Thread: PSA/Confession

a good rain coat,polarfleece hat,gloves and a long polarfleece neck warmer/crawford stay in my daybag..... if you can stay semi warm and semi dry you can wait out the night .my family know not to press panic button till mid-day after Im due out.
Ive never been lost but have been temporarly navigationaly embarrassed on a few occasions,have spent the night out a few times...the trick is simple...recognise its going to happen and stop in plenty of time to make yourself as comfortable as possible while you still have daylight to do it.
keep heading out and sooner or later you will join the dots.

Nothing like experience. It sucks being lost n I do it all the time still that’s why I stick to reasonably ‘safe’ bits of bush...I figure if I get bushed I’ll walk in a straight line n get out...it’s working out how straight your line is the key..


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That's where a compass comes in handy

Originally Posted by tiroatedson

Nothing like experience. It sucks being lost n I do it all the time still that’s why I stick to reasonably ‘safe’ bits of bush...I figure if I get bushed I’ll walk in a straight line n get out...it’s working out how straight your line is the key..


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I knew where is was but the map I had didn't have the track on it. So I will bring 2 sets of spare batteries and get the GPS to track me and update it.

I figured the same just I chose a steep and shit straight line.

Originally Posted by northdude

That's where a compass comes in handy

I had a compass.

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look at it like this..... you got a bit disorientated,a bit tired n sore and more than a bit frustrated by the crappy bush,trick is to LEARN FROM IT ,next time be slightly better prepared,carry good gear for just in case,get your self organised earlier in the day and most important...dont panic.
you found your way out...they say Thomas Edison took 2000 odd attempts to get an electric light bulb to work...he is said to say "I didnt fail just found 1999 ways that didnt work"
thats a pretty darn good way of looking at things.

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

I knew where is was but the map I had didn't have the track on it. So I will bring 2 sets of spare batteries and get the GPS to track me and update it.

I figured the same just I chose a steep and shit straight line.

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Um rule one for the Waikato side of the Kaimais.....it's all a Shit steep straight line

Took me all day to come down off the top of Mt Ngatamahineraua it had only taken me two hours from my car to get to the top didn't do that one again.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

look at it like this..... you got a bit disorientated,a bit tired n sore and more than a bit frustrated by the crappy bush,trick is to LEARN FROM IT ,next time be slightly better prepared,carry good gear for just in case,get your self organised earlier in the day and most important...dont panic.
you found your way out...they say Thomas Edison took 2000 odd attempts to get an electric light bulb to work...he is said to say "I didnt fail just found 1999 ways that didnt work"
thats a pretty darn good way of looking at things.

I am certainly planning to plan the trips better rather than what ever seems like a good idea on the day.

It is certainly a good way of looking at it.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Um rule one for the Waikato side of the Kaimais.....it's all a Shit steep straight line

Took me all day to come down off the top of Mt Ngatamahineraua it had only taken me two hours from my car to get to the top didn't do that one again.

Haha thanks for that timely reminder. Not going to forget that in a jiffy.

Hahah How'd you manage that.?

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Originally Posted by Russian 22.

I am certainly planning to plan the trips better rather than what ever seems like a good idea on the day.

It is certainly a good way of looking at it.



Haha thanks for that timely reminder. Not going to forget that in a jiffy.

Hahah How'd you manage that.?

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Well the up part was easy. Had access over a farm and up a main ridge. The stupid move was "oh I'm at the top what's over this side"
Couple of times I only had one limb on the ground and it wasn't always a leg. 600 meters in five hours was enough to teach you how to walk through supplejack cool spot where I dropped off though started off looking so promising stag sign everywhere.
Would have stopped with the vertical and gone with the horizontal. But in hindsight I'd have bluffed out most probably. Speaking of which if your ever have access above the tunnel be very carful there's some nasty bluffs in there. One of which I feel off. Which was OK till the hind I was carrying hit me in the back, broke a rib...mine not hers. Oh one last thing not sure but if it's urban myth but I hear that some places up there your compass won't work so well due to the rock formations. Also northern faces have more of the supplejack than the rest. Enjoy

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Well the up part was easy. Had access over a farm and up a main ridge. The stupid move was "oh I'm at the top what's over this side"
Couple of times I only had one limb on the ground and it wasn't always a leg. 600 meters in five hours was enough to teach you how to walk through supplejack cool spot where I dropped off though started off looking so promising stag sign everywhere.
Would have stopped with the vertical and gone with the horizontal. But in hindsight I'd have bluffed out most probably. Speaking of which if your ever have access above the tunnel be very carful there's some nasty bluffs in there. One of which I feel off. Which was OK till the hind I was carrying hit me in the back, broke a rib...mine not hers. Oh one last thing not sure but if it's urban myth but I hear that some places up there your compass won't work so well due to the rock formations. Also northern faces have more of the supplejack than the rest. Enjoy

Thanks for the advice about the bluffs.

I learnt the hard way about the north faces haha

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There's some good country in the back of where the old Gordon base used to be. If you can get access. Knock on a few doors there. But again be very careful of the bluffs. Some most is very tight bush but if you work it side ways instead of up and down it can be very productive. Fasters deerstalk was about 1 hour from leaving the car 30 of that was getting to the bush line.
You just need to take notice of the zone where there in. I used to also take a lot of notes on sign also time of year. Once you suss that it will start producing for you.
I had one ridge I called the larder it was that good.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

There's some good country in the back of where the old Gordon base used to be. If you can get access. Knock on a few doors there. But again be very careful of the bluffs. Some most is very tight bush but if you work it side ways instead of up and down it can be very productive. Fasters deerstalk was about 1 hour from leaving the car 30 of that was getting to the bush line.
You just need to take notice of the zone where there in. I used to also take a lot of notes on sign also time of year. Once you suss that it will start producing for you.
I had one ridge I called the larder it was that good.

Is that near te aroha?

That's a good idea. Writing down what I'm seeing at each time of year.

How come you gave it up for dank dingy UK.?

It's very near where you posted your map shot.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

It's very near where you posted your map shot.

Well I have more exploring to do!

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don't we all!

Taking unknown 'shortcuts' can lead to unexpected time consuming extended bush bashing, backtracking to avoid bluffs, big deep swampy mud, deep stream cuts etc. But anyways I mark these on my gps as shit areas to avoid. At times I will go an explore areas that I have walk past for many years (never took a look in before) but knowing what could be instore, be prepared to backtrack. and as expected it had been shitty going. Been surprised at times of the areas I have walked right past holding deer right under my nose when going to slips and clearings. Speaking of nose, if you suspect you see a deer bed get down and sniff it, a strong sent indicates one is in the area.

I always record my track on the gps and mark way points. Every now and then when having a rest pull out your paper map you printed off beforehand and mark on it where you had been as a backup and it also gives you the big picture of the area. Compass is fine if you know exactly where you are in the first place, some places one cannot get a visual/known reference point and as you found out estimating of travelling distance is difficult esp when panic may set in.

The last deer I came across in their beds was a few years ago with my son trying to bag his first bush stalked animal. Having seen nothing all morning and he was getting tired walking uphill and downhill and needed a rest. I said we will take a 'shortcut' by me cutting a path thru the supplejack down to the river, wait here and I will come back when done. Left him with my pack and the one rifle we had. 50 metres down and along a narrow ledge behind some dense ferns two velvet heads pop up, I was still cutting away at vines when this happened making hell of a racket, eyeballed the nearest deer who returned the favour (could of poked it with my finger, that's how close it was) As it was just getting up I turned instantly and ran back to my boy instantly thinking crap crap crap Murphy's at it again, no gun and my son is going to miss out again and reinforce his belief that there is no such thing as deer in doc bush. Anyway he heard me running up (as he was napping) then saw me with arms waving and pointing in general direction mouthing wildly "stag...stag...stag" Up he woke, grabbed rifle and off we went, within minutes we where at the spot, up went the rifle and soon there was a spiker on the deck. It had not moved more than 5 metres and that was the distance he shot it at, on the other hand the bigger stag I had also seen had buggered off and left the spiker wondering what the hell? As quick as that, he got his first bush deer and has been keen as ever since.