Woods Mill track - Kaimais

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10-04-2025, 05:07 PM
Tangobravo

Woods Mill track - Kaimais

I think I’ve found the Jollie river of the North Island!

Moved here a few weeks ago and have done a couple missions in there now. Decided to put my game camera out over the last 5 days in there just to see what around while I checked out some other spots.

Got into my camera and to my amazement I picked up 16 people in there over the last 5 days! I put it a good km off the track too which makes it worse haha.
6 pig hunters and 10 regular hunters. Got one young hind on there too

On a side note, whoever cut the 15km loop track in there that I found, absolute legend. Happy to assist in maintaining it in the future.
No wild stags roaring this morning despite the wicked frost in there.

Has anyone Hunted over Hiwiroa and into Waipapa stream and onto Opuiaki river and out through Te Rereioturu track?

Stay safe in there if you’re planning a trip in there this weekend.

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10-04-2025, 05:17 PM
inglishill

Yeah, I know it pretty well :) I simply won't go out there during the roar, it is heavily used. There are animals up there if you are willing to fight for every step :) There are a few tracks that head in different directions, If you turn right after the first big windfall, that is actually an old logging track as well, heads up towards the farm which can be a good spot to be if you are keen to brave it. You can also head right at the first big clearing and follow your nose out that way.
10-04-2025, 05:28 PM
No.3

That's not quite Liverpool Station, maybe the next one down the line haha. It's fairly well-utilised you might say.
10-04-2025, 06:12 PM
JesseYoung

In saying that I’ve hunted that place for over a decade and only ever bumped in to another hunter (face to face) one time.
10-04-2025, 06:12 PM
Tangobravo

Quote:

Originally Posted by inglishill

Yeah, I know it pretty well :) I simply won't go out there during the roar, it is heavily used. There are animals up there if you are willing to fight for every step :) There are a few tracks that head in different directions, If you turn right after the first big windfall, that is actually an old logging track as well, heads up towards the farm which can be a good spot to be if you are keen to brave it. You can also head right at the first big clearing and follow your nose out that way.

Yea I’ve walked a touch over 30kms through that front country now so feel like I know it pretty well. Have marked the spots I found heaps of sign and bedding so I’ll follow them up over winter

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10-04-2025, 06:30 PM
JesseYoung

In saying that I’ve hunted that place for over a decade and only ever bumped in to another hunter (face to face) one time.
10-04-2025, 06:33 PM
Tangobravo

Quote:

Originally Posted by JesseYoung

In saying that I’ve hunted that place for over a decade and only ever bumped in to another hunter (face to face) one time.

Must be something in the air this year [emoji23]
Found a dead hind today too which is a shame and a dead yearling end of last week. All pretty deep in there

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10-04-2025, 06:34 PM
inglishill

If you go to the end of the track to the Waiomu (I think it is) headwaters and cut right you can cross over and head up, there is a little game trail that eventually lands you right on the top plateau which can be worth a look.
10-04-2025, 06:40 PM
No.3

Quote:

Originally Posted by JesseYoung

In saying that I’ve hunted that place for over a decade and only ever bumped in to another hunter (face to face) one time.

Man, I've only been in there twice and not bumped into anyone (trampers, hunters, growers :ORLY:).

I used to go in through some of the local land with my good mate (he's down south now). That was a bit better and less traveled but still fairly busy. My best effort was over a hundred people in a mid week guided excursion, so much for Tues-Thurs being the "quiet time".
10-04-2025, 06:44 PM
inglishill

Quote:

Originally Posted by No.3

Man, I've only been in there twice and not bumped into anyone (trampers, hunters, growers :ORLY:).

I used to go in through some of the local land with my good mate (he's down south now). That was a bit better and less traveled but still fairly busy. My best effort was over a hundred people in a mid week guided excursion, so much for Tues-Thurs being the "quiet time".

To be fair, there are some much better spots that are not too far away from Woods Mill.
10-04-2025, 06:54 PM
Tangobravo

Quote:

Originally Posted by inglishill

If you go to the end of the track to the Waiomu (I think it is) headwaters and cut right you can cross over and head up, there is a little game trail that eventually lands you right on the top plateau which can be worth a look.

I know the one, it’s a good little plateau up there. It’s hard work in there but I quite enjoy the walk in that bush. It’s been nice exploring new spots after being in the South Island for the last 12 years

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10-04-2025, 06:54 PM
Tangobravo

Quote:

Originally Posted by inglishill

To be fair, there are some much better spots that are not too far away from Woods Mill.

I’m happy to take general areas if your happy to share, my feet will do the rest

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10-04-2025, 06:56 PM
Tangobravo

Quote:

Originally Posted by No.3

Man, I've only been in there twice and not bumped into anyone (trampers, hunters, growers :ORLY:).

I used to go in through some of the local land with my good mate (he's down south now). That was a bit better and less traveled but still fairly busy. My best effort was over a hundred people in a mid week guided excursion, so much for Tues-Thurs being the "quiet time".

Yea na that’s insane, was that in the Kaimais?
I’ve been hunting mid week and the trail camera has someone every second day with the most being Saturday and Sunday

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10-04-2025, 10:11 PM
No.3

Yeah Kaimai's. Some sort of guided excursion thing, 5 groups of 20 with about a 5min gap between them. After the first one I was like "well, f... that's my day". After the last group, it was just funny. I was crossing over one of the main trails, just put my feet up for 1/2 an hour and had a break and then carried on. Still spooked a hind group, but it was pretty flat after that.
10-04-2025, 10:14 PM
inglishill

I still find the easiest way to get a deer out of the Kaimais is to let my dog run one down.
10-04-2025, 10:15 PM
inglishill

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tangobravo

I’m happy to take general areas if your happy to share, my feet will do the rest

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Happy to take you out one day, it is public land, no one owns anything, but they own everything :)
11-04-2025, 08:23 AM
Tangobravo

Quote:

Originally Posted by inglishill

Happy to take you out one day, it is public land, no one owns anything, but they own everything :)

Yea always keen for a walk, be good to meet some likeminded people too [emoji1303]

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11-04-2025, 11:09 AM
earplay

I recall I shot my second ever deer up Wairere falls, and foolishly carried it out whole all the way back to down, as that's what I thought all hunters did... (about 20y back now). Passed about 40 trampers on the way down, which elicited a range of reactions. One group of older women in a tramping group looked terrified and thought I was carrying a 'dead dog' on my back (obviously wasn't a big deer!).
@Tangobravo happy to PM you a few spots that proved fruitful for me in that neck of the woods.