Thread: Gapped axe shoot and met

Fed the swamp this arfo Blowing strong Easterly.

Originally Posted by Gapped axe

No sympathy not beating around the bush, this will be my last season or part of. My hour glass is running out and before it does I thought it would be nice to spend the odd evening here and there and get out for an evening shoot and met some of you good buggas that are on here. It would have to be fairly local to work but yeah it would be nice. Not looking to blast someone eases posse, I have excellent if not the some of the best shooting available you can come and shot mine. Its just an idea what I think could work. I would need to keep an eye on how Im going but there would be no onus on you guys to look after me if I cant do that myself then I wont do it. My first stop will be some time on my Thornton pond and might even sneak in with Lentil, after that Woody in Reporoa. Wife will have to ok it but shes all for me enjoying myself. Maybe Bonecrusher in Aniwhenua my old haunt for nearly 20 yrs of shooting.

you duckshooting this weekend? can take you up my mates farm for a goat shoot if you want, take bbq up and have a hot lunch, its about halfway for both of us, bring a friend or family member or two, can possum shoot at night if your up to it. if your real keen could pitch a tent but its only 40mins from home.

Originally Posted by Steve123

It would be good to meet up, I'm new to these parts.

you wont be dissapointed hes a top bloke and bloody lucky to call a mate.

Originally Posted by Rushy

I’d be in to a chunk of that Woody, providing we are back in Level “go somewhere”

you know me, happy to join in on a bbq and bullshit talk and banter. especially with you good buggers.

Id be betting GA and son will be chasing quackers this weekend (as will a few others on here) so might be wise for us to have korero about mid next week to discuss / see how GA feels about things. I'd be happy if we had a bit of a bbq at Rere or somewhere suitable to GA weather permitting , sometime after opening weekend. GA's Whakatane swamp is fine with me. My possie is by row boat / canoe up a creek so not suitable for a group unfortunately. There will be other ideas out there I'm sure.

Most, if not every body, have always called me Bos. Been my nick name sine I was in 3 cornered pants. Some times my wife even calls me Bos, but most times its arse hole. When the NZ government commissioned to do a art piece, when I got off the plane there was a driver holding up a placard with Bos for me to identify him as my hosts driver. Officially there is a Bos (me) in the Fire Service and it creates a lot of confusion. Most people dont know my real name. Lol.

00I have the 2 best ponds at Thornton Lagoon side by side and you can drive to the door. Accomodation is at the Thornton motor camp. Got a bit knocked around yesterday, was entirely my fault. Hospice came to see me today and really encourage me do more of it just to be aware that I am very vulnerable. Mucko what a fantastic offer but for the next 3 weekends Im booked. Ohh man just getting so excited for the weekend, working on making a bunk in the Maimai so I can lay down straight between shots and stay warm, this condition of mine seems surreal and Im not liking it one bit.

Get those wooly longjohns sorted GA. Cold easterly this arfo and tonight. Was frost kastctwo mornings here too.

Good point, yes I will. Idea I have thermals in my SARS pak, they will do. How did the pre feed go? Threw 10kg around the maimai on satirday, have half thought anout shooting down and throwing out another hand ful before the weekend. Was always under the impression to throw most of it into the water as it last longer and the rats have to work to get it.

I rowed up and threw out about 12 kg into 1-1/2ft of water. Saw no birds but I had been using a chainsaw downstream on some obstacles where I launch my punt, so may have scared them off. I also carted three fadges of dekes and 7 goose dekes down to my launching spot ready to row upstream on friday afternoon and place. Positions will depend on wind direction. I will spread the other half of maize at same time. There are plenty of nice trout in the stream too. The Waikato had been real low until last couple of days and very few birds in evidence. The main lagoons will have been pretty dry for two months as well as the paddocks. So, while my spot had plenty birds last week, they may disperse really quick and get hammered elsewhere and maybe not many come in from elsewhere. Time will tell, but it will be nice to be "out there" regardless. Gotta be out there to have a chance ay

Is your pond controlled by the hydros?. Last time I was at your place you were having real issues with water levels. Do you think throwing the corn into the water keeps ot away from undesired pests.

The stream where I shoot used to be sensitive tiwaikato river levels but over past three years it is relatively unaffected, at least no more than about 6".
However, there has been a noticeable increase in pumice deposition coming from somwhere upstream. This has significantly affected movement of flow channels and I strongly suspect, downstream silting which is lifting the mean flow height of the stream. This in turn is flooding more ofcthe meander margins. A further seriously undesirable effect is the rapid soread of the viscious aquatic variety of urtica. (I got a severe dose of it last week when cutting crack willow and it made me dizzy for two days) This stuff had agressively girdled every carex and many midstream scrub hardwoods. I reckon it may be capable of killing ducklings. The other effect of tge pumice siltation is the smothering of aquatic plants including oxygen weed. In turn the invertebtates and molluscs will suffer and so on up the food chain.
So; while it all looks very pretty at casual observation I feel all is not as well as it could or shoukd be. The cumulative effect over the entire stream catchment and its ecology may be significant. Almost tge entire catchment is within farmland exceot for the upper km reaches which are within Kaingaroa and in an area (tiriti rd) logged during past two years and also aerially poisoned. The upoer springs used to be a haven for very large trout but utterly destroyed by noxious weed invasion and adjacent logging and access skid roads. As you know, the forestry standards certification authority in NZ is a farcical joke in reality unfortunately and that had been so for over a decade.

Originally Posted by Mohawk660

Im newish to these parts to, keen for a meet up even if its only for a beer and a chat. Have no private blocks sorry.

@Gapped axe apologies for hijacking your thread, hope your looking after yourself, catch up soon.

@Mohawk660 @Steve123 always keen to meet new people, rotorua based also, living out in waikite valley.
Cheers Bevan

Originally Posted by ocean-hunter

@Gapped axe apologies for hijacking your thread, hope your looking after yourself, catch up soon.

@Mohawk660 @Steve123 always keen to meet new people, rotorua based also, living out in waikite valley.
Cheers Bevan

Might be time to have a meet up for the guys based round here.

Originally Posted by Steve123

Might be time to have a meet up for the guys based round here.

And some of us further afield that would travel.