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Good morning Gentlemen. I've decided to spend a few days in the Ruahines in the 2nd week of October. Thinking about Renfrews road or Mania road as access points.
Would there be Deer up on the tops this time of year or would I be better off staying lower and bush hunting? I've never been there before so the plan is for a 3 to 4 day scouting mission with a view to come back in the New Year for a longer trip with my boy.
Any advice from those in the know will be welcomed.
Chur
Both good access points, Renfrew being the most popular via Rangiwahia hut.
Good campsite is on the saddle just south of Maungamahua & there is a freshwater spring there off the western side of it.
Always deer up there, if you get the good weather its magic up there especially if you get it to yourself.
Exactly. The Maungahuia end of the sub range is lower for early spring and I used to hunt it quite a bit late winter. Go up Deadman's track and hunt through the Maungahuia saddle and follow the scrub edge looking into the Orua. There is another good route up there that follows the Mangoira stream off the end of Bowling Rd. We cut tracks up there for meat hunting but it takes a bit of explaining.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sika 8
Thanks men.:cool:
im planning a return trip myself up here :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
yes as above go up deadmans hunt ya way along to Maungamahue area, camp sites along the way, plenty of area to make a few days worth.go bak down past rangi hut for a change on the way back?
Hopefully you get a nice weather window.id advise not to go if the weather forecast looks average.it will more than likely be savage up there if forecast says"may be ok"
Did the Rangi dead man loop last 2 weekends, first one was nice weather and warm saw a few boy shot one, next one was more like the weather should be at this time of year and couldn't see a thing! So you will be good by then.Attachment 259118
I've had some brilliant hunts up there in Oct-Nov. Ive also been challenged beyond belief and needed all my reserves in the young guy learning what his limits are and then finding new skills and limits kind of way. It can snow out of nowhere and the wind can be hard to stand up and walk. In the days before GPS the fog was a nightmare. The great thing is if you plan it right, you are less than 2 hours in bad conditions from Rangi hut.
Well worth a look along any of the spurs off that main ridge.
Good luck! Its a special place when you get too know it.
Yep. Great spot. Once you get to Rangi hut a whole lot of hunting area opens up to you. Have been to all three Rangi huts, including when we used to ski up there in the early 70's!:thumbsup:
The country holds an awful lot of hidey holes for deer along that ridge leading to the main range. November is the golden month in there. They are still nice and hungry so not so wedded to first and last light like they are later in Dec and Jan.
I hope he filled that pack up Rangidan :thumbsup:
It's not a bad place on a nice day with no wind
Attachment 259131
Cheers for the info fullas. Im getting keen.:cool:
Hopefully get a decent weather windows.
We cut a track into the Maungawairiki (sp?) off the track about 20 mins or so past the Rangi hut (on the left). It starts under the high rock pile and gives access to the slips and open area on the other side of the creek. I wonder if it is still there? 40 years ago. Anything to get a deer.Quote:
Originally Posted by whanahuia
Under the old rain gauge is a good area.Quote:
Originally Posted by 199p
Its a hard case small world aye. I believe it was probably you who met two of my best hunting mates up there on one of the few trips where me and my brother weren't with them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
You or whoever it was told them of that track and they used the route a few moths later in the roar to sneak in and bag a decent stag across there.
Biggest bit of advice i can give for success up there is....
Get off the main ridge. Hunt the spurs and sidle through the head gully's, the country rolls away from you, drop over the edge by 100 meters and then glass.
Bit of a reminisce with some humour. The mate's I talked of, were a young couple on one of thier first big hunting trips. My brother and I had intended a roar trip which detailed climbing Te Hekegna and dropping into the Pourangaki to hunt the far side. But we hit a major storm and ended up bashing for hours through waste depending snow, stuffing my knee and getting mild hypothermia.
With no way back we made a good call and dropped down into the pourangaki and headed for the hut. We had never been too the hut before and it took some finding based on memory of old maps, but when we got close we could smell smoke and that guided us in. Inside were the young couple and another friend, who had arrived earlier that day.
My knee was really bad and I was hut bound but the others had some good hunting and finally we decided to walk out down the river with the them offering to walk out with us and drive us back too our car, which solved a problem.
We were incredibly grateful and invited them hunting with us, which started a lifelong friendship.
In a smartarse way, I used to refer to them as my grasshoppers as they became really good hunters. Some years later we arranged to meet up at Rangi hut, then head out and camp by the tarn for a few days. Mike and I got too the hut just before dark, and hit the sack, expecting them to walk in some time that night.
Around 2 am I heard a noise but no one came in and I went back to sleep.
Next morning they were a no show, so we packed up and headed off an hour before light to try catch a deer on way out to campsite.
We reach the intersection and turn left and start towards camp. its just getting light, shooting light, suddenly ahead of us a shot booms out and we look up to see Rex stand up, Silhouetted by the rising sun.
Turns out they had snuck past the hut at 2am and headed straight to camp, set up and he'd layed in wait above a spiker, waiting for us to show up before shooting.
He was pretty chuffed with himself getting one over us like that. Reckoned it took some effort to get one over the Carey brothers.
That rock pile track.
Roger Lentle was at the Rangi hut. And Alex and me. That evening Roger "educated" us on most things. It was pleasant, but one way.
The upshot was that when choosing our hunting areas he chose to go out the back somewhere near the Pari ridge and we said we would "hunt around the hut". His retort was "you wont get anything around the hut - and continued to educate us on the habits of deer and where they would be.
He headed off in the ungodly hours of the morning and we headed off not long before sun up towards the rock pile track and across to the creek faces under the hut.
Of course, I wouldn't be telling this story if Roger was successful and we were not.
He got back late, with nothing.
We got back early, with something (I cant remember exactly what we got - Alex shot it).
We never said a word about the track down through the leatherwood.
That evening was somewhat quieter than the previous one.
That evening Roger "educated" us on most things. It was pleasant, but one way.
Your diplomacy is legendary Tahr.... I have also shared a hut with Lentle & Saxton........ :X3:
Stereo :)Quote:
Originally Posted by NIMROD
I'm thinking of doing a similar trip this October, it'll be my first time in the Ruahines does anyone know if the farmer to go to purity hut is still letting people through? I'm thinking of staying a night at purity hut than go down via pinnacle creek to stay at waterfall hut, Cheers.
Yes he did,shot a hind. That pack is perfect for him. Thanks Rod.Attachment 259198Quote:
Originally Posted by NIMROD
It’s a great Ruahines crossing. Come out through the Waipawa saddle and down the river.Quote:
Originally Posted by danialr
Each of us would like to feel we know something than Lentle and Saxton didnt but you have to admit they wrote a great book.
"Hunting the season round" has turned into an appreciating investment!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bagheera
