Thread: Kaimanawas 2016 walk

Well I had another crack at the Sika last week over 4 nights. By all accounts nothing hit the deck, but man I had a lot of fun chasing them bush ninjas. I've started to build up a bit of knowledge now on how they operate through trial and error. I'd love to read a book on Sika that explains feeding habits, areas they prefer, what they do each season if someone can recommend one. This summer there seemed to be enough feed in the bush so countless hours glassing the bush edges on the tops was fruitless. Even in the bush they weren't moving.

Any way, saw 4 sika in total with another 6 spooked. Classic moment when I was walking down a stream and came to a waterfall. Doubled back a bit and decided to sidle around it which involved a pull up onto a ledge. The rifle was first placed on top so that i could pull myself up. On poking my head above the rise 2 sika bedded down 10m away stood up and we both gazed into each others now saucer like eyes until they decided it would be polite to leave before grabbing the rifle.

Second encounter involved a hind on a lookout while walking a ridge line. She spotted me before I did her and gave everyone a nice whistle that I was coming. A sika stag some 40m above her started making some noise and had no idea where the danger was coming from and it was stale mate for a bit as trying to climb to him would give me away. I then sat and waited out his calls for about a minute hoping he would come my way, then I got thinking what would I do if I was him. Obviously heading downwind would be the most logical sense as danger most likely came from upwind (which it didn't . So I decided to sidle around this knob to try intercept him but he went quiet and was on the move ahead of me as I heard him crash down the hill. I checked out the tops where he had been and found a bit of scrapes on some moss. Waited out the evening on this ridge and went to go home as light was fading and got whistled at from the opposing ridge. My eyes locked onto a hind standing side on but she wasn't sticking around to say hi. There was a lot of sweat and hills climbed on this trip, and was my first trip in with Heli Sika which I must say was a nice change to the long walks.

Pics to sum up the rest.

Nice work dude - I do so like those sneaky sneaky buggers...

My favorite old Kimanawas block was Mangaroa - going in on the fixed wing as we could hunt the mornings and evenings and catch great browns on the Dry fly during the middle of the day... Paradise...

Choice Rusky, mate & I on Clements Mill Road, us Gold Card felkas would have to save for years to get chopper now...lol...couple of fellas had a nice 4 pointer, I spooked a youngish sheila, as usual just after taking the mag by the road....good hunting mate.,

What's that hut like bro?

Fairly new Nick. 4 bunks, meat safe, cooking gear, water tank. Everything you need really.

How to hunt sika deer by Alan Simmons is a good book.
Its a good idea to use binos, even in the bush. Move reallly slow. Stop look around with the binos, move again. You wont move very far (1 or 200 metres an hour) but Sika seem to live in far higher densities than reds. I have found that if you are stopped, you are much more likely to get the jump on them when they move around. When you are moving, the advantage is all with them.
When I first started hunting I spooked heaps. I was younger and fitter but probably moved too fast. Now that I am older and fatter and slower, my success rate is way better. I think its due to the fact that I have slowed right down.
Good luck and keep at it.

I used to use the rule of thumb that if I was sweating I was going too fast worked for me on Sika Reds and Whitetail.
Really nice write up by the way. Pics and all great stuff

Good Hunt mate

You really cant beat fresh legs to have a good scout of the area

That hut and clearing looks very familiar from a certain Big Game Hunter episode with Anthony Boric and Anthony Nitrel.

Great snaps and commentary!

Cheers

Heading in there next month. Anyone written in the hut book I left up there? Just interested to see how much traffic it's been getting really.

Looks like some lovely country man

Originally Posted by Sika Seeker

Heading in there next month. Anyone written in the hut book I left up there? Just interested to see how much traffic it's been getting really.

There was a party in there in January, and I put our hunt in there. Though I reckon there has been more since then. Found a dead deer in a steep river bed while crossing one ridge line to another. id guess they shot it and it ran off into the steep gullies and they couldn't be arsed looking hard for it.

Which hut is it Rusky, is it Te Puke?

Cool hopefully it's not getting a belting! I put a little report up in the reports section of a couple stags I got in there if your interested. It's a nice spot. Would get dry as all hell up there in summer though wouldn't it

Great photography there Rusky & beautiful country.

This time last week( exactly) I was just getting back to my wagon on Clements after 2 days of sneaking about, getting bluffed, backtracking after a night under the stars ( unintended!! Thank christ for survival blankets & a HOT german bitch!!!). My 70+ non-turbo charged legs ain't what they used to be. The two cold beers at the wagon kept me heading in the right direction though.

Where exactly was the area you were in???? Like brucey I'm unlikely to get into those places unless I win powerball.