Thread: Kelly Knight hut hunting

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.

Shot my first deer here while staying at the old tent camp that preceded the hut. Saw a hind and a yearling running away. Aimed at the hind and shot the yearling through the head.

Access is a bit limitied on the western side of the Ruahine's, I think the Ruahine users group were recently lobbying DOC to finally do something about it.

Good to hear someone is trying to put a bit of pressure on Doc to sort it out.
It’s such a shame that the Kelly knight track has closed. I rang Doc a year ago about it and the difficulty getting into Purity which is very hit and miss, the guy I spoke to said they were planning on having a meeting with Both owners to try and sort something out but unfortunately nothing has changed.

That same meeting that's been arranged for years aye.

I venture in 2-3 times a year now. A lot less than previous years due to access. Little bit longer walk eh.

Isn't it the Hopkins group at the end of there now?

@Sika 8 is there access to Kelly knight with the Hopkins? Cheers

Last I heard it was shut, but that may have changed now?

This thread got me thinking i should pay the hut a visit, must be thirty years since i last spent a night a Kelly Night Hut. So with a low river level and a good weather forecast i headed in on the friday afternoon via the river, pretty good going in the Pourangaki till you get up to where the DOC sidle track starts, cant remember what it was like before the floods.
Deer sign galore in the river bed, but i suspect most activity is under cover of darkness. Cutting up the face onto the doc track i hoped to see something on the faces across the river where i've shot deer in the past but nothing was seen and the slips looked quite barren with no growth on them. Like the river bed there was sign everywhere on the track but had no encounters, finally got to the hut an hour after dark.
The floods have totally rooted the track in places with some major wash outs and the detours in place are quite steep with ropes in place to help pull yourself up and in the dark was a bit tricky trying to follow.
Would have liked to stay another night but had to be out by sat night so back out again next morning, think i was very unlucky not to have seen a deer or two but good to visit the hut again. Looking up at the tussock tops from the sidle track its a big climb to get there from the hut so think ill stick to getting there via Rangi hut, much easier .

Apparently the track is closed due to slip I think so no access though farm


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