Hunting NI - Inland East Coast? where to start?

Hi all, I am heading from akld to Wairoa next week for family matters.
I've never done any hunting over that way before so figured i'd try to get some deer stalking in friday/saturday on my way back.
I have options which way i go, either via Napier-Taupo, Waioweka or Waikaremoana & i figure there's a heap of options through there - but i have no idea where to start.
Just wondering if anyone could recommend an area as a starting point that might be worthwhile poking my nose around this time of year or even some tips for hunting early spring over that way.
Obviously not asking for people's spot-x just hoping to get into the bush for a walk & see some new country.
I know it's been pretty wet through there this year so any advice appreciated.

cheers

spring Waikaremoana - was senior Ranger there for 8 yrs so know it well - spring will not happen there until about second week of November - at present will be frosts and damn cold lower valleys - deer will be high - but lots of them - try upper hopuruahine catchment - hunt the high ridges - deer will be on the move chasing windfall - if sunny watch slips they like to come out if there is any sun high up - they likely wont be down in the valley bottoms - Now its Waioeka ( not weka nothing to do with the weka bird- name means white water ) was Ranger in there for 5 years - try southern end up Opato catchment - head up northern side - again to early for spring - hunt high - or ask landowner up Wairata road if you can go to Kotepato hut up the main river - again hunt the high ridges - leave me PM if you want more info

Good on ya Barry.

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

spring Waikaremoana - was senior Ranger there for 8 yrs so know it well - spring will not happen there until about second week of November - at present will be frosts and damn cold lower valleys - deer will be high - but lots of them - try upper hopuruahine catchment - hunt the high ridges - deer will be on the move chasing windfall - if sunny watch slips they like to come out if there is any sun high up - they likely wont be down in the valley bottoms - Now its Waioeka ( not weka nothing to do with the weka bird- name means white water ) was Ranger in there for 5 years - try southern end up Opato catchment - head up northern side - again to early for spring - hunt high - or ask landowner up Wairata road if you can go to Kotepato hut up the main river - again hunt the high ridges - leave me PM if you want more info

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Waikaremoana will have a bit off snow around from the dump yesterday but shouldn't hang for long. Same with the top end of the Waioeka @Barry the hunter the opato is not like it was land owner has opened back up all the old tracks and now got no hunting signs on the boundary i believe. I think the boundary starts near the old fire place in the main river with out looking on a map. You will know where i mean. I can give you more info in a pm if you want Barry off what tracks etc seems you know the area:)

The private land is up the southern fork of the Opato- where I used to hunt is up the north eastern fork in DOC land - Wams maps will give boundarys (ohh in case you have never seen those google Walking Access Management system and select public access map- you can choose NZMG or aerial and you can turn the DOC green layer of to really look at aerial photos ) high up back towards Opotiki was not hunted much then

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

.... Now its Waioeka ( not weka nothing to do with the weka bird- name means white water ) ....

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Waiuwhaka i didnt know it was a spelling bee.. lol ..schooled at 53, gotta love it.

cheers for the heads up also.

There is a bit of snow up on the ranges at waikaremoana at the moment will probably be gone by the weekend if this weather keeps up. As said this time of the year they are up on the tops finding a bit of sun plenty around so you shouldn't have to much trouble finding one

thanks for the feedback guys gives me a couple areas to research before i go. looks like the consensus is.. we're still a little bit 'early season' in some of these areas but nonetheless i'm looking forward to it as it's finally a chance to see some of the places i've never been to. cheers

Waikaremoana would be my go to. Some awesome bush hunting and you never have to go far. Deer will be in concentrated pockets and not travelling far at this time of year so find the sign and the deer won’t be far away.
Make sure you go online and get a permit https://www.ngaituhoe.iwi.nz/permission_for_hunting

Are vehicles safe on the road to lake waikeromoana these days?i hunted there 30yrs ago and they certainly weren’t then.

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Originally Posted by mattstr

...Make sure you go online and get a permit https://www.ngaituhoe.iwi.nz/permission_for_hunting

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yeah i got a permit online it was easy & quick..

the application form asks "What general area of Te Urewera are you going to?"
Waikaremoana
Waimana
Ruatoki
Ruatahuna
I've never been to any of those places before or know where they are ..so I just ticked them all hoping that'd give me the most hunting options, but when i received the permit i see no reference to those areas so I can only conclude this is captured for purely informational purposes, which of course is now meaningless ..woops.

what i was surprised to see was that after all that, Waioeka gorge wasn't even part of te Urewera which i had assumed it was, so over to the doc website we go....

Yes the Waioeka is not Te Urewera - the catchment is the boundary - Waioeka is in two parts the upper is a Conservation Area whilst the Gorge is Waioeka Scenic Reserve - the upper was originally administered by the NZFS and the Gorge Lands and Survey National Parks and Reserves - Te Urewera is Tuhoe land while Waioeka is Ngati Ira

just this simple exercise of hoping to venture somewhere new for a hunt has been an eye opener. thanks to those that have shared some of their hard gained knowledge.

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

spring Waikaremoana - was senior Ranger there for 8 yrs so know it well - spring will not happen there until about second week of November - at present will be frosts and damn cold lower valleys - deer will be high - but lots of them - try upper hopuruahine catchment - hunt the high ridges - deer will be on the move chasing windfall - if sunny watch slips they like to come out if there is any sun high up - they likely wont be down in the valley bottoms - Now its Waioeka ( not weka nothing to do with the weka bird- name means white water ) was Ranger in there for 5 years - try southern end up Opato catchment - head up northern side - again to early for spring - hunt high - or ask landowner up Wairata road if you can go to Kotepato hut up the main river - again hunt the high ridges - leave me PM if you want more info

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Will Spring growth be early down the Urutawa conservation area, like up the Te Waiti river flat hunt?, or still better up high along the ridges around the 6-700m marks

Cheers

yeah likely start early mid oct not really a frost area