Thread: Mangamaire Saddle Block

Last week myself and three others spent four nights at the Mangamaire Hut. The weather was perfect and the block is mostly easy but we found the bush thick dirty and dry so spent most time glassing the open tops. Only 7 Sika seen and 2 hinds shot for meat. Two 6 point stags seen one at over 1km and too late in the day to go after and the other, a shot was taken at 20 meters. The Tikka T3 in 300 Win Mag failed to fire with only a shallow indent of the primer was he pissed it would have been his first Sika stag.The round failed to fire a second time but went off in another rifle later.Not much fresh sign seen by anyone of us and no Red deer sign in contrast to Helisika's promise of good numbers of Red and Sika. The comments in the hut book were similar to our experience and it's a place I'm glad I've been to but not likely to visit again.


The stag seen late in the day. Photo taken from 1km.

Cheers for that. Looks like beautiful country.

What a bugger. A group of us have had the Makokomiko and Mangamingi blocks the last few years, supposed to go in again this year. Hope the animal numbers aren't indicative!

Great photo of that stag

Awesome looking country.

Thanks for sharing John, at least you got something....buggar about the misfire.....

Heading into the Makorako block next month , I hope animal numbers are better there , Thanks

Hi john , me and a couple mates have booked in with helisika in October to fly into mangamarie saddle for 4 nights. Any pointers ? Cheers mate

Once they start moving again in the spring you will wonder where they all came from.

Yeah am really looking forward to it. Looks like pretty nice country .

Another good reason not to own a tikka

Originally Posted by Spook

Another good reason to maintain your tikka

Did the man from Helisika smile when he "promised" heaps of deer...I thought you did well seeing 7, failed on two and shot two, although if everyone keeps shooting hinds there wont be a herd for the future.

The Helisika blocks probably get hunted harder than most of the DOC land round there.

Originally Posted by Spook

Did the man from Helisika smile when he "promised" heaps of deer...I thought you did well seeing 7, failed on two and shot two, although if everyone keeps shooting hinds there wont be a herd for the future.

What makes you say that , Have you hunted mangamarie saddle before ?

I hoping that 4 days in spring weather permitted will be enough time to see something surely !!