Rimutakas - goats / Orongaronga valley?

Hi all

I'm thinking of spending ANZAC day in the hills. I'm actively looking for a nice young goat for the Indian girl at work to cook up for us all. I do cross creek quite a lot with maybe a 50% hit rate but I fancy trying a different spot. Orongaronga valley has been on my list for a while and I thought I may give it a try tomorrow. Does anyone know if goats can be found around the valley and what the water level may be like considering recent weather? I'd like to cross and get up goat stream maybe or take a look at a creek or two but don't want to risk it if the water is a bit angry.

Or does anyone know of another area in or around the Rimutakas/western Tararuas where I may be able to catch a goat - yes, sorry, its THAT question. I've already done the northern rimutaka pylon track and pulled a monster billy out of there but I wouldn't eat him myself. If anyone else fancies companion on a a trip out tomorrow too then PM me.

Regards
Ash

Hello Ash,

South of the Rimutaka summit on a sunny face.
Youll get wet feet tomorrow up the Orongaronga, but usually a good chance.
Mukamuka stream if you beat the others.

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Originally Posted by Cliff

Hello Ash,

South of the Rimutaka summit on a sunny face.
Youll get wet feet tomorrow up the Orongaronga, but usually a good chance.
Mukamuka stream if you beat the others.

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Thanks Cliff. I do mukamuka a lot too. Access along the beach was trashed a couple of weekends ago due to washouts in the creeks and I dont fancy the long walk all along the beach tomorrow.

Ash

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most streams and likely bush areas hold goats in the rimutakas, both eastern and in the main valley. i cant really say much about a goat spotx, apart from the whole range is!

youre hunting cross creek and the muka and other areas with success so you know what youre doing!

be careful of waterfalls

Sounds like youve been to quite a few places and could tell us where to get a goat !
As you probably know, the Topokopoko stream really needs goat numbers shot down. If you want to hunt deer there you need to shoot a few goats to earn it.

For others' benefit, you've got quite a long walk to get into good goat country from the catchpole - about 3 hours so too far for a day walk but great for overnight if you don't leave too late in the morning now daylight savings is gone. Remember a lot of people hang out in the riverbed so shooting is prohibited for some distance up the sides. Any of the larger side creeks upstream of Matthews will have some. Take care around waterfalls, carry two torches and don't cut the time too fine up in the hard country.

In the western Tararuas, last year Penn Creek was overrun with them but an epic to walk in. Perhaps there are some up the Otaki gorge ? Be careful the river is pretty big there.

That's for all the I fo. I took the plunge and walked in from catch pool on Anzac day. I went half way up goat stream and then had a look up Matthews stream before I had to turn back to avoid being locked in the car park over night. Saw plenty of sign including some deer but no actual Animals. Goat prints absolutely everywhere. Looks like there is a lot of ciu try to explore up that way and I'm definitely going back for an overnight or maybe 2 night trip towards the end if the year. I'm keen to get as far up Matthews stream as I can or maybe go up to south saddle and look down to mukamuka.

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Originally Posted by Bagheera

Sounds like youve been to quite a few places and could tell us where to get a goat !
As you probably know, the Topokopoko stream really needs goat numbers shot down. If you want to hunt deer there you need to shoot a few goats to earn it.

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I've been a little way up topokopoko but only to the choke point between the rock walls. The water was quite angry even in mid summer. I'll have to find a way past that point to get into that flat beyond it.


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Just in case you didn't know, HVDA do regular trips in to Mukamuka for goat culling as a sort of DOC friendly reciprocal type arrangement - they go in the Wharekauhau way

If you join up there's more info in the newsletter

Heading back home on Saturday there were two - what to my inexperienced eyes appeared to be - perfect eating animals, on the first decent patch of grass after the Abbotts Ck bridge No.4 on the south side - grazing four metres from the passing traffic. It might be worth ducking up into the adjacent bush as it could be a short carry out. Near Featherston too, so the odd shot won't raise any eyebrows.

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Originally Posted by Puffin

Heading back home on Saturday there were two - what to my inexperienced eyes appeared to be - perfect eating animals, on the first decent patch of grass after the Abbotts Ck bridge No.4 on the south side - grazing four metres from the passing traffic. It might be worth ducking up into the adjacent bush as it could be a short carry out. Near Featherston too, so the odd shot won't raise any eyebrows.

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I pulled a monster out of the Abbott creek pylon track a couple of weeks agohttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ef958e10a1.jpg

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Originally Posted by aetchell

That's for all the I fo. I took the plunge and walked in from catch pool on Anzac day. I went half way up goat stream and then had a look up Matthews stream before I had to turn back to avoid being locked in the car park over night. Saw plenty of sign including some deer but no actual Animals. Goat prints absolutely everywhere. Looks like there is a lot of ciu try to explore up that way and I'm definitely going back for an overnight or maybe 2 night trip towards the end if the year. I'm keen to get as far up Matthews stream as I can or maybe go up to south saddle and look down to mukamuka.

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Sounds like you're on the right track.
See if you can figure out where is is:
FishnHunt - New Zealands Famous Hunting and Fishing Forum Since 1995 - Orongorongo Goat Hunting

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Originally Posted by aetchell

I've been a little way up topokopoko but only to the choke point between the rock walls. The water was quite angry even in mid summer. I'll have to find a way past that point to get into that flat beyond it.


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In recent years you've been able to just walk up the middle of the water and climb straight up onto the rocks above. At other times there,s an interesting r=ock climb ad sidle with a step across into a wet greasy corner and there used to be a piton to hold onto. Not too far to fall but exciting.

Here's a thread about the goats up there, access and so on:
FishnHunt - New Zealands Famous Hunting and Fishing Forum Since 1995 - Recommended goat hunting spot: Tapokopoko Stm, Rimutakas

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Originally Posted by Bagheera

In recent years you've been able to just walk up the middle of the water and climb straight up onto the rocks above. At other times there,s an interesting r=ock climb ad sidle with a step across into a wet greasy corner and there used to be a piton to hold onto. Not too far to fall but exciting.

Here's a thread about the goats up there, access and so on:
FishnHunt - New Zealands Famous Hunting and Fishing Forum Since 1995 - Recommended goat hunting spot: Tapokopoko Stm, Rimutakas

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Cheers. I read those posts when I go on the PC.

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Driving home from Wellington one afternoon, about 6 months ago, approx 1/3rd down from the top, on a 35kmh corner, Featherston side.
Missus nearly jumped in my lap when a young nanny leapt over the crash barrier, about 30M in front of us.
It eyeballed the HID lights, about faced and jumped back over to the safe side of said barrier and disappeared.
I never knew that my missus had such a large dictionary of very obscene swear words - I was gobsmacked.
She really needed her glass (or five) of wine when we got home.

things are getting out of hand. That sort of stuff only used to happen on the way to Taumarunui.

the pool in the gorge was over 6 foot deep last winter

I've seen a few and heard a ton of stories about the stinkies on the rimutakas pass. I once saw one on the hard shoulder at the bottom of the gorge where it turns right on to SH2. The Belmont hills are jam packed with them.

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