Thread: Queenstown advice please

Glenorchy are has only pone place lately for hunt and it has been well hunted, dart, routeburn are all 1080 draped and only in the very back country of free valley and whakaari will/would be an option but be aware of boundaries, a lot of bad things happen around there.
in my opinion going south is the wiser option but think eyre mountains is somewhere around majors lakes right??? if yes be aware of the "holidayers" there too.

Good luck and happy xmas!

Originally Posted by planenutz

I generally stay away from the hills at this time of the year… the problem in the Queenstown region being every man and his dog is camped in all manner of remote places from Christmas through to about the second week of January. If you go, go easy.

Skippers is a pretty place and a nice area for a picnic but as you'll have worked out from other posts here and from DOC, hunting pressure has been intense within this (very small) restricted hunting reserve. You're very unlikely to see a deer there.

Sitting here, there is nowhere I can think of recommending within the confines of the immediate area that won't be overcome by 50% of the 40,000 other visitors who come here at this time of the year to enjoy the outdoors. If it were me, I'd be enjoying the family. If I just HAD to go for a walk, I'd be heading as far from Queenstown as I possibly could. Milford. Te Anau. Haast. Anywhere but here.

Could I suggest you have a look at the Eyre Mountains - southwest of Kingston. There's plenty of area to hunt with little chance of bumping into others. There are some nice valleys, the hills aren't stupidly big and it's not too far to drive. From your place to any one of many access points will be about an hour or so. A one hour walk will have you in some nice country with reds on offer and its a little bit "away" from the manic stupidity of Queenstown. Don't count on staying in any huts... you just won't believe how many of even the remotest huts will have trampers in them.

Have fun, stay safe and good luck. Let me know how you go.

Merry Christmas.