Thread: Nephew's first trip

Caution - Photo heavy story.

I made an offer to my siblings that when their kids turn 13 they can come for a visit and do something exciting. Depending on what they like the plan gets tailored accordingly.
First up for an adventure was Quinn, they live up Tauranga ways so coming down South is always something to look forward to.

I happened to get a ballot in Lower Greenstone for the start of July, the week before school holidays. After a few phone calls Quinn got to take a week off school. For reasons of "An outdoor educational trip"


Day 1, Drive to the road end and Walk into Greenstone hut. Fairly uneventful walk in carrying packs loaded with 5 days of food and snacks. I took more food than we needed but for a first hunting trip being cold and hungry isn't much fun. Just cold is part of the adventure.




Day 2, We slowly worked our way from the hut to the edge of the block checking out all the likely looking clearings along the way. Stopped at the top of hill overlooking the Pond Burn and Mavora Valley. It's a real thrill being able to introduce a new perspective to a kid. Big mountains and open country that's all totally different from where he lives. We sat and watched the weather rolled in up the valley, big black clouds driving the rain in front of them. As it started to spit on us we decamped and headed back to the hut in the rain.



Day 3, I remember why I don't like bush stalking. In the rain. Hmm this isn't too much fun. Loads of sign around with a lack of animals actually spotted. Poor lad is finding all the slow sneaking around a bit tedious. The weather cleared after dark and it started to frost up shortly after, looking like it will be a good frost overnight.




Day 4, Frozen solid outside. Excellent! Great conditions to slink around the sunny flats looking for deer to come out and feed. We planned the night before to get out of the hut early to get down to the Slip Flat area. We set off just as the sky was starting to show a hint of light on the horizon. Stopped for a second breakfast at Slip Flat Hut and started to work our way through the open bush as the morning wore on and the sun came up over the mountains. There where a couple of Does sitting in the open enjoying the sun, we watched them before they got on to us and trotted away. Then, over the river feeding in the open we saw a buck. Quinn took point and we snuck down to close the range. Boom, step, flop. The 270 did the job and we had a deer just over 100m away. On the other side of the Greenstone river... After a peice of chocolate and discussion on how rain effects rivers we decided to was best to go the 1.2km up to the bridge, cross over then work back down the other side. We got to the deer and during cutting up found one back leg had a healed wound in the "knee" with bone still exposed. The mussel was fairly withered so at a guess I would say it was an older injury.




Day 5, Another fine and frosty morning. After a good clean up around the hut we walked back up the track to where we had stashed the meat and head from the day before. Quinn was still buzzing from the day before and it wasn't that easy to keep up with him going uphill. Possibly should have made his pack heavier...





Once we got home it was time to process the head and meat. Managed to send him home with the head and 10kg of venison in the suitcase. I heard later that he fell asleep at the dinner table that night at home.





It was quite a special trip for us both. At face value it was a fairly normal trip in terms of weather and animals. But when it's the first time out and with family it changes things a wee bit. I can only hope I've taught him a couple of positive things and left some good memories.