Thread: Is a broadleaf band a thing?

Hi. I've recently gone on a 2 day hunt. No deer on the deck but lots of useful lessons for next year.

On this hunt with a friend we finally learned how to identify broadleaf/ kapuka, and its epiphyte cousin puka. What I thought was broadleaf this whole time was a tree that deer don't seem to eat (that might partly explain my drought).

On this hunt we only saw broadleaf in a narrow band between 550m and 700m either side of the ridge we hunted (lower Tararuas). Hardly any small trees, just large ones. Puka was in a wider band but still only a band and note widespread.

Has anyone else found that broadleaf is found in a narrow band elsewhere like in the Ruahines?



Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Yes

yup, normally find the young/small trees where the deer cant get to

broadleaf belt its only a term the early cullers in the Ruahines knew it was a hot spot to find deer but its likely now not the same condition - Mt Taranaki has such a belt but no deer and now no goats- the amount of feed one sees in the belt is eyepopping - it would be like a smorgasbord for deer - and one can view the belt just above the tree line but below the tussock in ones car by driving up to the plateau from Stratford - its around the 3000 feet mark there is fivefinger and pate in the mix to all deer favourites - but somewhere like the Ruahines you will be lucky to find broadleaf growing any where near where deer could get to it - but there are other palatables in the belt that deer can get to and that includes standing on their hind legs to reach it -you are on the right track learning what deer eat and deer dont eat - keep it up

If all the trees are too high to reach the deer will know where they are and eat the fallen leaves though, if the Rod and Rifle article was correct, right?


Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

you are right in Te Urewera in winter deer wander and browse and a lot of their diet is fallen leaves Tawiri is a favourite - any branch down will be hit - mahoe another favoutite and the browse line on that will be as high as deer can reach - scoping out an area the location of mahoe stands was always noted for a look later in day

Used to hunt the Oroua regularly. There was a definate feed belt just below the leatherwood. I hunted that and the slips above the riverbed and ignored everything else.

Ive found them growing at many altitudes from sea level (its botanical name is Griselinia littoralis which means by the seaside ) to the subalpine bushline.
They more prefer fairly wet soil like in a vague runnel or gully and a cluster can extend more in a vertical direction with drier ground on the more spur like sites.
It sounds as if where you were ( and the Ruahine feedbelt something else like soil type is more favourable for them in a narrow vertical range.
You’re right about them only being big trees as numerous shoots are browsed immediately and no seedling grows more than 10cm tall if deer are present.

we have quite a lot of it down here..one of my favourite trees. funny seeing it in town as little low hedges when you realise how big it gets given enough time. as for a altitude belt.... if we have one,its very broad,shared with fushia which is another five star deer tucker....highly recommend you red lental and saxtons book red deer in new zealand....you can see a small version in background of following photo...some of them in this clearing are a meter through. ancient trees.probably been here since before the deer arrived.