Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

DPT Night Vision NZ


User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 37
Like Tree155Likes

Thread: Hunting in the Snow

  1. #16
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Feilding
    Posts
    502
    Lovely spot up there!

    Last time i was up there i shot a scrubby stag on the southern face of the triangle turn off, i should have spotted him earlier from the high point as i had taken a spell and was getting some photos but never thought to get my binos out.
    Name:  IMG-2584.jpg
Views: 426
Size:  8.01 MB

    Got to here and saw him trotting off as he was on to me well before i saw him, quickly took the shot and dropped him only to see the biggest Ruahine stag i have personally seen run over the shoulder at a high rate of knots heading towards the big Tarn
    Name:  IMG-2587.jpg
Views: 469
Size:  3.39 MB

    I bolted off after him with just my rifle only to watch him get further and further out of range, I don't think he stopped until he was in the Pourangaki
    Name:  IMG-2601.jpg
Views: 457
Size:  2.35 MB
    Name:  IMG-2602.jpg
Views: 372
Size:  868.9 KB

    Camp on the Triangle turn off
    Name:  IMG-2604.jpg
Views: 445
Size:  2.13 MB

    Sun coming up over Te Hekenga
    Name:  IMG-2606.jpg
Views: 383
Size:  1.49 MB

    North to Maungamahue
    Name:  IMG-2607.jpg
Views: 371
Size:  1.66 MB

    Spectators!! there was a group of hinds up above me watching the whole thing play out and they were still there the next morning, i suspect they wanted to cross over into the Oroua but i was in their way
    Name:  IMG-2600.jpg
Views: 378
Size:  1.80 MB
    Tahr, Trout, Brian and 9 others like this.

  2. #17
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    West Coast
    Posts
    907
    That stag must have damn near run through where we always camped.

  3. #18
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Feilding
    Posts
    502
    Quote Originally Posted by whanahuia View Post
    That stag must have damn near run through where we always camped.
    Yep that's where i was originally heading & normally camp at to!
    whanahuia likes this.

  4. #19
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Southern Alps
    Posts
    4,690
    Nice photos,thanks.

  5. #20
    Member 199p's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Palmerston North
    Posts
    4,300
    Quote Originally Posted by Tahr View Post
    Do you know where the track forks and cuts into the creek and then picks up on a spur onto the tops? Last time I was there it was getting overgrown but its good access.
    For years there was a slasher we left in the Totora at the camp but I guess its gone now. And the hidden hut on the way up from Scanlon creek? Ever stumbled onto that?
    Yes stumbled into the hut twice after losing the track on the way back down.
    Definitely going to take my saw along. Lots of windfall last time I was up there.

    I think thats where i went wrong didnt go to the creek and just bashed into leatherwood.
    Micky Duck likes this.
    Konus binoculars " The power to imagine"

  6. #21
    Member 199p's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Palmerston North
    Posts
    4,300
    Might have to do a winter mission me thinks
    Konus binoculars " The power to imagine"

  7. #22
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Central North Island
    Posts
    5,074
    Got caught up there in a blizzard up there back in the 70's. Wet snow is something a lot of overseas visitors struggle to understand. On a good day you can see both coasts from the Tops of the Tararuas or Ruahines. That close to the coasts, any snow stays wet, and keeps all your gear saturated and slightly below zero. Far from acting as an insulator as it can in Northern America and Europe, it acts as a refrigerator, pumping all the heat out of you.

    Anywho, great day going in on Saturday. Not a bit of snow anywhere.

    Half way though Saturday night the sound of the stream outside Triangle hut stopped... Its snowing heavily.

    Up on the tops in a wet snow storm, howling southerly gale. Turn back to the hut after about 20 minutes after hitting the Tops...and our footprints had disappeared in less than 50 yards. Headed down out of the gale into the headwaters of the Mangawharariki stream. Stopped and built a snow shelter to which we attempted to attach our fly to. Thermal mats had only just become a 'thing', so only about half of us had them. So it was two people per sleeping bag, second bag thrown over the top, those with bivvie bags (Ha!!! big orange plastic bags to keep you wet all night from condensation) and we chattered and froze all through the night.

    As soon as it was light we were up and out of there. Blue sky. Heaps of snow that only just took your weight, till you broke through and skinned your shins on it. 15 minutes of that and swap around and let someone else have a go and forging a path through the snow. An hour later a fixed wing flew over, spotted us, waggled its wings and buggered off. Our parents come to see how we were getting on!

    Didn't stop at Rangi for long, as it was always a cold hole unless you spent considerable time foraging for firewood.

    I think the Rangi Hut has been replaced at least twice since these photos were taken.

    Name:  Rangi Sat lunch.jpg
Views: 346
Size:  74.7 KB

    Name:  Below Mon morn.jpg
Views: 340
Size:  65.2 KB

    Name:  Rangi Monday lunch.jpg
Views: 332
Size:  84.9 KB
    Tahr, Trout, 199p and 6 others like this.

  8. #23
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    NI
    Posts
    12,901
    Quote Originally Posted by Sika 8 View Post
    Lovely spot up there!

    Last time i was up there i shot a scrubby stag on the southern face of the triangle turn off, i should have spotted him earlier from the high point as i had taken a spell and was getting some photos but never thought to get my binos out.
    Attachment 228771

    Got to here and saw him trotting off as he was on to me well before i saw him, quickly took the shot and dropped him only to see the biggest Ruahine stag i have personally seen run over the shoulder at a high rate of knots heading towards the big Tarn
    Attachment 228772

    I bolted off after him with just my rifle only to watch him get further and further out of range, I don't think he stopped until he was in the Pourangaki
    Attachment 228773
    Attachment 228774

    Camp on the Triangle turn off
    Attachment 228775

    Sun coming up over Te Hekenga
    Attachment 228776

    North to Maungamahue
    Attachment 228777

    Spectators!! there was a group of hinds up above me watching the whole thing play out and they were still there the next morning, i suspect they wanted to cross over into the Oroua but i was in their way
    Attachment 228779
    Your second photo. Not sure about now but 45 through to 25 years ago it always held velvet stags. There was a well defined track up out of the creek to those old slip/ feeding areas. I too saw the best Ruahine stag Ive seen on that face but he was in the velvet so we left him (it was after my meat hunting days).
    Micky Duck and Sika 8 like this.
    Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing, and right-doing, there is a field. I will meet you there.
    - Rumi

  9. #24
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    NI
    Posts
    12,901
    Quote Originally Posted by XR500 View Post
    Got caught up there in a blizzard up there back in the 70's. Wet snow is something a lot of overseas visitors struggle to understand. On a good day you can see both coasts from the Tops of the Tararuas or Ruahines. That close to the coasts, any snow stays wet, and keeps all your gear saturated and slightly below zero. Far from acting as an insulator as it can in Northern America and Europe, it acts as a refrigerator, pumping all the heat out of you.

    Anywho, great day going in on Saturday. Not a bit of snow anywhere.

    Half way though Saturday night the sound of the stream outside Triangle hut stopped... Its snowing heavily.

    Up on the tops in a wet snow storm, howling southerly gale. Turn back to the hut after about 20 minutes after hitting the Tops...and our footprints had disappeared in less than 50 yards. Headed down out of the gale into the headwaters of the Mangawharariki stream. Stopped and built a snow shelter to which we attempted to attach our fly to. Thermal mats had only just become a 'thing', so only about half of us had them. So it was two people per sleeping bag, second bag thrown over the top, those with bivvie bags (Ha!!! big orange plastic bags to keep you wet all night from condensation) and we chattered and froze all through the night.

    As soon as it was light we were up and out of there. Blue sky. Heaps of snow that only just took your weight, till you broke through and skinned your shins on it. 15 minutes of that and swap around and let someone else have a go and forging a path through the snow. An hour later a fixed wing flew over, spotted us, waggled its wings and buggered off. Our parents come to see how we were getting on!

    Didn't stop at Rangi for long, as it was always a cold hole unless you spent considerable time foraging for firewood.

    I think the Rangi Hut has been replaced at least twice since these photos were taken.

    Attachment 228804

    Attachment 228805

    Attachment 228806
    That's insightful (bold underline, above)
    Micky Duck likes this.
    Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing, and right-doing, there is a field. I will meet you there.
    - Rumi

  10. #25
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Papamoa
    Posts
    29
    Quote Originally Posted by Sika 8 View Post
    Lovely spot up there!

    Last time i was up there i shot a scrubby stag on the southern face of the triangle turn off, i should have spotted him earlier from the high point as i had taken a spell and was getting some photos but never thought to get my binos out.
    Attachment 228771

    Got to here and saw him trotting off as he was on to me well before i saw him, quickly took the shot and dropped him only to see the biggest Ruahine stag i have personally seen run over the shoulder at a high rate of knots heading towards the big Tarn
    Attachment 228772

    I bolted off after him with just my rifle only to watch him get further and further out of range, I don't think he stopped until he was in the Pourangaki
    Attachment 228773
    Attachment 228774

    Camp on the Triangle turn off
    Attachment 228775

    Sun coming up over Te Hekenga
    Attachment 228776

    North to Maungamahue
    Attachment 228777

    Spectators!! there was a group of hinds up above me watching the whole thing play out and they were still there the next morning, i suspect they wanted to cross over into the Oroua but i was in their way
    Attachment 228779
    Te hekenga & High Ridge rear right of photo

  11. #26
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Back in the Manawatu
    Posts
    347
    Camped up above Rangi hut back in May, there was a bit of snow around too, in hindsight a bit too much. was hoping for a nice sunny day and deer out enjoying the sun but woke up to more like a blizzard so had breaky and trudged on back to my ute. better luck next time!!Name:  20230513_160417.jpg
Views: 272
Size:  1.03 MBName:  20230513_160354.jpg
Views: 282
Size:  562.7 KB
    Trout, 199p, rugerman and 6 others like this.

  12. #27
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    West Coast
    Posts
    907
    Its amazing how many people use that site, and yet in all mine and brothers trips up there, we never arrived to find it in use. That campsite could tell some stories of its own!
    Micky Duck, 30late and Sika 8 like this.

  13. #28
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2023
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    311
    Wow. I too have thought of a bit tops snowy winter mission but it has yet to transpire. The excellent feedback here reminds me of an absolute freezing school trip to the Rushine in snow. And then I remembered the wet, slushy snow. Thanks to all for tracks cut long ago, the great stories and amazing photos. It is a stunning place indeed
    "Death - our community's number one killer"

  14. #29
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    527
    Presumably you’ve put your knees and hips through a fair bit doing that. Are you still on your originals?

  15. #30
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    NI
    Posts
    12,901
    Quote Originally Posted by Lauries Hut View Post
    Presumably you’ve put your knees and hips through a fair bit doing that. Are you still on your originals?
    Only just. Dose myself up with anti-flams before I head out the door for a hunt. Grin and bear it in between hunts. Knees and a hip. Wrist. Arthritis. Had an X-ray for chest pains last week. Results were that I have a "healing" broken rib - that injury was 9 moths ago - I thought that would be well healed by now.
    Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing, and right-doing, there is a field. I will meet you there.
    - Rumi

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Hunting in the snow - North Island
    By NewbieZAR in forum Hunting
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 10-07-2023, 08:23 PM
  2. Snow chains
    By 223nut in forum Outdoor Transport
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 26-11-2016, 03:59 PM
  3. hunting in the snow?
    By Dan-N in forum Hunting
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 21-05-2014, 12:16 PM
  4. Bloody Snow
    By 260rem in forum Hunting
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 13-09-2012, 12:22 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!