Thread: Open country hunting in wind/rain

New to the whole open country/tussock hunting down here in Central Otago, but keen to get out over the weekend. Can't say the weather is looking promising with wind and rain forecast like most of the South Island, but I know if I stay at home there's 100% chance of no deer being shot or seen. Going to head out regardless.

I'm guessing the the deer will be looking for cover, located in guts etc out of the wind and elements. With that in mind what is the better approach, cover more ground or do more sitting and glassing?

Rain doesn't really worry animals, but they're not a fan of the wind. So look for guts, hollows and headwaters of gullies out of the prevailing wind. Preferably areas with good tussock/scrub/rocks for cover.

Well, got out and the weather held for the most part. Lots of glassing, but nothing seen.
Dog enjoyed it!

Looking at the photo, I cant see any quality feed or feed country, perhaps you are too keen and fit, climbed too high above the feed ?. Are there any creeks with scrubby faces and gully heads, running water, hebes, Matagouri. Deer love the high protein grass under matagouri. They dont really like that caught out in the open feeling if there are alternatives.

Dog says 'hey dad, what the fuck are we doin up here aye?'

I'm not so convinced by the last two comments. I've come across some big ol' teddy-boys in the likes of those rocky faces in the distance, Kimber. You might be quite surprised by what might be sitting in amongst those rocks, bedded down out of the wind. Once shot a nice 11-pointer bedded down in the shade of a rock the size of your living room... miles from the bush. If the stags are in velvet they won't be wanting to bang their tender heads on the trees.

I'd be glassing that area from a couple of different angles and looking in the shade.

Happy to be schooled. Noted

Can't see it, but behind the dog is the scrubby matagouri and grasses in the gully system described above. Where I went is close to farmland so my guess is deer were lower down near the better feed, but can't legally hunt that area. Was hoping to catch some moving around, but nothing seen. Dog wondering why we aren't moving, for sure!

Originally Posted by planenutz

I'm not so convinced by the last two comments. I've come across some big ol' teddy-boys in the likes of those rocky faces in the distance, Kimber. You might be quite surprised by what might be sitting in amongst those rocks, bedded down out of the wind. Once shot a nice 11-pointer bedded down in the shade of a rock the size of your living room... miles from the bush. If the stags are in velvet they won't be wanting to bang their tender heads on the trees.

I'd be glassing that area from a couple of different angles and looking in the shade.

I agree with your comments re stags but I wouldn't expect to see them there just yet. Doesn't look very fertile mineral rich ground that would attract velvet stags and doesn't look like good fawning ground where spikers would get turned out

Looks pretty similar to a lot of country I hunt around here. And that country looks like similar to where I’d often expect to find deer. In the wind and the rain the tight guts and scrub/high tussock will typically be where they are. When the weather is good they could be found anywhere in that photo, even up in the tussock fingers in the scree but that’ll be more towards the end of the month as the feed burns off low down

Cool thread. I get onto open tops maybe twice over a summer with mixed results. Love it when it comes together with fine weather and an undisturbed animal taken cleanly.

Perfect deer country, they'll be there somewhere. It's amazing how deer can hide in that country, you'd think you have it well covered but they are sometimes right under your nose.
I sat in one spot all day a couple of years ago, and glassed a valley like that. Saw over 15 deer just come and go through the course of the day, it was quite interesting.
Heads of creeks where there's moisture in the ground will be worth a look, spring growth is happening in the tops now. Deer love the fresh tucker in the heads of these creeks.
A mate hunted some high altitude country last weekend in a spot I recommended and saw plenty of deer feeding well out in the open, several hundred meters above the valley floor.
Be very wary of where your scent is drifting, it travels a long way in open country and if winded it's not hard for deer to sneak out of a valley like that quite quickly.
Choppers aren't doing much at the moment, so the deer quickly become relaxed being out in that country all day. So expect to see deer up there any time of day.

Yup. 100%.

Originally Posted by High Country Boy

Looks pretty similar to a lot of country I hunt around here.

The top of the photo is the Otago/Canterbury border, and not so far from you in Omarama, so I guess that's why it looks similar!

Originally Posted by Kimber 7mm-08

The top of the photo is the Otago/Canterbury border, and not so far from you in Omarama, so I guess that's why it looks similar!

Yea mate it’s pretty recognisable country. Plenty of deer in the public land around here these days