Thread: Dog ready to go bush

Hi All,

Have been training up and Australian Koolie (like a Kelpie) and she is as ready to head bush for here first trip, recently moved to BOP area (Whakatane) and was going to head into Whirinaki over the next few weeks but thats off limits for the next month or so. Most of my previous hunting has been Ruahines and Kiamanawas and the Te Urewera for roar trips, been away working overseas and recently returned to NZ to get back into my hunting and fishing

So any suggestions on an area to head into, not too worried about deer numbers more about giving the dog experience, camp for a night or two, bonus if there is some fly fishing...

Waioekea gorge or Kiamanawa's or even down into the Kawaeka's. Havent hunted the Waioekea yet and bit unsure how busy it will be this time of year.

Any suggestions on a good spot to target with the dog, not after your spot X, general areas fine or PM me.

Cheers

Wrong Island for up to date tip but from first hand experience l can recommend you get a Blaze Orange /Blue collar/"Blaze Bandanna " for her before heading into public hunting areas ,hunting with a mate over a decade ago ,mate nearly had his mainly black ,Border Collie X shot by morons from across a valley when they mistook it for a pig running through the Bush & & one of the blokes who has come on a couple of our fly in Sika hunts, brother was nearly shot on DOC land in Kaimanawa 2 weeks after the last lock down, numb nuts climbing the wall & then shooting at what ever moves ,he thinks mistook his black Lab coming to heal after putting up a mob of pigs,dog was acouple of feet away from him as he was sliding down into a steep gully on his ass ,rock splinters hit both & the gutless pricks never answered him calling out .

My dogs have always been kitted up with a "Blaze Bandanna " since mate had the first close call over 14 yrs ago , even the GSP's & Vizsla l have owned over the years when hunting Sika or Reds in the thick stuff .Just loose fit for open tops deer hunting &tied on with a loop of easily broken cotton so it contains a "bun" of the blaze material,if you are pigging in thick stuff etc ,if it gets caught up bailing the cotton breaks releasing it for a loose fit dog just backs out of . Mine have worn them for years & they carry it out if it is hung up on scrub.

Shot this Red in a scrub & Vine choked gully during the roar ,if you look at dopey you can see the "Blaze Bandanna " using the cotton tied "bun" , dopey earned its feed ,tracking the Stag through thick bush & vine to find downed Stag after heart shot zombie run, making no hinderance to dog.

There is a lot of wanker snobbery surrounding "gun dogs" but over the years l have seen many working type dogs perform very well & currently have a mixed mutt myself that was only ever really supposed to be a Farm dog helper & companion for my missus on the farm & it has mostly taught it self by watching my 2 gun dogs a Lab & Vizsla & is performing as good as they were at its young age . So your girl will have plenty to offer with a bit of work .Good Luck & good hunting



1 yr old dopey bugger a GSP/ farm dog X ,self taught our old Lab's trick of finding & retrieving into the tray spot light rabbits ,so no need to leave warm cab & retrieving ducks from ponds (not keen yet on river retrieves), started "pointing " deer by freezing & waving tail like a flagpole after watching Vizsla (much to Vizsla disgust )

My dog wears a blaze orange coat if it's cool enough (definitely not today!), otherwise it's a wide blaze collar I got off a forum member (iirc twin needle made them for him). I've written my phone number on the collar in case she loses it (or gets herself lost).

I would head for the Kaimanawas, though it could be very busy down there. Plus I think for the Kaweka's the dog needs an avian avoidance certificate? I know in the Kaimanawas you are okay with 1 dog on a standard hunting permit.

Thanks guys

Hunted over a weimaraner in the past and used blaze on him due to that grey colour... will get a blaze collar for Ziggy.

She is kiwi trained and I have permit for up here. Should be a bit cooler in the Kiamanawas than up here too. Beach weather up here ATM.

Cheers Shane

I use the bright Velcro calf markers as a blaze collar on my dog,cheap and a 6 pack of them lasts ages.also can write phone number on them with sharpie.

Dirty and old faded blaze orange is the same colour as a red deer...to many eyes see it as such..

Watch the heat at the moment pick a cooler weather system

Thanks Bonecrusher,

yeah too hot at the moment, Ziggy runs hot as well been black and thick double coated, she would go until she drops so have to be aware of the old heat stress.

I am not the fittest either, slowly easing back into after run in with the big "C" last year.. slowly slowly.

My old Weimaraner, no longer around up the Waipakahi River during a busy period 12 odd years ago, dressed in blaze

You could come through the Waioeka gorge and try the Moanui area, Tawa or Koranga Forks Huts

Thanks JonP,

That area along with the Urutawa is on my to explore list ( so many places so little time), I did Ziggys Kiwi Training with the Eastern Whio Link at Matawai earlier this year. Good bunch of blokes. Just waiting for holiday crowds to disperse and I will head in there.

Cheers

Up early to beat the heat, 4:30am start had us up the track and glassing clearings at around 6:30, bit late so will head up earlier next time or latter in the day. Ziggy went well, got keen a few times lead me onto some fresh sign and a bit of old skin / gut bag.

Pushed the range a bit today so had to put her back on the long line at times, very dry in the bush so just glassed the river flats, pushed up the stream a bit and back at the car by 9:30.

First time in this area so more of a scouting mission, good hit out for both of us and didn't go to far today just building my fitness and her experiences. Great been in the bush again with a dog in tow. Its a style of hunting I enjoy and the journeywith the training the dog and seeing them switch on is immensely satisfying.








Cheers FBD

Nice one @Fat belly Dog how old is she? i've got a 9 month kelpie/ACD staffy cross in training but don't think I'll take him out for a few months yet

Hi Louie,

Ziggy is about 2.5 years old now, I got her in Australia off a big station in Mildura. We were suppose to come home in 2020, but I had a run in with Cancer then Covid hitting the place delayed our return until mid last year. It took awhile to get my FAL renewed then as she is a bit timid so I took my time gun proofing her.

The Kelpie should give your boy a bit of eye? along with the smarts of an ACD and the people loving staffy, bet he is an interesting dog

As far as control she would have been ready at 12 months to head bush, worked her a little bit on sheep from about 4 months old up until we came home last year so she has good control from that, she is a good dog and has learnt to work with/for you. Totally different to train than my Weimaraner who had so much drive and did everything for himself, training him was more about learning to put the breaks on.

Cheers

Ah fair enough mate, sorry to hear that. At least you won't be working through all the young/teenager dog issues and she'll be happy working for you.

I meant to say koolie/ACD, it's difficult to tell but the SPCA reckoned he's definitely got something aussie in him. Smart and very food driven which helps keep things simple.