Thread: Looking for advice, guidance and hunting experience

Hey it is that time again folks and i am in need of filling the freezer, it would appear i have some bludging mates who like venison
Thing is i am a very new hunter and due to this i am likely to be the one on the news being choppered out of a forest (that would be the good ending) so with that in mind i ask for some guidance or assistance.
I am looking for a good bugger who would be keen to take me out for a hunt for some lovely deer, somewhere in the vicinity of Hamilton. Say within 2 hours. i consider myself to be a good and honest bugger that is happy to pitch in.
Now it is not all one sided!
In return for said services i have ample amounts of home brew beer,some of which you can actually drink without going blind. Disclaimer- as i am not a doctor i can not guarantee you not going blind oh and not as good as the green labelled brown bottle stuff. Happy to pitch in and help out where you need it cutting lawns etc.
Without getting picky i am looking for sometime in November if possible and if you could arrange for a deer to be there waiting to be shot i would be so fecking grateful!

Seriously this desk jockey needs to get some bang bang your a dead deer action.

Oh and my lovely wife has given me a new sharp pointy thing that needs to get bloodied.
As always i am sure the replies will be gracious and forthcoming

Well decision made, going to head to Kaimais. In off SH29 and head north either that or via Old Kaimai Road and follow tramline early Saturday morning with the head torch and see how far in i get. Plan to be well in by sunrise however more a quiet, early morning walk with a rifle and see what is there type of mission. If you are keen to join i will be heading in from Hamilton so happy to collect on the way.
If anyone has any thoughts about access via either of these routes then i am keen to hear it.
Cheers everyone.

Good luck Willie

Cheers veitnam, i would be out more often but my wife turned her car in to a paperweight and so down to one car and a young fella. Not easy getting about. It is mine this weekend and i intend to stretch my legs, photos will follow of course.

Hunting the tramlines at this time of year will find them with plenty of grass cover. Going in from Old Kaimai Road will shorten the journey as opposed to going in at the summit...I always find the thought of hunters stalking the tramlines as bloody scary as they form the North South walking track and any number of trampers could be wandering along and some even camped on them. The bush either side is bloody hard to hunt due to the undergrowth of bush lawyer and supple jack...any heavy rain this week will see the streams in flood and I know there is at least one decent size one to cross...I know little of the number of animals taken from the area as I don't know anyone who hunts there and have seen very few reports on this forum from anyone who frequents the area...but, then on the other hand, if you hunt in from Thompsons Track, where I have considerable knowledge of, I believe you have more chance of nailing a deer...hunting the cutover pines has been quite productive of late and the 100 acres is like a hay paddock at the moment...a couple of weeks ago while out horse riding I seen a lot of reasonably fresh sign at the top in the pines.

Is Thompson track coming in from the Hamilton or Tauranga side Spook? All the maps i have seen have it coming in from the Tauranga side. Happy to take advice and much appreciated. I also need to get the fitness back up again and all notes say Thompson track is a bit of a bugger to get up and i don't want you to have to dig a hole for the wee Scotsman that made it to the top but did not make it any further.
I am slow and steady and identify beyond all doubt and then some rather than the snap shooting type so tourists are safe. Also hope all the other hunters take the same approach! Thompson track will get added to the list for the near future, i have 3 weeks or so off xmas so plans are afoot.

Originally Posted by Groundskeeper Willie

Well decision made, going to head to Kaimais. In off SH29 and head north either that or via Old Kaimai Road and follow tramline early Saturday morning with the head torch and see how far in i get. Plan to be well in by sunrise however more a quiet, early morning walk with a rifle and see what is there type of mission. If you are keen to join i will be heading in from Hamilton so happy to collect on the way.
If anyone has any thoughts about access via either of these routes then i am keen to hear it.
Cheers everyone.

My 2c

Old kaimai road 1st car park is not the safest in my opinion for leaving a vehicle there but you only have 1 crossing and an fairly easy walk up.
2nd car park much better for parking, But you have several river crossings on your walk to top, Not cool to do in the dark after some rain.
Car park at top of sh29 should be fine, Walk in is steady for a bit then steep climb to top from memory.

Originally Posted by BushHunter

My 2c

Old kaimai road 1st car park is not the safest in my opinion for leaving a vehicle there but you only have 1 crossing and an fairly easy walk up.
2nd car park much better for parking, But you have several river crossings on your walk to top, Not cool to do in the dark after some rain.
Car park at top of sh29 should be fine, Walk in is steady for a bit then steep climb to top from memory.

Attachment 30516

That map looks really familiar today! Yup plan to head in off sh29 based on everything else going on.

Spook would love to head in Thompson track just not going to be this weekend. Will be in touch about the bus and some home brew I might need your opinion on.

Originally Posted by Groundskeeper Willie

Is Thompson track coming in from the Hamilton or Tauranga side Spook? All the maps i have seen have it coming in from the Tauranga side. Happy to take advice and much appreciated. I also need to get the fitness back up again and all notes say Thompson track is a bit of a bugger to get up and i don't want you to have to dig a hole for the wee Scotsman that made it to the top but did not make it any further.
I am slow and steady and identify beyond all doubt and then some rather than the snap shooting type so tourists are safe. Also hope all the other hunters take the same approach! Thompson track will get added to the list for the near future, i have 3 weeks or so off xmas so plans are afoot.

Thompson's from Bay of Plenty side is 14 km to summit and from the Waikato id 7 km to top. The track was built back in the horse drawn cart days so is a very easy gradient...anyone who told you different is a SAC.
You can be as slow and steady as you like but when shooting on walking tracks you have no idea where your slug goes after exiting a deer...take a shovel with you so you can bury any fuck-ups you make.

Originally Posted by Spook

Thompson's from Bay of Plenty side is 14 km to summit and from the Waikato id 7 km to top. The track was built back in the horse drawn cart days so is a very easy gradient...anyone who told you different is a SAC.
You can be as slow and steady as you like but when shooting on walking tracks you have no idea where your slug goes after exiting a deer...take a shovel with you so you can bury any fuck-ups you make.

Do i seriously have to dig my own hole, feck sake mair bloody work