Tahr ballot block suitable for the old man in his 60s

Right so a got a bit of a question. Wanting to hit up one of the Tahr Ballot blocks next year and to take the old man. He is in his 60's and is a king country sheep and beef farmer and not anywhere as mobile he used to be. Plan at the moment is to give him a year to get fitter for the hunt.

What I am wanting to know if you lads know of any blocks that there are tahr or cham in the scrub/flat where he could walk an easyish km or two from camp sit on a river terrace, vantage point and have a chance of knocking an animal over. Not wanting to get him into tiger country or have him being completely camp bound type thing. Any advice on blocks would be greatly appreciated.

I’m following this... (61 and creaky)

might be worth looking at options on east coast in easier country for tahr or chams. Or may be talk to a couple of the heli guys, they can probably drop you into some friendlier spots.

theres place round here that aint tiger country?? :D

not familiar with the tahr ballot blocks an whatnot but id say as above, talk to chopper dudes an get dropped off right in the spot an just hang out a few days, one will come along.
ive been seein heaps of chams! a handful of tahr but all up really high at moment.

Maybe a spring hunt when they are down a bit low?

Sorry, can help with where though

No.

@paddygonebush that’s a great idea I’m trying to con the old man in this coming to Stewart Island this march April. He’s had a triple hart bypass 10 years ago. Think The odds are 70/30 in my favour at the moment :thumbsup: so good luck I hope you can pull it off!

How far can he walk?
1. Rolling 8km
2. Steep 5km up
3. 15 any.
That might get you a bit more info, I hope:)

I would say rolling 8km with a little steep would be a big day for him and need a rest day or two after. He blew out both his achilles in consecutive summers about 8 years back and has really struggled to get back to being fit since then. Trying to get him to walk more on the farm as that will be the best for him to get fit and more comfortable climbing. It is hard to gauge as i don't get back to the farm all that much these days. Hence why i am trying to get this organised early so that i can give him 14+ months to get fit.

Getting old is a prick, believe me.

It’s the cruelest thing you can put on old people is old age, but use it or lose it!! There ain’t any other choices and you young bucks will be there sooner than you thought!! Your dad will be fine if you don’t push him, train him in long range up hill shooting and let him sleep while you gut and retrieve!!:thumbsup:

Its a bit of a tough question. What I mean is what ones says is easy country another can claim its hard goin.
Ive had a few ballots and I have shot Tahr not far from camp (1-2km) and further afield.
Im relatively young I guess and most country I find mostly "not too bad" but what id ask myself in your shoes is "would I take my dad here?"
Im not sure if theres anywhere in the Alps i would take my old man. There is a place Ive been to that would be ok for the ole bugger but not for a week.

It's great you want to take your Dad out hunting and I am sure he will be happy to just be there. We had the Baker Stream in the Landsbourgh in 2013 and Beeman shot a nice Bull from camp after walking miles earlier on in the day. So wherever you go there is that possibility but so long as he isn't pushed to hard he should be right. Besides just being in Tahr country gives him a good chance. Good luck.

Have you been into any West Coast tahr country @paddygonebush? Certainly there's some easier country and you could well get onto tahr in that country, but generally they spend their time in less assessable places so ability to shoot accurately at longer range will definitely increase your options. You just might be the recovery boy! Just as a generalisation, the higher landing sites will get you closer to tahr country, at the cost of being exposed to weather and most likely Kea... They will do more damage to your camp than bad weather [emoji23][emoji34]. I'd also suggest a block that lies to the sun as its not a lot of fun getting around on shaded icy faces and I imagine that it would be harder for your Dad? An early ballot might be best, although most people chase these so your chances of being successful reduce.

Maybe some of the heli assessable huts could be a better option? Christmas Flat or Horace Walker? Or even on the front range country (not sure what the deal is with heli access). Of the tahr blocks I've been into, Barlow River would be the easiest to get onto tahr, although it still requires a few km's of walking and a steep but short (ish) climb to get up onto the rolling terraces under Mt Barlow. There's also a heap of Kea... I could have shot tahr from Adams flat campsite and Perverse Creek, I have from Shelter Hollow.

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Originally Posted by The Claw

Have you been into any West Coast tahr country @paddygonebush? Certainly there's some easier country and you could well get onto tahr in that country, but generally they spend their time in less assessable places so ability to shoot accurately at longer range will definitely increase your options. You just might be the recovery boy! Just as a generalisation, the higher landing sites will get you closer to tahr country, at the cost of being exposed to weather and most likely Kea... They will do more damage to your camp than bad weather [emoji23][emoji34]. I'd also suggest a block that lies to the sun as its not a lot of fun getting around on shaded icy faces and I imagine that it would be harder for your Dad? An early ballot might be best, although most people chase these so your chances of being successful reduce.

Maybe some of the heli assessable huts could be a better option? Christmas Flat or Horace Walker? Or even on the front range country (not sure what the deal is with heli access). Of the tahr blocks I've been into, Barlow River would be the easiest to get onto tahr, although it still requires a few km's of walking and a steep but short (ish) climb to get up onto the rolling terraces under Mt Barlow. There's also a heap of Kea... I could have shot tahr from Adams flat campsite and Perverse Creek, I have from Shelter Hollow.

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Been into the Wanganui a couple times. Walking in though... Yours and the rest of the comments are exactly type of info i am after so much appreciated. Recovery side was always gonna be me. I will get him to set up a gong or two on the farm and to practice some longer shots compared to the <100m he has been doing in the KC bush.

I think regardless of the block, if it's something he'd like to do, then take him.

I once took a mate in on the coast, pushing 120kg and unfit. After a day or two of sitting around he got out on the hill with us and had the best hunting experience hes ever had. Shot a 13 inch bull on the last day, a couple kms from camp and it's now on his wall.

Another option would be getting dropped off in the Landsborough somewhere outside of the wilderness area. There are some nice flats and bush edges to hunt, the river and just a mean place for a holiday in general. If he got itchy feet, a day up into tahr country is quite feasible.

Go to any valley with a low scrub belt that has had heavy helicopter shooting pressure. Get up real early and they will be coming off the tops from feeding at night to bed down in the cover of the scrub. Likewise with last light in the evening when they head back up for a feed. I imagine there is a good few valleys that will fit that description as of this year. Take a fishing rod for the middle of the day. Have fun!

With all this talk of him shooting and you retrieving, perhaps you should get him out to a couple of field target shoots. 14 months is a good amount of time to sort out gear like rangefinder and trajectory and any eyesight issues. Contact gillie and organize to go to his shoot at tarata in the spring. They had a hunter class course there and it's about 2km of walking on farm tracks. Also taihape branch have a nice shoot which would be within a long day trip distance. The preparation will be as much fun together as the trip itself.