Now let everyone point out all the deer in that photo!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
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Now let everyone point out all the deer in that photo!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
What time did you get to that spot?
Did you walk up the river with the wind at your back?
Did you walk right through that area before climbing up into your spot?
Your going to have to go out a hell of alot more than 7 times in order to realistically stand a chance in getting your first Deer alone. Good news is there are more Deer around now than ever before.that dosn't mean that your not going to have to earn them,its just statisically more likely you will get one if you join the dots.
I camp near that spot for the specific reason of being there at dawn and dusk. But im yet to spot anything. I left before sundown last night which i realize now was a mistake
I didnt walk by that area of the river, but some ATVs drove up it last time I was there.
the last time I went down hunting in haast..we had SIX meat hawks buzzing overhead everytime we popped out on clearing and ATVs spotlighting clearings at night!!!!!!! oh those were hard days for hunting...keep at it bud,you will get a deer,you were plurry close....little bit more alert next time,little bit more looking and little bit less walking ,little bit more keep dog in close and you will be posting up photos of deer in no time.
Fixed it for you...
Attachment 185903
see.....they were oh so close.....next time....
Kimber...you have made my day bud
Maybe they are responsible for the rubbish...Quote:
Originally Posted by Kimber 7mm-08
Moving S L O W L Y is key. Even turning your head needs to be deliberate and slow. When you are overtaken by a snail, you are almost moving slow enough not to be noticed by a deer. It takes time to look where your foot will fall, and then look up to scan for deer.... and repeat.... and repeat....
Edit: of course, you can't spook deer that aren't there, so making sure that deer are present is quite important too.
And don't underestimate luck... As they say, the best days' hunting are always yesterday and tomorrow...
If you would like, flick me a message with your contact details and I will help you get started.
A personal invitation not for the mass!
I would walk straight past the cold sour flats in the photo. The only time I would expect to see deer there would be in the last five minutes of light and that would be a dumb spiker just kicked out by mum.Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
If you post up the location we can advise where we would look. At this time of year the deer will be on higher scrub / grass faces. Deer are quieter and easier to hunt in the evening so if you can get to a good ridge top ( just off the top) glassing spot two hours before dark it is almost impossible to not see deer at present in the scrubby matagouri faces and screes but dont glass the open, glass the scrubby edges of the open and little openings on ridges. Deer dont like stepping out of the bush directly into the open if they can help it. They would rather transition through scrub and move out once they are quite sure its safe and only in the last half hour of light.
@DCN808T if you are Canterbury based and keen to take a walk sometime, I can show you a spot or two and spend some time with some advice thrown in while in the field. Flick me a PM if you like.
This is great advice, spot-on i reckon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moa Hunter
If your dog isn’t a trained deer dog, and performing an indicating or finding role, leave it at home.
Do you have proper boots with hard soles? Going down slope is about how you balance yourself. My wife has same issue when we go hiking. Because your calf and ankle are weak, even you have muscles back there but those muscles are not fit for job. Try to do halfway jump. good luck
A point made to me years ago by a full time meat hunter " Look where the deer are, not where you think they should be "
There is a spot in the North Island that is almost an exact match to this view :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
Just over the river from Roaring Stag hut in the Tararuas.
Somewhere I have a photo tucked away taken on a trip many years ago from the tops of Te Pukeohikarau towards the snow covered mountains, after it was developed there in the bottom left corner is the ear of a deer...I stopped carrying a camera after that.
Hey fellas, gonna jump in here for some advice too. I was making solid progress pre lockdown and knocking the odd deer over (Urewera/Pureora) and am hoping to get back in this w.e after 100+ days lockdown no bush training.
The east coast Kaimai is my bittersweet go to and I plan to give it a good nudge friday, but what the hell should a hunter do if the wind is swirling or direction change is required? I always hunt the wind slow as a snail but the thick bush is the dominating.
Cheers
swirling wind changing direction...let me see???? yip that pretty much describes my typical day..... just do the best you can to keep wind in your favour and move carefully when you cant.
Have you jacked up a hunt with any of the guys offering on this thread?
Am I the only one here smelling a rat? Just saying.Quote:
Originally Posted by paremata
I have la sportiva entry level bootsQuote:
Originally Posted by NEO
Where? I dont work for GC, calm down.Quote:
Originally Posted by gilly
Or do you mean someone is going to lure me into the bush and have their wicked way with me???
Strange reply mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
So would bush stalking be more successful in winter with snow up on them thar hills?Quote:
Originally Posted by Moa Hunter
Have you taken anyone up on their offer of a hunt yet? Or a you just taking the piss?
Well, I got home yesterday, and today its has been bucketing down, so no. I am yet to go out with any of the kindly persons who offered their assistance. But I have contacted abovementioned Samaritans and hope to arrange something soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by gilly
I look forward to your trip report.Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
I was learning about getting close to animals, and getting fitter, on a farm near Little River when DOC up and mustered all the feral goats. It certainly helps practicing on goats. After maiming one, i learnt to take me time and calm down before taking aim. A valuable lesson i feelQuote:
Originally Posted by Happy Jack
Jesus Christ…really!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
Every trip out, is time not spent on the couch, and every trip out, I hope i learn something. But, i sure still have a bit to learn!Quote:
Originally Posted by norsk
Are there any deer there, whats a ferry crossing cost these days???:DQuote:
Originally Posted by ebf
Yup. Really. Did you not know that?Quote:
Originally Posted by gilly
Dont know how you got into murdering furry woodland creatures but for me it started recently, and with a recurve bow. So glad to have learnt it in a controlled environment rather than not being able to find the animal after fucking up. So if i can point that obvious lesson out to someone that might not know it, I am quite glad to take your ridicule. Remember, not everyone is as experienced as you are. Ill be sure to tag you in any future trip reports that might come from me picking up other hunter's trash. Wonder how they learnt to hunt...
It wasn't DOC, it was ECAN.Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
My apologies to DOC then. I recall i was told it was Ecan by the farmer aswell. Ooops. Sorry if i misled anyoneQuote:
Originally Posted by Uplandstalker
Absolutely positively. 2/3rds to 3/4's way up on a warm face in the creek heads and spursQuote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
So where is the creek that the is the photo from ?
Just a few points I have learnt teaching myself to hunt deer...
1. There is always one dumb deer somewhere who doesn't follow the rules, so always be prepared, anywhere, any time of day.
2. Wind - you are pretty much wasting your time if the wind is wrong, (even more so if you are smoking as you walk or on rest breaks!). Most of my hunting spots I have a loop I usually walk, and the direction I go on any particular day depends on the wind direction. I have even arrived at the carpark to a howling wind and given up within half an hour and headed home. I hear most of my deer before I see them, so too much wind stuffs me up.
3. Timing - once I found some good slips (that even had a mob of deer on them at 3pm in the afternoon - see rule 1) it really brought home the dawn/dusk thing. Absolutely every time I was overlooking those slips first thing or last thing in the day there were deer on them. Not always within shootable range, but at least they were there.
4. Timing part 2 - deer are more active in the morning and evening so this helps with bush stalking. Through the middle of the day they are bedded down, and it gives both of you a hell of a fright when they leap out of bed when they catch your scent after you have stalked past them.
5. Are you hunting or armed tramping - I really enjoy spending time in the bush, and a lot of my hunting trips are walks to see what sign is around and maybe get a deer. These are the trips where I'm moving too fast, not taking many breaks, and on a timetable to get to the next spot. Then there are the trips where I think "It's about time to get a deer in the freezer, or the missus says "What do you do on these hunting trips, sit in the carpark eating chocolate? You haven't shot a deer for ages". That's when I plan the trip to get to the good spots, not try to cover too much ground, and force myself to spend more time sitting, listening and watching - my 8hr loop becomes a half loop so I'm not under time pressure, I have several options for starting and finishing the loops. And while I have a plan on where I'm going to go, I change that plan if needed (wind direction changes, come across fresh sign leading in another direction). These type of trips have a much higher success rate than my day-in-the-bush wander, even though I'm going to the same places.
6. Get off the walking tracks - you will be surprised how much more sign there is once you get of the walking tracks, even 100m from the track.
7. The Lentle and Saxton books are really good.
8. If there is good sign, keep going back to the same area and learn it really well. It's great to get out exploring new areas, but it does reduce your chances of getting an animal.
There is not a hunter anywhere on the planet, who given enough time hunting animals, has not cocked up. Even when you have decades of experience, it can still happen. Accept that as a fact of life, and do your level best to get it right each time. Rule no 1 : Always get closer.Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
Once you get one make sure you keep going while the freezer is full.
Reason: when you have plenty of deer in the freezer the deer are always plentiful and you have no trouble shooting them infact they will even come to you however let your freezer run out and you will be in the same boat as you are now, they will be like ghosts and almost impossible to get one.
It's called Murphy's law :oh noes:
I tried the recurve thing too...and gave it away after one trip....broke a couple of broadheads and wounded one small wallaby,enough to be fatal,but the not being able to finish it off through vegetation screen was final straw for me....a .22lr would have been more humane.Quote:
Originally Posted by DCN808T
