Thread: Trip to the top of Thompsons

Having driven past to go hunting elsewhere countless times, last Friday evening my jock mate (and fellow forum member) AndrewH and I headed down to Thompsons track for the very first time. I had read in another thread earlier in the year that Spook lived at the end of Thompsons Road so I contacted him prior to going down to get the good oil on where to park my car and where to poke my nose when I got to the top.

As it turned out, Spook's generosity knows no limitations and he allowed me to park the car behind a locked gate on his property and then transported Andrew and I at least three quarters of the way to the top (probably further if the truth was known) in and on his ute. On the way up we solved the problems of the world as only two old fellah's that have just met can and then he gave me the heads up on where to go and what to look out for. Thanks for that Spook.

Once dropped off where Thompsons track connects to the North South track, the two of us said our goodbyes to Spook and boosted it to the top (well as much as an overweight old fart like me and a jock without a kilt can boost) getting to a likely looking camp spot just on dark.

With headlamps glowing we pitched camp and after a quick bladder empty, hit the hay.


I need to fess up to the old soldiers on here that I was so keen to get in the fart sack that when I woke in the morning I realised that I had pitched my hootchie upside down. Yeh I know that will cost me a few beers. Any we were up early for breakfast and headed out for a hunt aiming to get to a basin / clearing that Spook had told me of before dawn.

As dawn broke, we found ourselves in low cloud cover (excellent I though to myself as the deer will feel safe and hang around a bit) but the pisser was that the wind was blowing like forty bastards and swirling as well.


As night became day and for some time after there were no deer seen and certainly no shots fired and it became obvious that the top was very dry and at least where we were there had not been any recent deer activity so the decision was made to slip off the side into the bush in a couple of different places for a stalk.

For you fellah's that have never been up there let me say "fuck it is thick in there" (with shit loads of supplejack)! Let me also say that at this time of year in the middle of drought like conditions "fuck it is noisy in there".

At one point toward the middle of Saturday, hunting became less of a priority than finding a source of water (without having to hoof it too far off the side) Found a trickle (and that is all I ever really need to find)


Cutting to the chase, we staked out the basin / clearing again on dusk but again nothing showed so no deer even seen for the weekend up there but we did get to see some amazing views all the way over Tauranga and Mount Maunganui and across the Waikato and Hauraki plains.


Self portrait of the Rushy on the way down


And the jock with out a kilt


Being quick to learn, Rushy will be back up there when the spring flush happens later this year.

Nice one Rushy! Crack up about your hoochie, cost you a few beers alright

Grassy clearing there looks promising.

Well done guys, you can only try, at least you have a 'heads up' for later in the year Rushie......

A pair of loppers get the supple jack problem sorted Rushy

Originally Posted by Bonecrusher

A pair of loppers get the supple jack problem sorted Rushy

Had a garden secateur with me but it would have taken an hour to go five metres in some of it.

Any trip is a good trip. Thumbs up to Spook for his hospitality. At least the hootchie was only inside out and not back to front
i was up high in the Kaimais once. The only water close by was moisture on the leaves

Nice one Rushy. I think you call those trips reccy's

nice write up Rushy was good of spook to let you park on his property and give you a ride up the track, spook is a bloody good bloke been to his place a couple of times when I was living over that way.

Cool trip report Rushy. Those ridgeline summer gear with the holes thru are great when you've had a bit off a slog. I have a t shirt. Is yours a jacket or sweatshirt?

That pic with the fern looking off the hill,surely those green paddocks are irrigated if not i'm gonna cry

Great stuff rushy.... I have givin up hunting the thompsons track area after nightmares of suplejack! i get too pissed off with it!

yep its thick but there r alot of hunters up there i live 2km from bush line hav access through neighbours made the mistake of putn car keys in my pocket (can drive right up in 4x4) fightn my way though all that shit some on hands and knees got bac to the hilux no keys had to walk hm get spares but had one of those key return things on originals sure enough 2 weeks later they turn up in the mail .what r the chances of that!

Originally Posted by Dundee

That pic with the fern looking off the hill,surely those green paddocks are irrigated if not i'm gonna cry

That Dundee is the Matamata Piako area of the mighty Waikato where men are men and sheep are nervous.

It is a Stoney Creek air mesh shirt that I am wearing

At least you're getting out

Originally Posted by Toby

At least you're getting out

Yes Toby. It must be an arsehole wanting to but not being able to

good write up rushy. good to see people out and about. yip she blows a bitch up there sometimes, and mist is bad from time to time.