Thread: Hello from indiana

Originally Posted by left hunter

I have just hunted sections of the Rockies from Colorado up into lower Montana. Never been really humid there like it is here in Indiana. I mostly run synthetic clothing with merino wool socks/underwear. I do run a down western mountaineering bag which might be an issue? What’s your suggestion for gear?

Sounds like you're onto it.
West Coast of the NZ Southern Alps are similar to SE Alaska or the BC Coastal Mountains in my experience, but with more wind and less defined seasons.
Plan on lots of layers of increasing insulation and a waterproof outer.
Any quality Merino, Down and Gore-tex gear will work. Most alpine kiwi hunters are also very conscious of the function and weight of their gear.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

One thing I would recommend to any hunter swapping hemispheres, buy a compass (apparently the are made for North or South) when you get there.
I have a bastard of a time with direction in the northern hemisphere. The sun is in the wrong place and I can't get it sorted without a compass.

Thank you for mention it. I almost forgot this, now I can adjust myself instantly when I arrived in NZ . Years ago, when I started fresh, I really have difficulty of finding my way, until a night when I watch the movie " Escape Plan" and suddenly realized the sun is not in North. What a joke am I.

Wonderful information! I can’t believe I never thought of that but that sure would explain my constant confusion with direction while hunting in Argentina🤣

Welcome aboard

Welcome aboard

As others have said, June is a hard month to get into the hills. A guide will cost more but increase the chance of success 10 fold than if you just head for the hills by yourself. Drowning in NZ rivers was called "The New Zealand death" back when the first colonisers were rolling in. And Thar country is littered with river crossings to get into their domain.

With one week taken up with hunting, attempting to fit in both the North and South island in, in the remaining two weeks will see you spend most of your time sitting in a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side just driving.

Almost all of our State Highways are pretty much like your secondary minor roads, so quite slow in comparison to what you may think you be able to cover in a day.

I would be tempted to stay in the South Island for most of the trip, then keep 3 days aside for driving to Auckland to fly out, if you really must see the North Island.

You will be spoilt with the low population in the South island (around 1.5 mill now), with the other 4 mill shoved into the North Island, and 2 of those packed into Auckland, making it similar to any other small-mid size city in the world.

Central North Island for volcanoes, possibly Rotorua for mudpools and thats your whack, for three days.

Enjoy