Molesworth Roar 2020

Any success with the ballot?

My party got the Elliot block first period. Big block and relatively remote but have never been there before. Looking forward to a new area to explore!

Missed out on the 5mile block for March

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tahr

Missed out on the 5mile block for March

---

Bugger! Have you been in before? Any luck? I've only been into Upper acheron, which was pretty good before the 1080 drop.

Missed out :/

Missed out as did a mate. Turning in to bloody Fiordland!

We drew Long Gully fourth period. we struck out on all other roar ballots entered this time, so happy to get something!

missed out plus 3 other partys i know of

McGuires for first period, Not my first choice but gives us somewhere to go

To be frank what rips my tweeds is the huge area that is Molesworth and IMO not enough is offered during the roar in particular. This is publicly owned land. Ours. I have sat on the boundary of my block several times and watched and heard stags in adjoining blocks that were not included in the ballot and there were no stock grazing there. I know the farm manager cant be a total Chrystal ball gazer with regard to what he needs but really? What also rubs salt in to the wound is to meet friends and family of the farm manager who have travelled to and been there hunting in all the spots not opened to the public. There is very little of that type of stuff left happening in NZ now. I get that farm staff should have privileges but not so much all the hangers on. And what about some high level landing sites that people can fly in to during the winter when the road is closed? I fully understand and sympathize with the issues for farm staff around running an operation in a public domain but I think the balance might not be completely right here?

Missed out bugger...

Plan B I guess?

Good luck those who drew

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Edunn

Bugger! Have you been in before? Any luck? I've only been into Upper acheron, which was pretty good before the 1080 drop.

---

Nah, never been there but was keen for a look.

We drew 'Chimney' block in the ballot. Looks like a reasonable sized area with decent access from the road. Was in McGuires in April , an over nighter only and not a lot of action but a mate got some veni on the way out which rewarded a big day of walking.

Drop me a PM if you want the oil on hunting Chimney

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Scott29er

We drew 'Chimney' block in the ballot. Looks like a reasonable sized area with decent access from the road. Was in McGuires in April , an over nighter only and not a lot of action but a mate got some veni on the way out which rewarded a big day of walking.

---

I'd be keen to hear what you can tell me about McGuires, cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hiawatha

To be frank what rips my tweeds is the huge area that is Molesworth and IMO not enough is offered during the roar in particular. This is publicly owned land. Ours. I have sat on the boundary of my block several times and watched and heard stags in adjoining blocks that were not included in the ballot and there were no stock grazing there. I know the farm manager cant be a total Chrystal ball gazer with regard to what he needs but really? What also rubs salt in to the wound is to meet friends and family of the farm manager who have travelled to and been there hunting in all the spots not opened to the public. There is very little of that type of stuff left happening in NZ now. I get that farm staff should have privileges but not so much all the hangers on. And what about some high level landing sites that people can fly in to during the winter when the road is closed? I fully understand and sympathize with the issues for farm staff around running an operation in a public domain but I think the balance might not be completely right here?

---

You're probably right mate. I went into a block that backed onto an un-balloted block the year of the 1080 drop. There were plenty of animals but nothing huge, and we covered the whole block. In contrast, the block right beside that wasn't on offer (presumably farmers block) had some very impressive heads in it. I'm sure they pop over into shootable land every now and then, just not in the seven days we were there.

I have the Tweed block 3 period. MM

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hiawatha

To be frank what rips my tweeds is the huge area that is Molesworth and IMO not enough is offered during the roar in particular. This is publicly owned land. Ours. I have sat on the boundary of my block several times and watched and heard stags in adjoining blocks that were not included in the ballot and there were no stock grazing there. I know the farm manager cant be a total Chrystal ball gazer with regard to what he needs but really? What also rubs salt in to the wound is to meet friends and family of the farm manager who have travelled to and been there hunting in all the spots not opened to the public. There is very little of that type of stuff left happening in NZ now. I get that farm staff should have privileges but not so much all the hangers on. And what about some high level landing sites that people can fly in to during the winter when the road is closed? I fully understand and sympathize with the issues for farm staff around running an operation in a public domain but I think the balance might not be completely right here?

---

What id like to know is what gives the Norf islanders the write to enter OUR south island blocks , never see any debating about north island ballots , personally feel the mainlanders should get preference in there own lands...

Has anyone been into Elliot stream block?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hiawatha

To be frank what rips my tweeds is the huge area that is Molesworth and IMO not enough is offered during the roar in particular. This is publicly owned land. Ours. I have sat on the boundary of my block several times and watched and heard stags in adjoining blocks that were not included in the ballot and there were no stock grazing there. I know the farm manager cant be a total Chrystal ball gazer with regard to what he needs but really? What also rubs salt in to the wound is to meet friends and family of the farm manager who have travelled to and been there hunting in all the spots not opened to the public. There is very little of that type of stuff left happening in NZ now. I get that farm staff should have privileges but not so much all the hangers on. And what about some high level landing sites that people can fly in to during the winter when the road is closed? I fully understand and sympathize with the issues for farm staff around running an operation in a public domain but I think the balance might not be completely right here?

---

You only need to ask the Goose shooters what they see in areas like the Upper Awatere basin, Barefell pass, and Robinson saddle areas. All strictly off limits during the Roar........ except to a select few

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

What id like to know is what gives the Norf islanders the write to enter OUR south island blocks , never see any debating about north island ballots , personally feel the mainlanders should get preference in there own lands...

---

Fine. We are happy to shut off all access for you foreigners to Sika and Sambar in return. :)

Interesting that hunters now seem happy to take up ballots in the poisoned areas - DoC couldn't give these blocks away last roar. Having spent a bit of time in these areas this year and last, it was certainly slim pickings - hopefully we hear stories of numbers rebuilding. Good luck to all those with a block.

You're right but poisoned areas create vacuums; always have and always will. Just a matter of how long it takes to repopulate those areas from the few remaining within, and the adjacent blocks.
Problem with the ballot is that its not the plentiful meat animals that hunters are targetting (well not initially anyway), but something with a decent bit of bone. Its these animals that are getting harder to find.
Stuffed up a ripper last roar, so good luck to anyone who finds him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bos

You're right but poisoned areas create vacuums; always have and always will. Just a matter of how long it takes to repopulate those areas from the few remaining within, and the adjacent blocks.
Problem with the ballot is that its not the plentiful meat animals that hunters are targetting (well not initially anyway), but something with a decent bit of bone. Its these animals that are getting harder to find.
Stuffed up a ripper last roar, so good luck to anyone who finds him.

---

Good shout. I've wondered how many drops it takes to get resistant populations of deer too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tahr

Fine. We are happy to shut off all access for you foreigners to Sika and Sambar in return. :)

---

@Tahr has his poker face on , on behalf of the entire south island I decree for the time being you can keep them(at least for a short time over the roar) , we are happy enough with ...Tahr , cham , whitetail and the biggest reds & fallow heads in the land , though I am open to bribes...& no I do not work for the goverment :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

@Tahr has his poker face on , on behalf of the entire south island I decree for the time being you can keep them(at least for a short time over the roar) , we are happy enough with ...Tahr , cham , whitetail and the biggest reds & fallow heads in the land , though I am open to bribes...& no I do not work for the goverment :P

---

Hah. 10 days ago I sneaked down under the cover of darkness and disguised as a geriatric and shot 70 of your wallabies and a Tahr. So I'm replete now. You can close your border.

I was lucky enough to get the block I was after. Five Mile 3rd period. First time hunting in the Molesworth so pretty excited to check out new country

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hiawatha

To be frank what rips my tweeds is the huge area that is Molesworth and IMO not enough is offered during the roar in particular. This is publicly owned land. Ours. I have sat on the boundary of my block several times and watched and heard stags in adjoining blocks that were not included in the ballot and there were no stock grazing there. I know the farm manager cant be a total Chrystal ball gazer with regard to what he needs but really? What also rubs salt in to the wound is to meet friends and family of the farm manager who have travelled to and been there hunting in all the spots not opened to the public. There is very little of that type of stuff left happening in NZ now. I get that farm staff should have privileges but not so much all the hangers on. And what about some high level landing sites that people can fly in to during the winter when the road is closed? I fully understand and sympathize with the issues for farm staff around running an operation in a public domain but I think the balance might not be completely right here?

---

@Hiawatha, Molesworth was for a long time a 'Landcorp' farm, but as we all know has been transferred to Doc and then leased back to Landcorp most likely under a grazing lease not a property lease. Have you considered asking Doc Wellington for a copy of the lease just to find out what it actually says. It would be very interesting to know if any hunting at all is permitted in the closed blocks regardless of who is doing it and who decides closing / opening

It will be interesting to hear how those 1080 blocks go this year? Should be a few deer reappearing in them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by outdoorlad

It will be interesting to hear how those 1080 blocks go this year? Should be a few deer reappearing in them.

---

Have heard a couple of reports (one from a farmer and one from doc) of reasonable animal recovery and a couple of good heads floating about. Fingers crossed!

I live under the flight path from a local heli hunter who is always up in the Rainbow Molesworth area, it's not often his craft doesn't have animals slung underneath it.

Amazing how many of these "ballot" blocks are unavailable during January/February, due to them being hunted with DOC permits.