Thread: Hi from Whangarei.

Hi all,

I have been been a member for a year now and thought I better introduce myself. I have been hunting for the last 15 years chasing Reds, Fallow, Sika, Goats, Pigs and Wapiti. The main areas I hunt are taumaranui / National Park, Te Ureweras and Fiordland. Living in Northland has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is the fishing is awesome but it is a bit of a hike to get to the deer. Luckily we have a few goats and pigs running round and I have also managed to hunt the odd wild bull. I have recently had family members move down to Canterbury so I hope to spend more time down there and hopefully tick a Chamois and Tahr off my bucket list. I joined this forum to learn more about reloading and advance my skills in long range shooting. I enjoy reading the gear reviews, hunting stories and rifle restorations / builds. This place has been a great learning platform with so much knowledge from experienced members. Thanks everyone for the help and I hope I can help others too.

Cheers Liam

Welcome! I'm also in Whangarei. You're dead right about advantages/disadvantages. Fishing bloody awesome, hunting not so much! If you're ever looking for a hunting buddy, send me a PM, but having read your post, it sounds like you have way more experience under your belt than I do.

Hey MB, I’m always keen to head out for a hunt although finding time has been a bit challenging lately. I’ll pm you when it looks like I will have some free time and we’ll go from there. Cheers

Hey Guys,
I just moved to Whangarei recently and not yet bothered with any hunting up here as i usually head down the line, but this year i'll be staying abit closer to home with a young family around.
Has anyone heard if there are still sika floating about in the Russell forest or am i wasting my time? Also whats the consensus on parking vehicles etc at road ends, can any one recomend a good/ safe place for access? i was told by one person not to park my vehicle anywhere unless i plan on it not being there when i return

Originally Posted by Ryanwiggins

Hey Guys,
I just moved to Whangarei recently and not yet bothered with any hunting up here as i usually head down the line, but this year i'll be staying abit closer to home with a young family around.
Has anyone heard if there are still sika floating about in the Russell forest or am i wasting my time? Also whats the consensus on parking vehicles etc at road ends, can any one recomend a good/ safe place for access? i was told by one person not to park my vehicle anywhere unless i plan on it not being there when i return

Deer - I honestly don't know, and I think it unlikely those that do would say anything. Goats are getting hard enough to find on public land, but I think there are plenty of pigs around if hunting with dogs is your thing. As for parking, anything can happen anywhere, nowhere is safe, but some parts of Northland are worse than others.

I’m not sure if there are any floating around in russel forest but I’m guessing numbers will be low. I haven’t tried to try find them so I don’t know what access is like. I also think doc 1080 Russell Forrest at the end of last year but you might have to double check that.

Originally Posted by Ryanwiggins

Hey Guys,
I just moved to Whangarei recently and not yet bothered with any hunting up here as i usually head down the line, but this year i'll be staying abit closer to home with a young family around.
Has anyone heard if there are still sika floating about in the Russell forest or am i wasting my time? Also whats the consensus on parking vehicles etc at road ends, can any one recomend a good/ safe place for access? i was told by one person not to park my vehicle anywhere unless i plan on it not being there when i return

There's meant to be at least one stag and a few hinds running around but doc employs at least one full time hunter apparently to chase them. Especially in the roar.

This was off the fish n hunt forum so I don't know how accurate it is

welcome, i used to live there in late 88-89, though spent allot of my time there as a kid with the grandparents.
are the abbey caves still open to the public ?? went thru them in a flood once diving from air pocket to air pocket ( i was young and stupid)

yep abbey caves are sill open with heaps of tourists checking them out every day

Welcome along.

Yeah, Russell Forest 1080ed

Gday mate. Didn’t realise we had so many of you guys up so far north!

I’m surprised how many memebers live in northland as well!

Originally Posted by Sako851

Gday mate. Didn’t realise we had so many of you guys up so far north!

Yeah, it's a pretty dumb choice for hunters to live (pig hunters with dogs excluded).

Originally Posted by MB

Yeah, it's a pretty dumb choice for hunters to live (pig hunters with dogs excluded).

Yeah I've lived up here for a year now, pig hunting with dogs is pretty cool but I miss the mountains with deer, 8 hour drive minimum for me.