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South Island bush tucker (photo heavy)
I did this trip up the Poulter Valley about 3 years ago and was thinking about it after reading the thread about bush survival. I went for 6 nights and 7 days for the purpose of exploring an area I hadn’t had a lot of experience with, I was on my own and planned on doing a bit of hunting and just having a good look around.
I walked right up to Lake Minchin and also had a good nosey up Thompson stream, it was late spring but still extremely cold, it was snowing at night in the river valley so the animals were still hunkered down in the bush.
I met a group of DOC blokes in there on my way in, they asked if I didn’t mind using my ammo if I would shoot a heap of Canada Geese, not knowing a great deal about Geese I said “yeah no worries”
I stayed 2 nights in the new Poulter Hut and the rest of the time fly camping up Thompson stream. Walking up Thompson stream I was amazed at the amount of Geese in the river bed, I didn’t see any deer or Chamois so decided to shoot some Geese to eat, I could only get within shooting range by hiding in the bush edge and waiting for them to land within range, what amazed me is how tough they are, when I shot one it would take off into the air and fly about 100 yards before crashing back down, and here I was thinking I was missing. For those who have eaten Canada geese you will know just how good they are, right up there with Venison if not better!!
I found a few nests in the river as well so ate some eggs boiled up, they are seriously big eggs and really made a huge meal, so to get to the point I didn’t end up eating any of my own food at all as I ate eggs and goose breast meat each day, I took all my food and buried it in a spare pack liner, ( a month later when I went back I didn’t have to carry any food in )
If this was mid winter then it would be a totally different story, there would still be Geese around, but it just goes to show if you’re in the right part of the country, at the right time of year, then there is more food than you would know what to do with. Shelter was no problem, firewood everywhere. Just another fantastic time out in God’s country.
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