Thread: Hello, and any tips to gain bush confidence?

here is a really simple old school method...find a backstop/catch feature...a track is ideal...a big stream is ok too....start on it..head off on one compass direction say south....hunt away for a time,then turn either east or west depending on wind for however long then turn and head north...KNOWING yo uwill strike the track or stream.

just need to look carefully at map and dont go past end of catch feature...
in MOST places in NZ.... water will lead out of the bush if yo ufollow it downstream far enough....
a GPS is a game changer but it doesnt replace map n compass skills.
the topo map apps on cellphone are awesome... BUT just like GPS.... open your paper map,really try hard to work out where you are. be honest,try to get your co ordinates...then ask GPS/phone to check...and you will be surprised how close you are,with a little bit of practise.

cloudy or misty days suck my confidence navigation wise...I use compass far more when no sun to keep eye on..funny I dont notice Im doing it till its not there.

Pureora is one of the worst places for navigation...Stewart island is another..... you have good gear,take spare batteries and trust the compass just make sure to keep it away from batteries and steel..... you do have some big roads to use as catch features.

There is at least one deer less than there was two weeks ago - and he tastes great!

hahaha.... where was he?... just joking, magicians can never reveal their secrets. Do you like the plan of crossing the maramataha bridge and then entering bush with the compass pointing south?

Don’t forget your watch. Makes such an easy compass in the Southern Hemisphere.

Originally Posted by cally woo

hahaha.... where was he?... just joking, magicians can never reveal their secrets. Do you like the plan of crossing the maramataha bridge and then entering bush with the compass pointing south?

after crossing the bridge you can either follow the cycle track to waione or you can drop off to the right into the bush , a little further down the river is "the old horse track" which is basicly a straight line south thru the bush to waione ..... its not on any new maps and not sure this is a good option for a noob in there as micky duck said pureora is a shit place to navigate no discerning landmarks and easy to get turned around. i can send you a map with all the old tracks on it if you like was done before gps ii have been methodically mapping them with gps over the years and they are pretty accurate some have gone to make way for the cycle track tho.

Welcome aboard, @cally woo
You are at the start of a lifelong journey. The renowned South African bowhunter Dr Adriaan de Villiers was a pioneer in the bowhunting field. In his early days, after switching from rifle to bow, I recall an article that told of how he had not even had a shot at an animal in the first year, while he basically re-learned stalking and bushcraft.

Bowhunting is a huge challenge. In fact, it is several huge challenges. You need to be able to read the sign around you to find an animal, move yourself towards it, get into position to take a shot, and then you need to have the strength and skill to execute perfectly. Get any one wrong and you will have a pleasant outing in the bush. It takes perseverance to do. with a rifle, you can shoot an animal that can't see, hear or smell you, and you have all the time in the world to line up perfectly. As you close the distance, you lose these advantages, and the tables are turned. Your movements need to be slow - like snails will overtake you slow - and your reactions need to be lightning fast when the opportunity to release an arrow presents itself.

I would seriously suggest getting a couple of arrows with blunt tips, so you can take shots at random objects without destroying the arrows. That way, if you are having a really slow day hunting wise, you can hone the shooting skill part by taking an aimed shot at something, after practicing holding the bow at full draw for as long as you can. This is invaluable when you have drawn on an animal and it gets a whiff of you, or hears something and turns in your direction before you can loose. I had a bow in South Africa, and never got the opportunity to shoot an animal, but that was also because of my personal choice to forego hunting from a blind. African antelope are super, super skittish, and known to jump the string. Your arrow will only find air where the animal was if they have even a hint that there is something out of the ordinary. Unless they are completely relaxed, it is best to not take a shot. I haven't taken a bow hunting in NZ, so can't speak for the local game species.

The PLB advice is fundamental for a solo hunter - have one on your person at all times, and not merely in your pack. And always let someone know where you are and when you will be back if you are going alone.

Originally Posted by cally woo

Hey friends, been reading for a while and thought I'd sign up to be part of the discussion.

I have been shooting a bow for about 10 months now and have been on 3 unsuccessful hunts. Seen a bunch of sign, seen zero animals (probably too loud, or follow the wind like a sail). All good though, no rush, just happy to be outdoors.

I know I might catch some shit for this because there must be endless amounts of bushmen here but I need tips on gaining confidence for heading off track and into deep bush.

I go by myself and am learning by myself which makes me a bit more cautious about not fucking up and getting stuck or hurt or cold.

Any tips? serious answers would be welcome but some good old fashioned hazing is sweet too.

Thanks

@cally woo There is a lot of learning in this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ah6p-w7UvU. Shae has some skills that put him above expert level. At the end of the vid he has a link to online tutorials. He and the Grafs are next level professional hunters

@scotty Hey I would love that mate! yes please

Pm me an email address or pH # and I will send

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Dont fight the bush.....

ahahah I'm always getting bloody tangled up and starting shit with the bush. Good advice there I reckon

Originally Posted by HarryMax

ahahah I'm always getting bloody tangled up and starting shit with the bush. Good advice there I reckon

Sometimes when trying to following game trails in thick bush, if you look ahead at deer level the trail becomes more apparent. I still get caught in the thick stuff sometimes still however.

yes Pureora difficult place to learn about bush navigation but ya have to get practice - two basic rules to begin with not to be broken 1) UNTIL YOU GET CONFIDENCE JUST STICK TO HUNTING ONE CATCHMENT 2) DONT RELY ON STREAMS TO GET HOME UNLESS YOU KNOW THEY CAN BE TRAVELLED OR HAVE BEEN UP OR DOWN THEM BEFORE - DONT DROP INTO UNKNOWN STREAMS - STICK TO TRACKS OR RIDGES - okay having done a lot of SAR for missing hunters two of the biggest causes of them becoming lost are 1) dropped into another catchment with ridges and streams going in an opposite direction and realise to late that ridge or stream is not taking them home 2) leaving it to late to return to camp and getting caught out in dark and then things turn from bad to worse - before you set out for day -map work - which way do the ridges and streams lie - okay the catchment I am in lies with everything flowing west - the catchment to the east on the other side of main ridge system everything flows out to east -bush navigation is knowing what catchment you are in all the time you are hunting -and where neighbouring catchments start and which way they flow -when you lose track of that and cant see any reference points you are lost -Pureora will be difficult country to get a view anywhere -GPS units are huge help but take spare battery's and don't entirely rely on them - always have a compass - your navigation aids are ridges rivers tracks roads and visual reference points i.e bluff system- maybe a steep obvious hill -land contour i.e did the map show tight gorge or bluff system or other obvious feature you can use -recognise -you need to be building up a picture all day and orientating your self all the time -that will give you confidence -

I'll add another rule: Always take a headlamp or torch, even if you are just ducking out for a quick morning hunt.

hell to the yes. I went for a short day hunt so didn't bother with a torch ( me of all people with all my maxtochs ) and nearly ran out of light. It gets dark in the bush early and I got a bit temporarily geographically misplaced and eventually made my way out just on full dark. Always take a headtorch with me now

Originally Posted by Cigar

I'll add another rule: Always take a headlamp or torch, even if you are just ducking out for a quick morning hunt.