Thread: Kelly Knight hut hunting

Hey team, I'm planning on heading into the Kelly Knight hut once the track is open again. Has anyone spent time up that way?

Looking at aerial photos there's a pretty large open tops area and a few slips to hunt not too far from the hut. Am I on the right track or am I better off bush hunting along the creek and up ridges?

Never been there before so any Intel greatly appreciated.

THis is one of the biggest issues for animal management in the Ruahines. DoC have dragged their arse in obtaining permanent access (land corridor purchase) or official easement for much of the western side of the Ruahines. There's very few 365 days of the year access points, so those few get hammered.
Having said that, if you take a rifle into Kelly Knight for a couple of days you will get to point it at deer plenty of times both in the bush and on the tops. Its loaded.

Since when is the track opening again? News to me.

yea don't think that track is re opening, can get to it via the river but ya need to know what's what or go with someone that does.

Change of management and no fronting up and have a chat over a cup of tea by DOC.If you get up WAMS Site Public Access Areas.Pourangaki Rd,leave vehicle at cockies,down track,up river to blue line and look around for old stock access groove which takes you up to just about the fence stile. Used it when Bayfield were shut up for break feeding.PDF not showing sort something else.

Here ya go GPS 39/50/28S & 176/01/59E

Try this

How long does it take to walk to the fence stile going up the river.

Don't be lazy. Go over the top from Rangi. Thats how we used to do it, although I don't ever recall going too far down onto the Pouranaki faces before getting one. Up the Pari was always good too.

Yea good area track was ruggered last time I was in their the track to the tops behind the hut is deceiving it’s a real gut buster

Originally Posted by Kelton

Yea good area track was ruggered last time I was in their the track to the tops behind the hut is deceiving it’s a real gut buster

Looks very steep on the topo map lol like very fucking steep.

Ah I see I thought the track issue was regarding calving or lambing.

Thanks for the info guys, not after secret blinds etc but an idea of what the area is like etc which has been provided.

Very much appreciated, especially the images @PillowDribbler . As for a longer walk @Tahr I'm not built like a Tahr, more like a Yogi bear

I did it about 7 years ago on the 22nd of December flew up from Christchurch had a very late night on the 21st at our work knock off flew in to Palmerston North got the old boy to drop me off at the road end and started beating the feat. Very jaded for some reason I didn’t lace my boots and had blisters before I even got over the farmers paddock and into the doc land . Boots now tight blisters rubbing the dog disturbed a wasp nest and we got stung a lot. I was meeting a mate on the tops he was already in their it was very very hard walking away from the hut that afternoon and pushing on for the tops, I mad it eventually and just when I though “F#*k this I’ll camp on the next flat spot” I got around the corner and obviously my mate had the same thought and his tent was in the middle of the track. We shot 3 deer the next morning packed up and had a cruisy night down at the hut and walked out the next day . So to this day I don’t no if it was the hangover wasps and blisters or if it really is that hard but man I remember it being a gutbuster

Years ago Craigc and I took a forum (the old forum) young peoples' hunt up there. About 5 of us. I remember Craig got a deer half way to the tops. The lads gathered around it hanging in a tree and we did the butchery demo thing.We camped just before the tops. Hunted into the Pari headwaters the next day but the WX packed up so went back to the hut. Good times.
If you are in there its worth going on to the Pouranaki hut too. Trout fishing is ok.

I had an epic coming back down the river to the hut. Lots of waist deep crossings. Find a good pole and keep it till you reach the hut.