Pukeatua Stream Tararuas

Hey just wondering if anyone can help me with this. I had an idea of going up Pukeatua track out of Otaki Forks and hunting down spurs into the Pukeatua catchment. But when I got to the start of the track the doc sign had a no hunting symbol. I couldn't figure if this applied to the whole track or just the no go zone around Otaki Forks or what. So I just left it and went up Field Track instead. Does anyone have knowledge of this? I can't find anything on the Doc website. I'm going to ring them Monday but just thought I'd ask in the meantime. Cheers.

Your hunting permit probably says no hunting in the vicinity of tracks, etc, the sign could just be a reminder.

I think they have had trouble with people hunting the open area at the start as it looks like the best hunting for miles to me . Just a reminder i would say.

The map on the DOC site shows no hunting in the Otaku Forks area, but okay not far onto the Pukeatua track.
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Thanks guys that’s kind of what I thought but the signs for Field Track don’t have no hunting even though they are in the same “exclusion zone” as the other sign. So it doesn’t make sense to me really. I’ll report back if I get any clarity. ��

The track before it was widened/cleared and made public a few years ago had always been there for bush bashing trampers and hunters heading along to Kapakapaui.
It's now popular with day walkers, muddy path well trampled with fresh and old boot prints as it is just up the hill from the also popular camping grounds. Back in the day the odd deer would graze up on top but now I have seen none or any sign as it use to be (too many people now and it gets the green rain often- buffer as well as Kaka zone). still there are pigs that roam along there after the crowds have gone away during the winter (you will need a dog, but if you see utes with dog boxes in the car park have a plan B ready)

I'm guessing that the no shooting may have had something to do with an agreement with adjacent landowners and doc (when building the track) because the bit of the track that goes near and passes thru the private land blocks. I have been told that landowner is really protective of his patch and will not tolerate people shooting near by.

Might be because its part of the Te Araroa Trail

Yes maybe. I did wonder about that.