Thread: waioeka

Hi all
After gibo giving me a crash course on dially scopes etc last weekend i thought i better put it to practice while its still fresh and better give something back to the forum and write a story.
A mate and i left on friday morning and headed over to the wioeka, we stopped off in opo to raid my brothers pantry then new world to grab some food, we left the ute in the carpark and got underway at about lunchtime.
The creeks were up and after 3hrs walking up the creek we were bloody freezing! We dumped our gear at the hut got some wood and got out for an evening hunt.
We staked out a slip that was way too steep i think, but light was fading and as we didnt know that area we just picked one and made the climb up the opposite side, at least we knew not to go back to that one in the morning.

After a freezing night in the hut we got out in the drizzle and went down stream this time to a slip we saw on the way in, after sitting there for an hour watching the drizzle and mist drift through, a hind and a yearling were sprinting up the slip. I had ranged and dialed for the top of the slip as this was the area that looked most promising but they stopped for only a second or two then went into the bush, after that i saw the wind swirling the mist they were just under 200m away and must of winded us.
We were buoyed by seeing something out in this weather so we moved down to another slip 5min down river

As soon as we got there we saw a yearling standing next to the big white dead tree, to some of you long rangers it wont be far but to me it was a long way! It was 320m line of sight but with angle it was around 280m so i dialled up and found the best rest i could get, which was hanging my legs over the edge and leaning on a tree, it wasnt too bad but it defitely wasn't sandbags and a bipod.

at the shot she hunched and ran a few meters and in the time it took for me to reload she toppled
did i mention it was steep!
this was the slip

Once we found her the rain started coming in properly, the shot was a bit of a meat saver but got both lungs.

The dog trying to lead me down the slip to the deer but no way was i getting down there, we went around and came at it from the bottom

After butchering her up we got our gear from the hut and legged it out, lucky we did as the river had started to rise but the time we hit the end of the river section.
It was a great few days but was so good to be able to warm up and feel our feet again, at least in winter you have to place to yourself!

sorry dont know how to change pics

Originally Posted by nickbop

sorry dont know how to change pics

Not a problem, just turned monitor onto its side. Great effort in steepish shit and crap weather you guys.

good hunt you had

Awesome hunt and pics well done ,beats staying at home by the fire aye

Spent many happy hours sitting below that slip great report cheers

great post and effort!

Nice one Nick, got to be happy with that mate. Looks steep alright

Next lesson is picture orientation

Originally Posted by Pointer

Spent many happy hours sitting below that slip great report cheers

It landed above that waterfall in the middle, would be a nice spot on a sunny day

Originally Posted by Gibo

Nice one Nick, got to be happy with that mate. Looks steep alright

Next lesson is picture orientation

Yeah computers aren't my specialty!

thanks @Gibo, now i see why he thought it was steep.....

Originally Posted by nickbop

It landed above that waterfall in the middle, would be a nice spot on a sunny day

Yeah lovely spot. I've always found it goes better nov-dec so for you guys to pull one out of there at this time on a shit day says a lot. Well done

Did you go in and stay at the Nikau? - great we spot that. We were met there 13 odd years ago (arriving late 11.30 - setting up a tent at the Redpaths farm entry over the bridge) by spotlights and firearms after they thought we were a couple of Auckland cattle rustlers rolling into town... Had spoken to old lady Redpath there who had failed to pass the message on... was a good way to get the old adrelaline running any how and situation soon explained..

We spent 4 odd days in there had a ball in Summer with catching trout fly fishing and the odd clamber round the rock faces above Nikau to get up the next section.there was a almost passable track then but it blew out big time after that and haven't gone back since... Great times - hope you guys continue to enjoy that spot.