Thread: Waihaha Hut Worth a Nudge?

Anyone happy to share some tips on hunting this area?
I was thinking of trekking up there around March when I'm guessing it'll be quite crunchy underfoot. On topo maps it looks quite flat so I guess it's more of a bush stalking area than glassing slips type spot.
I see it's a mountain bike trail as well so I'm guessing I'd be best to head further into the center of the Pureroa forest?

I pig hunted with dogs there for many years, leaving a car by the bridge where the track starts used to be risky. Disclaimer though I haven’t been there for probably 5 years. I did used to see deer sign around, I always went to the big clearings and headed down to the right, north direction and hunt down towards the stream,
It’s a nice walk, a good hut and worth a look.

See PM. Here is a pic for you
Zoom in and you can start to see how far you can see. Good sign of deer passing through these areas. These little spurs ran East/West and you had good views from both sides

Following up on the above post. A number of cars in the car park but also a couple of gut bag dumped as well. Local farmer stopped by and suggested poachers on that block just north west of the bridge. He was planning on coming back with a tractor to tidy up the mess. Hut had 6 in it the first night and overflowed with 3-4 tents the second night. July 2020

Waihaha is always busy with trampers but definitely worth a look.

If you go up to Terrys old camp-site and go a bit further upstream then hunt across the other side of river. Lovely bush ,rolling country just might pay to carry a gps, any fog will have you running around in circles. Pureora has some of the most lovely bush hunting grounds in nz
Just it's scattered about and you've got to do the leg work to find it.
Terry's camp was about 1 1/2 hrs up from the hut.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like it's definitely worth a nudge and if no animals are seen still looks like a nice place to sit and enjoy the view.
Thanks for the heads up of the hut situation too Z, I'll be taking the tent in for sure.

Much the same as Smokey Jason says.....

Terry was a meat hunter / oposum trapper in the Waihaha about the 1980 period. I believe he died because of a brain tumor.
I spent a winter up at his camp area with him on and off doing oposums.
On the true right of his camp.....Head in a easterly direction, it can be a bit on the flat side....you can't hear the river....Take a compass / GPS finder.
By memory....In 1980 when i first went in there. i went for a hunt from the hut. i had 4 deer encounters in one day. I was quite impresed with the deer numbers in there during that "presurised time period"

Can anyone fill me in on the current physical state of the Waihaha hut? Looking for a maintenance project for our DS club. Any other (public) hut suggestions within reasonable travel of Ak also welcome.

I was in there last month.
In some places on the vallley floor there was a good amount of pig rooting. The most deer sign was up around 700m so get back away from the tracks a bit.

If you’re camping, look up. Quite a few dead branches and widowmakers around.

There are lots of pest traps around. Whoever put them might appreciate a hand with running the lines.

It is 2 1/2 hr walk in which will limit regular volunteer numbers but Ok for a couple of weekend project.

A nice place to go in , do a couple of hours manual labour and a quiet evening walk. Go and check it out.

Thanks. Will see what we can find out about the predator control.

It's also worth having a look in the Mangatu. There's a series of small clearings downstream from the track which often hold deer.
I used to walk out to the road via the Mangatu Stream. Adds a few hours to the trip but often resulted in an animal.