Another new spot...lessons here for the bush stalking newby

We are quite blessed here in the nelson /tasman region for bush stalking because theres a huge area of country to look for a deer.

One of the key things you need if you taking up bush stalking is a area where there are actually deer in it . It doesnt matter what gear you got,
how good a hunter you are, what you do , but if the area you hunting doesnt have animals you have no chance.

So clearly after getting the gear you need, the main thing you need to find is a area or areas to go and the rest if the bush stalking secrets will come over time and experience.

Now i get asked alot from people starting out where to go, they cant find areas where there are deer and it seems thats a major problem for the ones starting out bush stalking.

What i have discovered in many cases trying to help these greenhorns out is they have actually been going to areas that hold deer but their inexperience, and not knowing what to look for
and hunting the area the wrong way they just dont see the sign, see any animals and after hours in that block decide theres no animals in there.
Of Cause they are wrong . They probably spooked animals, walk right past them etc and havnt even known.

Experience comes with hours on the hill, in the bush and you learn new things on every trip, be it if you know or not but its true.

I cant help them there unless i went with them or i probably could if i went into a number of tips in detail that help them but thats for another time.

Here, i just want point out that its not that hard to find areas that have deer, its just getting them thats hard but will become easy after time.

Today, even thou a heavy rain warning was issued i decided to go to yet another new spot i had no idea about to look for a deer.
This spot has good looking native and thats always a good start. Second, i had some good infor from another trip when i went past this spot. I stopped on the way home
and checked out the road edge that had soft mud and guess what, i saw some deer marks.

So that told me if there are deer marks there, there are deer in that bush so its worth a look.

So i arrived right where i saw the marks 3 weeks before, picked a low ridge that looked a easy climb to get deep into the country and went for a wander.

Straight away i had to cross a little creek 5 mins in, even thou its rained recently creeks are a great spot to look for sign as deer go there to drink and seem to always vist such places.

Yes, as soon as i looked around i saw deer marks in the creek which i now know this spot has deer and im in with a chance.

When i got on the ridge there was a game trail about a foot wide, well used but no fresh marks on it thou. still, this tells me animals use this ridge often and confirms animals are
in here.

I wander up for awhile, only see the odd old mark but the higher i climb the better the country looks for a deer.
Finding feed areas and getting the right height is key in the bush to find the deer. Lower down the bush was open, not much feed and deer tend to be often 3 Quarters up
the hill so thats where you have to head.
When i got some height, i see the bush changing, more broadleaf trees and short fern and thats normally a good sign.
While i was standing there, thinking this looks good for a deer only 60yards to the right i hear the crash and look and see a groupof 4 good size deer making a run for it.

Bugger, they were in a wee hollow along side me and i just didnt see them. Tried to line up a shot as they departed but the option just wasnt on the the deer were gone.

Still, the great news was first time here, and i find 4 deer just like that and if had a little luck would of got a easy deer and that would of made it 3 out of 3 in going to new spots.

Experience has got me the results , even in spots i dont know i pick the righjt sort of ridge, climb high and look for the sign and follow my nose and i normally do alright.

After losing those i sidled along to the left to a couple of other ridges and here i found fresh deer marks and old deer beds.
It was clear those deer had been living on a couple of ridges 200m to the left and had cut across higher up to the ridge i was on hence why i didnt see any Fresh sign on way up.

I know i prob could of found another deer as going higher im sure there certainly be a stag up very high and other deer.
If not on the ridge you pick to climb you have a good chance on another ridge you go down and you have the advanatage if you hunting down on animals.

So just taking note of a deer mark on the side of the road has lead me to another spot that holds deer and im sure i get one next trip in there(if not unlucky).


Sol, if looking for a spot, find some DOC land that has mature native. Bigger native means it be more open, easiler to see and move quiet and oftens better stalking for a newby.

When you get there, hunt with the wind in your face , and look for sign. the key thing is make sure animals are in there.
Find a ridge with a worn game trail, or follow a creek and look for a game trail heading into the bush and follow that. always be prepared to climb high, higher the better.

Look for marks, shit, broadleaf trees that have signs of been eaten. If cant find sign, walk faster, cover more ground, cut across to other ridges and find that sign.
Find sign and take it slow, but hard yards maybe requied. Climb high, always get to the spot first light.
Deer will tend to be lower down first thing or slowly heading back up high.
The wind will be in your favour first thing when climbing high, time you get very high or to the top the wind will be in your favour on the way down.

If you see sign and its not that old, theres deer in the area, It doesnt matter if you gone 5 times and seen nothing, if theres sign theres deer so dont give up and keep
going back and cover more country, they in there.

I often go to spot and sometimes walk 20 mins, no sign i just drive up road and look again. Just covers ground and when you see that sign you in.

I have so many spots now i couldnt hunt them all in a year now and im still hunting for new spots. Theres just something about tracking deer down in a new area.

Good thing is now im not only finding the spots but im finding the deer in the first trip in there as im hunting the right areas and covering the ground and prepared for a full day hunt
to find those animals.
Anyway, deer areas are easy to find, just finding the deer can be tricky but thats the beauty of a bush stalker cheerrs

Thanks for the tips. New to the top of the south and a relatively new hunter so helpful stuff


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Good one.

I found as a newby once I found an area with deer it is best to keep working that area to figure the lay of the land and the deer out. As you say after that the prime areas become more obvious and can start looking at new areas to hunt.

Didn't help spending most of my time chasing sika though, tough week buggers to figure out.

Good info for anyone.

the more I get off open ridges and down into gullies with feed...the more animals I ENCOUNTER....not necessarily shoot,but bump into...
great write up as always.

ill add something important I've learnt,deer are transient and you need to figure out when they are in an area which can only be done by going to an area in all seasons,sometimes places are loaded and at other times the same place is baron and also when I know deer are in an area I don't bother getting there at first light ill just head in around mid morning when I know they aren't moving around so much and ambush them.

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Originally Posted by Yesmate

ill add something important I've learnt,deer are transient and you need to figure out when they are in an area which can only be done by going to an area in all seasons,sometimes places are loaded and at other times the same place is baron and also when I know deer are in an area I don't bother getting there at first light ill just head in around mid morning when I know they aren't moving around so much and ambush them.

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I find it totallly opposite to that. I always get to the spot at first light, always. So many times i hunted well known areas and walking out with a deer and hunters are just going in and they generally do no good.
Maybe in areas with high numbers it might not matter but i know from results getting to your hunting area first light you have more success without doubt.

first thing in the morning deer are moving around, normally low down and if you there early you can find them hardy, still feeding or making there way up the hill to bedding areas.

If you left it late, theres no chance you going find one low down, and if bedded up the deer are high and have the wind to their favour.
More than often in well hunted Doc blocks you have to hunt a few hours and way back to find the animals, first light gives you time to get a couple hours deep
in the bush and hit a deer ,
Private land etc is different, without much hunting pressure you get away with a late start. or maybe areas with very high animal numbers.
But in the end i know around here i get more animals than m
ost in the bush and so many i know arrive at spots at 8am or later.
Its just no good, if you want to do well getting there at first light or sometimes better still walking in for 30m in the dark is the key, i know but different areas maybe be different.

But i do very well, and if i sleep in, and its like going to be 9am before i get to my spot i just dont go....simple as that

With the minimal experience I have, I find first light to be very productive, even if 90% of the encounters are with deer running away from me haha. I like walking in while it is still dark, but only if I know the area relatively well and have a couple of torches handy.

Agree, very 1st light,torchs to walk in. Or very last light,torchs to walk out.One of the best times for deer feeding and the hunter get his reward.

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Originally Posted by JessicaChen

With the minimal experience I have, I find first light to be very productive, even if 90% of the encounters are with deer running away from me haha. I like walking in while it is still dark, but only if I know the area relatively well and have a couple of torches handy.

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Agree. Can be a bit daunting heading into a new area in the dark. I prefer to do a bit of a recon wander to get to know the area first. May become less daunting the more experience I get though


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Originally Posted by deer243

I find it totallly opposite to that. I always get to the spot at first light, always. So many times i hunted well known areas and walking out with a deer and hunters are just going in and they generally do no good.
Maybe in areas with high numbers it might not matter but i know from results getting to your hunting area first light you have more success without doubt.

first thing in the morning deer are moving around, normally low down and if you there early you can find them hardy, still feeding or making there way up the hill to bedding areas.

If you left it late, theres no chance you going find one low down, and if bedded up the deer are high and have the wind to their favour.
More than often in well hunted Doc blocks you have to hunt a few hours and way back to find the animals, first light gives you time to get a couple hours deep
in the bush and hit a deer ,
Private land etc is different, without much hunting pressure you get away with a late start. or maybe areas with very high animal numbers.
But in the end i know around here i get more animals than m
ost in the bush and so many i know arrive at spots at 8am or later.
Its just no good, if you want to do well getting there at first light or sometimes better still walking in for 30m in the dark is the key, i know but different areas maybe be different.

But i do very well, and if i sleep in, and its like going to be 9am before i get to my spot i just dont go....simple as that

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I whole-heartedly agree with this .
But when you have 2 teenage kids who insist on coming out for a hunt it is nigh on impossible to be in the bush before first light .
What they call an early morning in the weekends is 9 o'clock out of bed .... :ORLY:

Good post!

I like to be Jonny on the spot at first light. Always satisfying tipping an easy deer close to the truck . That said I seem to shoot most of my deer bush stalking between 9-11am and 1-3pm!

My tip is when you stop for a break try and stop somewhere you can see a wee way, sit against something to break your outline and keep quiet. Lost count of the deer I've shot at less than 50m that have wandered past while I'm having a cuppa.

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Originally Posted by Hunty1

Good post!

I like to be Jonny on the spot at first light. Always satisfying tipping an easy deer close to the truck . That said I seem to shoot most of my deer bush stalking between 9-11am and 1-3pm!

My tip is when you stop for a break try and stop somewhere you can see a wee way, sit against something to break your outline and keep quiet. Lost count of the deer I've shot at less than 50m that have wandered past while I'm having a cuppa.

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agree if your going to stop stop for 5 minutes or more it dosent sound long but feels it when you have a place to be , a lot of the blokes iv hunted with (self included ) mite think they have heard a noise or perhaps made one them self's and briefly stopped to listen in my experience 5 minutes is about how long a deer will hold its stance using all its senses looking for danger and either get back to feeding , come and have a look at whats made the noise or wander / crash off . My last few xbow hunts have been classic examples of this deer literally staring me down as i creep in closer its been really cool and has driven home how important camo is for the close stuff too .