We've just flown out after a few days' stay, so I'll report back what its like.
Firstly, the creek has more boulders and awkward crossings than 30 or 40 years ago. We hunted our way downstream from the hut and after 2 hours still hadn't reached the Otaki river. Heading upstream after an hour or so it was just too slow, having to step through thigh deep water between big rocks and it was really easier to head up and do a bit of sidling. The bush wasn't too bad, mostly fair visibility and reasonable travel through tawa or mahoe and ponga faces where we were.
The hut is in good condition, with a wood burner that would be hard to cook on.
The animals are, surprisingly, mostly goats and fair numbers of them. They seem to have expanded from just a few in the Otaki gorge to occupy all the (few) slips to well up above the hut in both main branches. I suspect this is due to pressure from a 1080 drop 6 months ago and perhaps deer have moved out further back but the goats are relatively unaffected. I hear there has been some WARO but it would be pretty hard to recover many from the main bush area below the tussock. Essentially, an intensive 1080 campaign needs to be backed up by solid pressure using foot hunters and dogs if we want to protect the bush as well as the birds.
It sounds as if the main access route is now up to Fields hut and down a track from Table Top. The Otaki gorge sidle track is said to be an epic full day trip now. I'm sure we used to walk in to the creek on a Friday night - but not any more by the sound of it. I heard rumour of a track downstream from the hut on the true left "300 feet up the side" - has anyone followed that recently ?
slip. This is the best one but had only goat sign on it. It marks the top of a small gorgy section of the creek.
pool with typical creek bed travel.
Goats. Although you might want a deer, it is your duty to shoot few of these too. Take them out in the middle of the day when its not the time for deer.
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