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.