Thread: Tops Hunting Tips

Originally Posted by XR500

If you were younger I would suggest taking a book. To make you sit down and not worry about the time, and covering more country. But at your age you most probably will need a little lie down once you hit hunting elevation (I know I do), and do lots of glassing. And then some more glassing. They are all there, you just haven't seen them yet.

I am always partial to a bit of a lie down and snooze, more so now as an old bugger. My last dog was pretty keen on a snooze the one and only time we walked up and camped on the Ruahine tops/tarns, I was a bit younger then but still pretty stuffed after climbing up from the Kawhatua base.





cheers FBD

Never leave a deer to find a deer!
Its a mental thing but sometimes you decide (wrongly) that its to far away, or its to much of a climb, or theres to much shit to push through
If you see an animal and you've got enough daylight, then start hunting towards it. It might be the only one you see for the trip

I always seem to see more animals after a little lie down in the arvo sun for an hour or so... Either by looking too intently and not relaxing into the landscape or by moving around too much, when I try too hard I never see a damn thing. Relax and 'zoom out' your attention, as it were. Works for me anyway.
If you can't maintain a slow and steady breathing rhythm in and out through the nose, you're charging too hard and you'll blow yourself to pieces... Even if you do make it to the top you'll be in no shape to hold a cuppa steady never mind the binos or rifle. No shame in trudging slowly, you'll probably take less breaks and end up getting around faster than you think.

If you don’t have them already, buy the best binos you are comfortable spending money on.

I just upgraded to the leupold mckenzies in the 12x 50 magnification, bust thing i ever did! Love them to bits