Thread: Winter Hunting in the Ruahines

What's the southern Ruahines like to hunt this time of year? I'm looking at driving up from welly next weekend maybe taking the road up to the mediaworks transmitter on the south end then walking in.
Is it worth the drive at the moment?
Haven't been up there before so don't know what the area's like

Definitely worth it on a nice day. Winter hunting is great. Bush stalk the warm north facing sheltered guts or watch a nice north facing slip that gets the sun

Like stagstalker said, hunt the warmer stuff. Top third.
Keep an eye out just below the leatherwood belt if watching slips. Feed will be scarce so they tend not to move around as much. Time of day isn't so relevant, quite often see them pop out at the sun mid afternoon.
Definitely worth a look!

It's not very wintery in the Ruahines no snow at all at present, just wind and rain.
That could all change tomorrow

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The clear eye in behind a southerly is an excellent time to be in there.

Originally Posted by BRADS

It's not very wintery in the Ruahines no snow at all at present, just wind and rain.
That could all change tomorrow

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Looks like there will be snow there by Sunday

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Make the most of this winter. 1080 drop planned for 29000 ha of the northern end in spring 2023

https://www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/nat...me/operations/

Originally Posted by mkm

Make the most of this winter. 1080 drop planned for 29000 ha of the northern end in spring 2023

https://www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/nat...me/operations/

Ensure that you are a member of nzda and become part of the lobbying for deer repellent. Don’t listen to the nay-sayers, both the Association and repellent are effective.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Ensure that you are a member of nzda and become part of the lobbying for deer repellent. Don’t listen to the nay-sayers, both the Association and repellent are effective.

Looks like the new repellent is even more effective judging from what the Kaweka results were.

What pisses me off Is they don't warn enough this is the first I've heard of it can't find a map of the area they will do and when. Just looked at the ospri website and they have a different list of different places planned for this year. I'd like to know how far down the ruahines they will be going as it may have an effect on the area I like to hunt .

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Originally Posted by Phill243

What pisses me off Is they don't warn enough this is the first I've heard of it can't find a map of the area they will do and when. Just looked at the ospri website and they have a different list of different places planned for this year. I'd like to know how far down the ruahines they will be going as it may have an effect on the area I like to hunt .

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I wouldn't let it bother you
I've hunted the northern area after all the drops and before and haven't noticed any lack of animals at all.

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Originally Posted by Phill243

What pisses me off Is they don't warn enough this is the first I've heard of it can't find a map of the area they will do and when. Just looked at the ospri website and they have a different list of different places planned for this year. I'd like to know how far down the ruahines they will be going as it may have an effect on the area I like to hunt .

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Battle For Our Birds, same area as the last 2 drops. North of Sunrise hut and over to the western side as well. Be a map kicking around somewhere from the previous drops.

Do they put bird repellant in it now?

Originally Posted by TLB

Battle For Our Birds, same area as the last 2 drops. North of Sunrise hut and over to the western side as well. Be a map kicking around somewhere from the previous drops.

Yea that's what I was thinking but hey had also made noises of doing more of the ruahines south of that stuff too a couple years ago . So I was kinda wondering . Yea battle for the birds then they go and drop it on all the Kias in the south island .

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Originally Posted by Lurch

Do they put bird repellant in it now?

Deer repellent. They need some prompting but OSPRI in particular play the game OK.

The reality is that any bird by-kill is far outweighed by the ecological gains.