Thread: Winter hunting tips, please share

Originally Posted by deer243

Just like to point out if bush stalking number two isnt a big factor. Most of all the deer i see are around 11am -2pm in the bush if stalking, different if you clearing hunting or more open country otherwise mid day is veryy good.
Point 5 cover a small amount of country slowly is spot on but only when you come across fresh sign. If no sign dont waste your time stalking like a snail, move quietly, and be watchful but move at a reasonable pace to cover more ground until you come across fresh sign then slow right down.

+1

Looks like my first hunt will be in the Kawekas in September chasing Sika. Good way to start . Have done some reading but nothing like first hand experience. Sika still gotta eat in winter right. In your guys experience what will they be feeding on? Will give me and idea what to look for when out there. Cheers.

Sure, dawn and dusk aren't absolute. To tell the truth I seldom get out at dawn - too cold and yukky feeling getting up before all beauty sleep is completed. I've shot more deer in the "middle of the day" too. But remember that there are many more hours in the middle than at the ends. It's also difficult to make good use of dawn and evening because if you're like me you're barrelling back down the track to the hut in the last half hour of light or else struggling not quite reached the best hunting spot when it's light enough to shoot. Thus the suggestion to camp out.

It's also good advice to move steadily through the bush till you find a spot "with lots of sign" so its good if you've done the yards reconnoitering and know what is good and what is average. Try a swing through some other areas like the shady faces from time to time too. I always seem to find heaps of sign but it's a month old and the deer are now in another valley or different habitat this month.

If you like reading, the definitive books for deer hunting in NZ are by Roger Lentle and Frank Saxton. Red Deer in New Zealand (1991) covers their biology and hunting techniques. Stalking the Seaons Round (1993) has chapters for each deer species x 12 months of the year. These came out just before the internet and I haven't heard of them online or in ebook so there's a challenge to get hold of a copy ...

Gutshot shoots a lot of deer........ so don't help him too much!