Second solo hunt - Kaimai attempt

This is how my second solo hunt went.
It was the second walk into the Kaimais in as many weeks. The first, largely unsuccessful due to incredibly thick bush cover and the fact that I’d omitted to check DOC’s pesticide map. So, with a new location in mind I laced the boots up at 0600 and shouldered my pack. The plan was to explore a new area and see if I could get onto any sign plus check distances and time to a spot I thought looked good on the topo maps.

The first section of the walk was pretty tough and there was no obvious sign to my untrained eye. Eventually I made my way higher up and started to spot things, making some mental notes and taking a couple of GPS points.
Nearing my endpoint for the day I was back on the main track plodding along when I heard a rustle and snap off to my left. I immediately stopped and swung my head around, but couldn’t see anything. Thinking to myself, this must be a deer… surely. I crouched, trying to get a better look while thinking I’m exposed, maybe making my profile smaller will help. What felt like minutes go by and I’m just waiting, listening. Then, step step, rustle, stop. That’s definitely a deer, but where the hell is it!? Straining my eyes into the thick bush with heavy amounts of supplejack I’m wondering how can the deer even move in there. My heart is thumping in my chest. There’s a slim change this could be my first deer. Breathe, bring your heart rate down because if you have to put crosshairs on this thing, you’re not going to hit shit with a hammer going off in your chest. I creep forward about 3 steps and wait again, feeling the wind swirling above I hope my scent isn’t blown into it. Another step to try get my head around a tree for a different angle and thud thud, crash, snap. Darn, it’s bolting, but no… it stopped again. I estimate it’s probably 30 odd meters away but I still can’t see it. How is this possible? Do I take the pack off and push into this supplejack? That might make more noise so I opt not to, but I have to do something. Trying to be as light footed as I can with a big pack on and dry twigs and leaves underfoot I decide to push in. I make it about 5 steps and hear a loud bark. Damint, now it really knows I’m there and it takes off and goes much farther this time. After it stops and barks a second time, I decide against pursuing any further.

So that’s the closest encounter I’ve had in my short time hunting solo. Pretty exhilarating. Learnt a few things about the area too so maybe it’ll produce something for me next time.

The joys of bush hunting, very exciting and frustrating all at once. Your onto them so keep at it you will succeed soon enough.

Keep at it.
Walk as slowly as you think you can, then slow dawn a bit. You're never going to walk faster than they can, so you've got to see them first.

That's great but one thing to note for future.....it WASN'T a deer YET...it was still only a "something of interest". Until you have done your positive identification ticks..it remains a something of interest. Keep going back and it will happen.

Keep at it. Bloody good effort.

Now you know where they are it should be easier. Slow down and make sure the wind is in your face. The reason this one did the short runs was because it didn't know what you were.
But like Micky Duck said, you didn't know it was a deer either until it barked.
I stopped and stood dead still for over 10 minutes on one of my last hunts because I could hear rustling in the bush below, turned out to be a blackbird feeding in the leaves.

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Originally Posted by RUMPY

Now you know where they are it should be easier. Slow down and make sure the wind is in your face. The reason this one did the short runs was because it didn't know what you were.
But like Micky Duck said, you didn't know it was a deer either until it barked.
I stopped and stood dead still for over 10 minutes on one of my last hunts because I could hear rustling in the bush below, turned out to be a blackbird feeding in the leaves.

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we have all done that with blackbirds - but that deer that barked likely an older hind sometimes they can be tricked and if one is lucky shot - its likely its just heard something it does not like - so with the wind right what one can do is go back a ridge and go up it and then cut across onto the ridge or face where you think it is - sit and listen- many times if it all works out here's the old bitch coming up the ridge looking back trying to figure out what spooked her - not an exact science but worth a go - and very satisfying when it works and you get the deer - give it a try

Keep at it. Your hunting one of the toughest bits of bush NZ has to offer.

Work the area, find the more huntable areas and keep going back. Good odds are 1 deer every 3rd trip is what I would be averaging on after hunting it for a few years.

I had one in the Tauherenikau Valley when I came across a storm dropped tree which had dragged a bit of the canopy with it, creating a circular area that blocked the view

Going into the wind I smelled the deer and closed on the windthrow

So which way to go?

It took me back to childhood when you were chasing other kids around and one would use a car as an obstacle - Go left? Go right?

Well of course I went left and the deer went to it's left and fucked right off dokka-da-dokka-da



Fuck it - at least ya got close

and of course you got miles closer than all those folks sitting on their couches watching TV


Sounds like you are making good progress, well done

I enjoyed some deer hunt up there. South of falls.wairere that is

The first noise you heard was likely it becoming aware of you, but not what you were. You probably couldn't see it because it was positioning itself behind cover while it worked that out.. It's the old adage that if you are moving less than the deer, you will find them. if they are moving less than you they will detect you first.

Go back to the the same spot,find a bit of a high spot with the wind in your favour and cover.Sit down and have a couple of coffees and biscuit for a hour or 2.Watch and wait,let the noise maker made the noise,you do the listening.Keep your rifle on yr lap and ready.
You hear so many story's of hunters sitting down for a cupa,their rifles just out of reach.A deer shows up just 10 yards away and gone,hunters rifle just out of reach.Good luck.

Thanks folks, appreciate all the kind words and advice. Certainly a few things to try and bear in mind for the next trip. Makes me want to get on a walk with one of you experienced lot and just sponge up some knowledge. See what you look at, what interests you and how you walk an area.

I find hunting Kaimais between December to February very difficult. Noisey underfoot, deer beded down in the thick stuff, and blowies constantly in your ears. All other times of the year are good.

Another thing - use the "corner of uour eye" - staring intently both spooks animals (body language) and your focus is usually to far away.

you got close to success there mate.next time that happens in thick stuff do not move forward to close the distance and Get eyes on you'll 99/100 times be to noisy if its not nice bush.that deer would have heard you and known you were there but not what you were, deer a inquisitive and like to see what noise is if they haven't smelt danger.you should have given hind or fawn call and stayed still,8/10 times it will move to try and get eyes on you.

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Originally Posted by CalibreWalker

Thanks folks, appreciate all the kind words and advice. Certainly a few things to try and bear in mind for the next trip. Makes me want to get on a walk with one of you experienced lot and just sponge up some knowledge. See what you look at, what interests you and how you walk an area.

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I don't walk far now,lazey old fart.I sit in a spot and let the deer walk to me.Especilly around sunset and sun rise.If you walked more than a k,youv walked to far.Years ago I'd do 15-25k walks.Most of the deer I'd see within a k of the truck.Think smart,glass alot,walk less.

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Originally Posted by Yesmate

you got close to success there mate.next time that happens in thick stuff do not move forward to close the distance and Get eyes on you'll 99/100 times be to noisy if its not nice bush.that deer would have heard you and known you were there but not what you were, deer a inquisitive and like to see what noise is if they haven't smelt danger.you should have given hind or fawn call and stayed still,8/10 times it will move to try and get eyes on you.

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That's good to know. I was actually thinking to myself after the fact on the trek home that I should have stayed still and made a fawn call. Hopefully that comes to mind next time.

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Originally Posted by Trout

I don't walk far now,lazey old fart.I sit in a spot and let the deer walk to me.Especilly around sunset and sun rise.If you walked more than a k,youv walked to far.Years ago I'd do 15-25k walks.Most of the deer I'd see within a k of the truck.Think smart,glass alot,walk less.

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Hahaha, I won't say how far I walked then! Although, in my defence the secondary objective was actually to scout the area so I did want to cover some ground.

My instinct is the deer was grazing, or else it would have bolted (if it had seen you) or barked ("not sure what's going on here") at first contact. Next time you find yourself in that situation trying standing dead still for 10 minutes. Just listen, listen, listen. Particularly if it's tight, the only thing in your favour is picking up their movement or noise. I've learnt this with a dog on point. It works. They ninja through the tight supplejack like a tiger might - crouched low to the ground. I've caught out young animals and stags literally at 2/3 height snaking through the tight. And no, they are not always silent. Be still. Particularly at this time of year when every foot placement is noisy. Conversely, in the scenario where I've had a big hind "stone cold dead" feeding 5m away, placing one step to get a better shot angle set her off - gone - no one home. Just stay dead still. Wait. You'll see. And if they have fed off a little way, and are unaware, the next 10 foot placements are worth investing in quietly.

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Originally Posted by RUMPY

Now you know where they are it should be easier. Slow down and make sure the wind is in your face. The reason this one did the short runs was because it didn't know what you were.
But like Micky Duck said, you didn't know it was a deer either until it barked.
I stopped and stood dead still for over 10 minutes on one of my last hunts because I could hear rustling in the bush below, turned out to be a blackbird feeding in the leaves.

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Ive done similar but there was definatley nothing where the noise was coming from. It was a wood pidgeon dropping stuff from up in the trees...

Having spent a reasonable amount of time in the Kaimais, a somewhat counter-intuitive method when you are getting barked at is to "bark" back (your best impression anyway). In many cases deer will hold position and keep barking, allowing you to stalk in, or on other occassions you'll confuse another animal that you didn't know was there and it'll inadvertently wander in your direction. Like every hot-tip, it doesn't work everytime, and you've got to weigh up if you want to risk disturbing the area further - but in many cases I found, it doesn't hurt to try.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....aimais-102634/

I'd start by covering as much ground as you can to discover the best spots heavy in sign, and return with the slow and steady approach once you've got some trails to stalk.
Light rain is always great for bush stalking in there so see if you can line that up safely.

as a lot have said you are hunting the most difficult piece of bush in North Island next to Pureoras and then Kaimanawas - Te Urewera is great bush hunting - when you have a deer barking at you climb and try to cut them off they will generally climb - you can cut them off - neat when you can very satisfying fooled the old bitch you are for the BBQ

What elevation was it at?
You might enjoy doing the HUNTs course at your local deer stalkers club. They'll teach you some more skills.
Once you can find the deer, the next problem is shooting them before they bugger off.
Good work!

Above 500m, assuming my GPS was accurate. Yep, hunts course is on the list of things to do. Hopefully I can tee up a few things in the new year when people are all back from the break.