Thread: Mangamuka hut expedition.

This weekend @TheJanitar and I decided it would be good to go for a weekend hunt in the kaimai's so I could have have a go at my first deer.

We woke up at 2:30am for the drive down to the road end and after a Mc Donalds run in preparation for the steep climb we set off on what was to end up being a puffy (read unfit) 12 kilometers hahah.



With the sun rising we were hoping to spook a deer on the tracks but we saw nothing.



None the less we soldiered on until we reached the hut.







Once we settled in and I found the mattress ' (thank god, wood isn't comfortable)

We were off for a hunt.

Eventually we found a clearing and staked it out until it was dark. Cold, hungry and tired we walked into the clearing (first mistake) and promptly spooked what we thought was an antler less stag which had been hiding behind a tree the whole time!

We went back to the hut for some tinned chicken sandwiches and went to sleep ready for an early start the next morning.



We sat just off the clearing for what felt like a while and saw nothing. So we went off to unsuccessfully find the mythical places the hut book describes.

Eventually we found our way back and relaxed before we set off home.






For us new hunters it was a success to see a deer so soon we'll have one bowled over by the 2 308's.

Good write up.And keep at it mate.
There are deer in there.
When I lived in Tauranga. I did a few hunts in the Kaimais. I spooked a decent spiker at 1030 literally 200m sleeping just above a well used, I stalked him with a decent barking contest that went on for over an hr. Sitting in a spot I could see him running backwards and forwards along a ridge (not presenting a shot but I could see him), kept barking at each other then all of a sudden i could "smell" him. or what I thought was him. Turned out another had snuck up to see what all the commotion was about.
It crashed off when i saw me (or smelt me haha). Didnt get a go at either but it was fun!

Keep at it!

Sounds like a good but tiring experience, you will have a few trips without success but one day it will all come together and you will get one.

Originally Posted by WhistlingWings

Good write up.And keep at it mate.
There are deer in there.
When I lived in Tauranga. I did a few hunts in the Kaimais. I spooked a decent spiker at 1030 literally 200m sleeping just above a well used, I stalked him with a decent barking contest that went on for over an hr. Sitting in a spot I could see him running backwards and forwards along a ridge (not presenting a shot but I could see him), kept barking at each other then all of a sudden i could "smell" him. or what I thought was him. Turned out another had snuck up to see what all the commotion was about.
It crashed off when i saw me (or smelt me haha). Didnt get a go at either but it was fun!

Keep at it!

The hut book was really good. People have spooked deer on the tracks before and have come across them pretty close to the hut. So we're pretty stoked with the place.

No way near as many people as wairere falls gets.

I had a deer bark at me before which was fun. Very unexpected. Thanks for the encouragement

Originally Posted by Mooseman

Sounds like a good but tiring experience, you will have a few trips without success but one day it will all come together and you will get one.

I am going to look forward to that day. It's gonna be good.

Good effort guys!!

Was good getting out there again! Met a guy on the track back home who said that he goes straight into the bush (doesnt follow tracks at all once he reaches the top of the ridge) - walks 5 meters, then waits 3 mins and listens. says he experiences about an 80 % success rate that way in the kaimais.. Sounds crazy to me because that bush is THICK - dont know how you could do that without making a hella lot of noise. and also we would definitely get lost without the gps that way

Funny how quickly a "half loop off the track" can turn into a "mate, wheres that gps?" ae Liam amazing how that bush messes with your mind.. Definitely much easier to hunt bush that have rivers to follow!

Anyone else use the 'New Zealand Topo Maps Free" app for android?? has gps and everything. can save tracks too. got us out of a pretty sticky situation. seems like it worked when the gps didnt and vice versa. good back up to use in conjunction with a gps IMO.

Good trip, bugger about that deer.. tough bush to hunt without spooking one i reckon.

next time

Some good country up there, plenty of deer around. Stick to the southern faces and ridges when navigating of the track, always easier going and keeps you out of the supplejack.

Originally Posted by TheJanitar

Was good getting out there again! Met a guy on the track back home who said that he goes straight into the bush (doesnt follow tracks at all once he reaches the top of the ridge) - walks 5 meters, then waits 3 mins and listens. says he experiences about an 80 % success rate that way in the kaimais.. Sounds crazy to me because that bush is THICK - dont know how you could do that without making a hella lot of noise. and also we would definitely get lost without the gps that way

Funny how quickly a "half loop off the track" can turn into a "mate, wheres that gps?" ae Liam amazing how that bush messes with your mind.. Definitely much easier to hunt bush that have rivers to follow!

Anyone else use the 'New Zealand Topo Maps Free" app for android?? has gps and everything. can save tracks too. got us out of a pretty sticky situation. seems like it worked when the gps didnt and vice versa. good back up to use in conjunction with a gps IMO.

Good trip, bugger about that deer.. tough bush to hunt without spooking one i reckon.

next time

I don't think that I could do that 5 metres 3 minutes for a few hours.

I was just testing our collective manganation! It worked once. I walked in one direction and we got to river. We just need to be temporarily misguided and we'll have it sorted in no time 👍

Originally Posted by Nick-D

Some good country up there, plenty of deer around. Stick to the southern faces and ridges when navigating of the track, always easier going and keeps you out of the supplejack.

We'll definitely remember that!