Thread: Who's going DEEP on Thursday?

You had better luck than me. I was at bush edge by day light, saw 2 but couldn’t get a shot. Bumped into several other hunters. One group had camped out in the middle of the main clear area. Might be why there weren’t many deer around

Got dropped off super early on Thursday morning and hiked a good 10km to my spot. I could hear at least two stags roaring away in the dark, and I managed to spook a couple of hinds en-route who barked at me a bit before running off. I got into position and settled down in the frosty grass for a bit of sleep before sunrise.

I wake up and grab my binos. Immediately - no kidding, literally the very first thing I see through the glass - there's a hind. She's 250m down from me so with my tunnel vision engaged, I start stalking down to a shooting position. I don't make it far before I hear another hind bark to my right though. And she sounds close. I spin around to look and once I locate her I see she's got company - a yearling and a bloody 10+ pt stag! They're 175m out but I don't want to shoot standing over the tussock so I drop down and begin to close in.

About 75m away, the hind and her yearling have buggered off, but the stag's still stood there, ignoring the hind's warnings. I settle down to shoot but at that very moment, two more hunters (a man and a young lad) appear over the ridge behind the stag - it sees them and bolts down into cover. Oh well, he'd have probably tasted shit anyway.

The hunters see me and their faces drop when they realise they're not the early birds. They walk across to me - right over the ground the stag was stood on (whilst I watch, hoping he might reappear further down, but alas). We have a chuckle over it and agree to team up and stalk our way across the faces to our left where we can see at least 3 more hinds and another stag about 500m away.

By the time we get to a more comfortable range, most have moved off. But there's a pair of hinds and a spiker still enjoying the morning sun.

I line up on the larger hind with my 284 and the man hands off his 270 to the lad for him to line up on the spiker. We coordinate our first shots and an opening salvo gets sent across the face. The hind goes down but I hit a bit too far back for my liking so send a second into her to help her shuffle off a bit quicker. Meanwhile the young lad has rattled off all 4 rounds from the 270 and the spiker's still stood there wondering what's going on. With their gun dry, I ask "do you want me to shoot it?" and it's a yes, so I get a shot away at the spiker as quick as I can before the he decides it's time to vacate the area. He stumbles around and collapses. Result!





The guys are planning on continuing their hunt over into the next gulley, and thankful for the assist, are keen let me take as much as I can carry. One very long slog back to the carpark ahead with a very heavy pack later and I'm wrecked today. Worth it.

There was one other party that had arrived. I'd say if you know an area that's not renowned for being busy, you should be alright.

Originally Posted by kiwi-adam

Will be heading out tomorrow, managed to get a Restricted Permit for Te Tapui Block A for Saturday only, couple people were quicker than me and got Thurs-Fri & Sun-Mon.
Here's hoping with the lack of disturbance, and possible tail end of the rut, my chances of finding something in here is higher!

Good luck up there. Let us know how you get on. I'm itching to get up there also.

@Projects, will definitely pass on an update tomorrow evening, I am hopeful, but I have also heard it is fairly baron up there.
Maybe the past 7 months minus first 3 weeks of March have helped it.

Originally Posted by kiwi-adam

Will be heading out tomorrow, managed to get a Restricted Permit for Te Tapui Block A for Saturday only, couple people were quicker than me and got Thurs-Fri & Sun-Mon.

From what I gather, there has been no hunting there between Nov-Feb (Closed for Fawning), followed by 3 weeks of Balloted hunting (pre-lockdown), followed by 7 weeks of no hunting.

Here's hoping with the lack of disturbance, and possible tail end of the rut, my chances of finding something in here is higher!

That's kinda weird because they told me this afternoon that "We are not able to do permits at the moment. They have been put on hold until a decision is made and it maybe that permits are only issued a week in advance." Maybe you got in before they were put on hold?

I have found numbers can vary a lot from month to month, but generally May has been pretty good. I got a spiker and weaner exactly two years ago today. I think numbers in the bush depends a lot on what pressure they are under on the surrounding farmland, and where the feed is.

@Cigar sorry to hear you could 't get a permit. If I didnt have company, I would invite you along for a walk.

Originally Posted by kiwi-adam

@Cigar sorry to hear you could 't get a permit. If I didnt have company, I would invite you along for a walk.

@kiwi-adam No worries yet, i cant hunt this week (just had another round of chemo) so was looking at late next week/early the following week (before the next round). They have me pencilled in so we will see what happens between now and then.
I had the last two ballot days before lockdown, I passed on the first day due to the weather, and that afternoon they announced the lockdown so I spent the second day getting prepared for lockdown buying animal feed etc.

Originally Posted by deer243

I hardly go where the masses go anyway. Im always going where theres no access points, side of road hop in bush. Crawl down the bank, cross river and hunt where no mans been before etc lol.
90% of all doc areas i hunt never seen anyone else ever, talking years. If someone is there, i go plan B. Pity those North Islanders fighting over good DOC land.
Moral of the story...go off the beaten track, try a new spot no one wants to look at in favour of a good area 10km away. You be surprised what you might run into.....

Update please

Hey guys just read the last 4 pages!

Might I add! Please stay safe you dont want to be the one that survives lock down and then gets taken out on the first outing!

Also Identify your target and your fireing zone!

And enjoy I can hear the Bell Birds from here.......in the uk

Not the species I was after but still a nice animal and will make a great rug. Shot on Thursday during a rare break in the cloud

We went back to an area I was sure would have other hunters there, but we had it to ourselves. My daughter shot her second deer, I missed mine.

i went to an area i didnt think would have many people. spent 3 hours crashing up through some of the worst scrub i have ever found. got to the top and heard 6 shots. a little while later found the homemade track old mate had used to get up there. then it socked in and started raining. i did hear some lazy moaning and some croaking, but no deer seen.

I was highly surprised to be the first vehicle at the trailhead late on Thursday morning. Less surprised when a couple of other hunters passed us on the track in... my mate was not as fit as he thought Fortunately the trail divided and they were planning to head the other direction from us anyway.

We took the high road and had the hut to ourselves on Thursday night. Couldn't believe it. Had to go halfway back down the hill to pick up my mate's pack that he'd been unable to carry any further. Friday was spent going deeper, but it was too clagged in to see anything.

Saturday was gonna be the day. Got up for a look as the cloud lifted, and a bloody microlight buzzed down the valley and then back up again. Eventually gave up on that side, hauled over the ridge and up to the head of the next catchment. Glassed some great country, and saw nothing. Flummoxed again. Put the binos away and headed back for a late lunch. Paused in the last gully before camp - it looked too good, there had to be something in it. Sure enough, a stag stepped out 280m away. After a quick fumble with gear, I got a round through the base of his neck. Absolutely stoked, my first in hard antler.

Back to the hut that evening to find 5 guys already in the 4-bunker, they'd come up from the other hut because that was also full. I was quite happy to carry on and camp on the side of the track! Walked out on Sunday absolutely buggered and still bemused by the way everything unfolded, but not complaining

Just spent 4 days in the Kawekas
Te Puke tops .Feed is short very low numbers up high ,the odd stag roaring Shot yearling hind, skin and bone .had a good trip .Was snowing on pick up