry my rifle. I am aware there is no shooting within 500m of the track, but that isnt discouraging me. I feel there will probably be time on the shoulders of the day for a quick mission if something is spotted.
Is that allowed?
Does anyone know if its worth the extra kilos?
Am I likely to encounter aggravation from other users?
Cheers.

its in an open hunting area so go for it.

Thought about it myself years ago,first day is easy going after that I don’t think it worth the drama,take your phone and see if you can get a photo of deer ,coming back to the crowded huts smelling of deer ,and carrying a gun wouldn’t be looked upon well I don’t think.

Yeah, enjoy the tramp and the company, leave the hunting for another time.
By leaving the rifle at home you will of course see a massive stag on the last day

In most places you will struggle to be able to get 500m from the track.

Keith Severinson hunted that area a bit back in the day. Mainly on the Milford sound side. Diamond Creek was one area he mentioned

Originally Posted by The bomb

Thought about it myself years ago,first day is easy going after that I don’t think it worth the drama,take your phone and see if you can get a photo of deer ,coming back to the crowded huts smelling of deer ,and carrying a gun wouldn’t be looked upon well I don’t think.

Then the occupants should piss off to kumbaya land where Snow White tucks Bambi into bed every night. He has the RIGHT to carry his rifle and hunt deer. They do not have the RIGHT to impose their new age woke kumbaya strange trampery people views on real people. Farmers rights matter too. Cutting the cable will help.

As far as I am aware it's no different to say walking along the routeburn or Kepler with a rifle. No bolt in,mag empty, pointed In a safe direction at all times. And then venturing off and putting the bolt in and filling you're mag 500m away and not pointing towards the track.

However having checked DOC website it shows no information regarding hunting or fishing. Best to ring the Te anau office to find clarity on the matter.

If you want to carry a rifle go for it, never know your luck

500mtrs off track gives animals a 1km wide safe zone to live in......that a heck of a lot of hectares with zero control happening....whos dumb idea was this ??? either a shot is safe to take of its not,either a background is safe of its not.... but yeah yeah I know...thems the rules.

The last road trip with my wife into deep South Island, we encountered several times with wild animals when we were driving down the tracks. Red deer, only about 20m away, bunch of them in tree line, even I stopped the car, and walk towards to them, they even did`t move until I was too close. Goats, hares, rabbits, pigs...can `t do anything.