Some scary bastards out there...

I took the grandson for a horse ride on the weekend to check out the road conditions of Thompson's Track, pulled off the track into a wind free spot surrounded by bush that we use for a lunch break where the horses can graze and we can munch our lunch. Grandson's nag moved off so he went to drag it back before it moved too far, When he got back he says he can hear voices from the track which is less than fifty metres away, next thing there is a half-arsed roar from them, I thought shit, they are late for the roar or bloody early for the next one. Tempted to roar back and then thought "don't be an arse" so yelled out "Oi" instead..Ii couldn't believe it the clown roared again, so I then yelled out to make sure they hadn't come upon the much prized feral deer that speaks in human sounds...we mounted up and vacated the spot pronto, half expecting whistling rounds to come our way.
My brother recalls a time on the same track but different possie where he took his daughter to graze the horses and have lunch, sitting there in the long grass he spots a hunter coming through to the edge of the clearing in full stalk mode so yells out to make themselves known...the guy says "I have been following the hoof prints thinking it was a deer ahead"...can you imagine a deer the size of a clydie cross and no split hoof...scary bastards.

Jeese Spook, i dont even know where to start mate.....fuktards of the highest order....be safe mate....well as much as you can be!!!!!!

Was pretty Busy up there on Sunday to Spook! Can Honestly Say it wasn't me and @northdude... Although can attest to the traffic, and it got bloody loud when the first offroader got through.. Didn't run into anybody roaring at us although thats really really scary - there were a few cars in the carpark? Spotted what I thought might be your hoof prints on the track as we came back down..

Had a yarn to those (first offroaders - couple of young lads from Hamilton) at the top of the lookout track when they turned up and even louder later on when the train of 8 in two groups came up. (We were on our way out by this time as the noise was enough to break our Zen). We also had earlier waved to and headed up to intro intro ourselves to a couple camped up at the top of the hill between the intersection of Thompson and North South and 100 acres went and introduced ourselves. Sure enough they had already worked the 100 acres infront of us so it saved us a bit of time with that knowledge to them continuing to head up that way.

Plus ran into another group of 3 Trampers when we were coming back from the Hut track first on the track wearing orange blaze which wasa really good idea and saw him a mile away.. by the sounds given the numbers of two leggeds (and nutters) up there a very good strategy.

By this time it was bloody hot, running short of time and energy we headed back down. Man had a few moments where I thought I was going go flat on my arse tip toeing round those mud wallows the 4x4's cut into the track - your horses are more sure footed than me for sure!

Sorry we didn't get a chance to drop in we were late (having had to travel a lot futher south than we were expecting at 5pm) but thanks again from Nothdude and myself for everything and I'll drop in with a beer or two for you next time I'm passing.

Did you see the deer sign on the track?...one of the advantages of using a horse is the height and another is one does not have to look where one is placing one's feet and can have a look around...knowing some of the cross over points helps as well.
The lead driver of the group of five is my grandson, well worth knowing him if you ever need a carry out...knows that track like the back of his hand.
Most of the cars in the carpark were associated with the off roaders.
Many hunt the Kaimai's from the walking tracks, the more successful one's hunt off the track.

Hi David,
Great to see you back, missed you from around here.
We need the gate keeper too Thompsons track... hope you have been keeping well, kids were talking about your place and Billy the other day...
Best regards Grant

Yep I think Duncan had a yarn with them up the top as we were returning. Yes, you're right about off the tracks as a recon this trip it worked well in that regard and and where you end up following Spurs and into clearings have a number of spots now to follow up on including where you told me earlier.

I seem to bring the stinking hot days with me down there that's for sure. Totally rate the 4x4 guys for getting through some of those holes they're fairly gnarley...

Question though given they have forestry and stuff going on during the week, and things like the 4x4s on the weekends are the animals pretty resilient to noise and hunker down or move away then com back later. Would be interested in your opinion ?

One strange thing with deer is that wherever the forestry boys tipped the trees over the day before is where one will find the most sign, they seem to love the vegetation brought down with the felling of the pines...a problem arose when they were felling below the track with hunters positioning themselves along the track early in the morning before day break and when the forestry boys turned up and virtually drove the deer towards them...scary shit...the storm that brought the 18 slips down that closed the track was met with jubilation by the forestry lads.
There is a particular clearing (I will point out to you one day) that can be seen from the track that had a stag and a hind on it at 2.30pm on a weekend when the track would have had 250 people using it walking, mountain biking, horse riding, 4x4, motor bikes.
The 100 acres has had a thrashing from spot lighters and i believe the deer have changed their eating patterns because of it...I loaned a couple of horses to two guys who camped up there the night, seven spotlighter groups kept them on their toes all night.

I'm up in the Kaimais almost every weekend and very rarely see anyone. Always steered away from Thompsons track though, sounds like a nightmare, muddy & busy. Why is it so popular?

From the BoP side one has to walk a considerable distance on the track to get to reasonable bush that a human can penetrate...plenty of cross over points though.
Waikato side is less challenging as a track and only half the distance to the top compared with BoP side.
Easier to access North/South track for trampers and hunters on Waikato side.
Mud is good...that is for everyone but a foot slogger.

I stayed up on the Te Hanga Ridge on Friday night. You would have loved it Spook, mud everywhere!

No wonder I never see anyone there, it's fucking miserable lol.

Thomson track is an easy access for all the townies who want to release the pressure from the boiler over the weekend. The more people will live in towns the more you will see on Thomson track! Be it trampers, hunters ,4 wheel drivers ...and spotlight poachers!

yea it was busy up there alright we had a talk with the first guys up at the lookout realy nice young fellas and good to see them out and enjoying the outdoors wonder if they made down the bop side theres some good spots up there worth keeping an eye on another advantage of horses is to a deer it doesn't sound like a human walking along if your grandson was in the orange patrol I had a talk to him :thumbsup:

Friwi, you didn't mention the dope growers...every local kid that hasn't got a grow cupboard at home has a plot in the kaimai's.
One of the reasons hunters frequent the area is because it holds a good number of deer.

Would like to see the face of the dope grower when deer and goat are munching through their pots.