Thread: Kaimai hunt this week

Heading into the Kaimais thurs-sat now that I've finished all my uni exams! Can't wait to get out of the city and into the fresh air.

Going to be heading in from the Whakamarama road end, following the Leyland O'brien track and coming off it to follow the Ngamuwahine stream towards more bush and a couple clearings. Looking for deer mainly but I wouldn't turn my nose up at a pig First time hunting the area but I'm hoping 3 days will give me some time to get acquainted. So cutting to the chase, are there any tips you could give me? I've been reading the thread about stalking and that info was really good, but I'm a total newbie to hunting deer so even the most basic tips will be helpful. Thanks heaps guys! I'll be sure to post some photos up when I come back (hopefully the type we like to see ).

Cheers

I have been to the kaimais with my uncle in April. not sure what the names of it are called but there are some really nice clearings and it was pretty easy walking. We just walked slowly along these old forestry tracks (I think they were) even though it was metal and loud we came across a few deer but no stags to shoot. So I would say just cruze along the tracks with wind in your face real slowly listening for noise (if it is the same place we were) And you should find something. We had a few that looked at us all hinds easy to shoot and on the side of the track but wanted a stag so let them live. Hope it all works out for you anyway.

Cheers Toby, that sounds really good. I don't know where any of the old logging tracks are, they aren't on the map obviously but hopefully I can stumble across one, there are supposed to be quite a few around the area. It would probably make the going a bit easier, the bush can be quite thick with supplejack in some places around there.

Yup, im used to around home getting off track but when I was there hmm once was enough

Good skills Phillipgr. (I don't believe in luck).

Originally Posted by phillipgr

Heading into the Kaimais thurs-sat now that I've finished all my uni exams! Can't wait to get out of the city and into the fresh air.
Cheers

Going to be heading in from the Whakamarama road end, following the Leyland O'brien track and coming off it to follow the Ngamuwahine stream towards more bush and a couple clearings. Looking for deer mainly but I wouldn't turn my nose up at a pig First time hunting the area but I'm hoping 3 days will give me some time to get acquainted. So cutting to the chase, are there any tips you could give me? I've been reading the thread about stalking and that info was really good, but I'm a total newbie to hunting deer so even the most basic tips will be helpful. Thanks heaps guys! I'll be sure to post some photos up when I come back (hopefully the type we like to see ).

Three areas from Whakamarama. 1 follow track north to the forest roads where Te Tuhi track heads through to Waikere falls. 2 where your heading is good about an hour south there is a folk in the river look for a small track just before the folk this will take you across both rivers up a bit of a hill and on to about three smaller clearings followed by a larger further north. 3 continue south past the folk there a couple of small clearings on the other side of the river. all failing that do the henderson tramline loop off old kaimai road. Good Luck

Originally Posted by mucko

Going to be heading in from the Whakamarama road end, following the Leyland O'brien track and coming off it to follow the Ngamuwahine stream towards more bush and a couple clearings. Looking for deer mainly but I wouldn't turn my nose up at a pig First time hunting the area but I'm hoping 3 days will give me some time to get acquainted. So cutting to the chase, are there any tips you could give me? I've been reading the thread about stalking and that info was really good, but I'm a total newbie to hunting deer so even the most basic tips will be helpful. Thanks heaps guys! I'll be sure to post some photos up when I come back (hopefully the type we like to see ).

Three areas from Whakamarama. 1 follow track north to the forest roads where Te Tuhi track heads through to Waikere falls. 2 where your heading is good about an hour south there is a folk in the river look for a small track just before the folk this will take you across both rivers up a bit of a hill and on to about three smaller clearings followed by a larger further north. 3 continue south past the folk there a couple of small clearings on the other side of the river. all failing that do the henderson tramline loop off old kaimai road. Good Luck

Mucko, you're a champion! Thanks heaps for the knowledge.

With regards to the fork on the river you talk about in 2, is it 1 hour once you've gone off the leyland track, or is it 1 hour from the beginning on the leyland track? From looking at the map: it forks about 400m into the track (1 stream keeps following the track and the other splits off westward), it forks again 1.5km into the leyland obrien track (1 stream follows SW and the other keeps S and hugs the track), now if you take the the SW stream at the fork and go off the track it forks again in about 300m. Just to clarify, the track you were talking about is just before the 3rd fork I talked about? and would it be on the northern or southern side of the river? Cheers mucko, much appreciated.

it is the folk at 1.3-1.5km in you will see on google earth the clearings to west of the fork. these clearings should be productive on the twlight. i hunt at the back of the farm i am at in the evenings and most kills are on the change of light, you need to find the fresh sign. it has been awhile since i have been there but you should get on to them in that area, bear in mind you may have company and sometimes they try to put you off the area as they want the area to them selves, i would be supprised if you dont see sign at the first clearing over the folk. make camp away from the game trails so you dont spook them out. good luck in there. find the sign work the wind and be patient, just when you think fuck its getting to dark wait 5 more minutes.

Cheers mucko, I'll bare all that in mind and let you know how it goes!

Let us all know!

How far away from the clearing is it safe to camp to avoid spooking animals?

the million dollar question, if there is no sign at the folk that should be fine. its off the beaten track close to clean water just have a good look around see where your wind is coming from obviously you dont want your scent broadcasted all over the clearings and you want it to be easy as possable to work the wind to the clearing.

Haha yeah I guess it is the million dollar question. So that is about 700m away from the first few clearings. That should be sweet. Having the river to help navigate back in low light will be helpful for the evening hunts.
I'm thinking I'll hunt the clearings at dawn and dusk, and stalk during the daytime.
Thanks again mucko

I realise you are probably busy mucko but I thought I might as well tell you, you are more than welcome to join me and my mate with us if you are keen

At one of our spots its 1km via a ridge line to the hunting grounds which is great.