Thread: Hi all

Hi everyone,

I have done a lot of reading of this forum over the last few years and really appreciate all the helpful information gained - so I thought I’d join and make a contribution!

My hunting journey has been a bit unusual - I started to get into it 4 years ago after joining a mate for a tramp/hunt trip on Stewart Island. 3 days sitting in a tree morning and night overlooking the coast resulted in him scoring a deer and me getting interested in hunting.

I made a number of unsuccessful trips following - two week long trips across lake Waikeremoana (spooked a few but never got close enough - didn’t have any idea how to bush stalk) and a few days at Lake Tarawera (saw nothing). I also tagged along on a few successful trips when in CHCH visiting my mate - he always happened to be holding the rifle when a deer popped up.

When there was another trip to Stewart Island being planned - this time to a RMLT block in early 2020 - I purchased a .243 and after two days starting to learn to bush stalk I scored my first deer.



Since then I’ve been making the occasional trip with a work mate to the Kaimanawa’s (Te Iringa) - after 4 weekend trips, a lot of advice (walk slower) and a ton of luck I shot my 2nd deer 2 weekends ago - a nice Sika hind.



Looking forward to contributing on here where I can and continuing to learn from others.

Next plans:
- Keep at it in the Kaimanawas
- Try to find a good (deer about and car won’t get nicked) spot in the Te Urewera’s to have a try finding some Reds
- Have a wonder up behind Te Puke (Otawa / Otanewainuku) to see if I can spot a Fallow
Any suggestions on the above would be greatly appreciated.

Great into, Harv! A warm welcome from Wellington.

Gday mate
Good job on the stalk

Great intro. Welcome along. You’ll find us an odd bunch of mismatched antagonists and protagonists that are mostly benign and affable but every now and then a malignant fucker will raise the ire of the group until the malignancy gets cut out. Join in and speak your mind.

Welcome aboard Harv. If you don’t belong already, consider joining a group like NZDA Tauranga or Te Puke Rifle club. As member of former we have regular shoots at Tect Park, tell lots of porkies and learn heaps.

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the deer

you have shot a whitetail...AND a sika...holy smoke Batman,them two would arguably be the HARDEST of all to get.....keep going out and learning,you are off to a roaring start...welcome.

Welcome Harv.

Off to a great start.
Welcome to the forum.