Thread: Deer Population Growth

Hi, New member here just signed up having read this thread while looking for some clues as to worthwhile deer hunting spots, and thought I might add to some of the robust discussion going on here....

It's certainly painful hearing these stories about secret spots with deer spilling out of the bush while some of us are resigned to spending 8 hours driving and 8 hours tangled in supplejack to find nothing but weeks old sign or not even that. Worse yet that DOC and landowners are resorting to paid culling operations!

That said, I can also relate to those privileged with those secret spots not wanting some muppet turning up and ruining a good relationship with a landowner. I'm much the same with the spots I go rabbit/possum hunting, and on my own property it's already hard enough to maintain good relations with certain neighbours without adding random armed visitors into the mix.

I've also seen a trend these days that everyone is terrified of the H&S act (unsurprising since an entire industry has sprung up around fearmongering and misinformation around this), but it also seems to be the case in my area that if a farmer isn't shooting, then he doesn't want any shooting on his property at all, and if he IS shooting, he doesn't want anyone else shooting there either!

The difficulty here is that for some of us, what we are hearing from the lucky few is not matching up at all with what we are seeing out there on open permit doc land.

difficulty here is that for some of us, what we are hearing from the lucky few is not matching up at all with what we are seeing out there on open permit doc land

well yes and no Kaimais maybe but my old DOC hunting mate and his friend in a week last roar in Ruahines said they saw 50 plus deer for the week - now I should point out that they are both ex Cullers damn top hunters with good indicating dogs - so in some areas yes the deer are there all right - I would put money on the fact in many areas in Te Urewera numbers will be well up - but then National park and Pureora maybe a lot lower and damn hard to hunt for a new hunter

Originally Posted by motorb

Hi, New member here just signed up having read this thread while looking for some clues as to worthwhile deer hunting spots, and thought I might add to some of the robust discussion going on here....

It's certainly painful hearing these stories about secret spots with deer spilling out of the bush while some of us are resigned to spending 8 hours driving and 8 hours tangled in supplejack to find nothing but weeks old sign or not even that. Worse yet that DOC and landowners are resorting to paid culling operations!

That said, I can also relate to those privileged with those secret spots not wanting some muppet turning up and ruining a good relationship with a landowner. I'm much the same with the spots I go rabbit/possum hunting, and on my own property it's already hard enough to maintain good relations with certain neighbours without adding random armed visitors into the mix.

I've also seen a trend these days that everyone is terrified of the H&S act (unsurprising since an entire industry has sprung up around fearmongering and misinformation around this), but it also seems to be the case in my area that if a farmer isn't shooting, then he doesn't want any shooting on his property at all, and if he IS shooting, he doesn't want anyone else shooting there either!

The difficulty here is that for some of us, what we are hearing from the lucky few is not matching up at all with what we are seeing out there on open permit doc land.

Drive south for 4 and a half hours to the top of the Desert road. Park your car in the car park and walk East along the poled route into the Kaimanawa State Forest Park for 2 hours. Not a single piece of supplejack will encumber you. With the wind in your favour, within a few hours of first and last light and a pair of binos by your side if you haven't got onto a couple of deer by then you are doing something terribly wrong. Get back to us and we will review your progress and suggest amendments to your technique!

Added bonus: if you go there between 11 Feb and 19 March (less Fri and Sat nights) you will find the place quite tranquil, as the road is closed 6pm through to 6am every day for resealing

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

well yes and no Kaimais maybe but my old DOC hunting mate and his friend in a week last roar in Ruahines said they saw 50 plus deer for the week

Originally Posted by XR500

Drive south for 4 and a half hours to the top of the Desert road.

haha yeah I guess part of my problem is living in Auckland!

Originally Posted by XR500

Park your car in the car park and walk East along the poled route into the Kaimanawa State Forest Park for 2 hours. Not a single piece of supplejack will encumber you. With the wind in your favour, within a few hours of first and last light and a pair of binos by your side if you haven't got onto a couple of deer by then you are doing something terribly wrong. Get back to us and we will review your progress and suggest amendments to your technique!

On a more serious note, is this the carpark near the Tukino skifeild access road? I've got a mate who would split the petrol bill if you reckon it's a worthwhile spot.

Next weekend I'm housesitting for a mate in Pyes Pa (Tauranga), so if there's any good suggestions near there I'm all ears! Otawa or Otanewainuku? Mamaku or Kaimais?

Originally Posted by motorb

haha yeah I guess part of my problem is living in Auckland!



On a more serious note, is this the carpark near the Tukino skifeild access road? I've got a mate who would split the petrol bill if you reckon it's a worthwhile spot.

Next weekend I'm housesitting for a mate in Pyes Pa (Tauranga), so if there's any good suggestions near there I'm all ears! Otawa or Otanewainuku? Mamaku or Kaimais?

Otawa/Otanewainuku is very hard first few times, with a narrow corridor and a few grumpy landowners either side. Also can be a surprising amount of foot traffic through there which doesn't help matters.

Areas of Mamaku are hard as well, cobalt deficiency in the soil which means the area is naturally low on deer - used to work on a few farms in the area and always wondered why I never saw deer only pigs until I mentioned it to one guy. He explained the issue - more deer over the Rotorua side of the Mamaku chunk than the Pyes Pa end. Having said that in the private land between Te Puke and Kaimais there are a lot of animals, and regularly hear of animals seen crossing the roads early and late. Kaimais is probably the better bet, start early...