A EAST COAST TAHR TRIP ADVICE PLEASE

Hi All,

The two old buggers - maybe 3- (60+ club) are looking to do a quick late planned week long hunt for Tahr - last year we were in the Lawrence (Lawrence Bivvy which was tight for 2 - as I said there may be 3 this year) in early October 2020 - great trip wish i was 20 years younger again!

Due to my leave being rostered I can only go early September this year, so need to pluck some brains please.

Looking at recent DOC Tahr density maps from Autumn 2021, and there appears to be good numbers around Mt McMillan and Little Spur in the Upper Havelock/Macauly MU.

We would plan to Helicopter with Station Air (really like Malcolm :thumbsup:) and are looking at or considering Forbes, Carneys or Murphys Bivvy or Mistake Flat or St Winifreds hut (bit put off these by being 4wd accessible) then there is also McCoy Hut too. The other option would be Reischek or Lyall Hut at the top of the Rakaia but have similar 4wd access reservations

So anyone been there ??? Anyone say/recommend this is great hut for a week - realise it is not the perfect time to be doing it - not looking for your SPOT X (happy for you to pm GPS position of that 16 inch Bull you saw last week :D) just some advice so we don't waste a couple of grand .

thanks in advance

St Winifreds is a great hut and the going pretty reasonable. Has solar power from memory and a mountain radio set-up. St Winifreds stream is a nightmare but right hand fork is pretty good going. The gully directly across the Havelock from the hut is worth a look with Tahr spotted from the hut. Wouldnt be to worried about 4wd access as its pretty limited

I drove to st winifreds in 2019, not a lot of traffic that far up as it’s pretty hairy in places. Plenty of animals within easy reach of the hut, and it’s a place I’d happily stay for a week. Great little fire, and as has been mentioned, solar lights and radio. That was November mind you, so there will likely be a bit more snow around.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c82fa387fd.jpg


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Have a look at this

If ur choppering in I'd b looking at the lyall great we hut have spent a few nights there but chopper would haf to land in the river bed b prob 300m carry of gear to the hut

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Originally Posted by Padox

If ur choppering in I'd b looking at the lyall great we hut have spent a few nights there but chopper would haf to land in the river bed b prob 300m carry of gear to the hut

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Is now completely rebuilt great wee hut, all the mod cons. Possibly still needs a few finishing touches to be complete.

@Bos link not working :o

Following with interest, being another wrong side of 60. What’s the chopper cost look like ?

We based ourselves at Mistake and visited Forbes and St Winnifreds and Veil Biv. You should be prepared to move around a bit depending on where the animals are. The sandflies were particularly bad at St Winnifreds.

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Originally Posted by Backcountry Bob

We based ourselves at Mistake and visited Forbes and St Winnifreds and Veil Biv. You should be prepared to move around a bit depending on where the animals are. The sandflies were particularly bad at St Winnifreds.

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Sandflies shouldn't be problem in Sept, theyre usually all tucked away in their winter woolies, keeping out of the cold.

@chainsaw - Last year quote to St winifreds was $1840 inc GST (same as we paid to Lawrence Bivvy)- With Malcolm Prouting of Station Air based at Mespotamia Station - Great pilot and guy - highly recommend him and wife Sue is super helpful.

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Originally Posted by DUCKHUNTER

@Bos link not working :o

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Yea sorry, its a vid of our trip but cant get it to work

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Originally Posted by Dusty Fog

i got a quote from him for some old guys to fly behind messy and it was ridiculous money,,so a couple of grand to head of g rangi is way over the top

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I've flown with Prout's a good number of times and think you will find he is more than competitive for the flight times required to get to all those good spots up the head of the Rangi or Rakaia. He's certainly way cheaper than some other operators I have asked for quotes or flown with. It may be a simple straight up the river flight to St Winnies or the Lawrence Big, but its a bloody long way and your paying for actual flight time. Or you could bash your trusty 4WD up there, not knowing where your going, or how bad the river is, but all will be good cos its a doddle in your trusty 4WD... right? I'd prefer to not have the heartache of losing my truck in the river, or breaking a tie rod, or a steering arm. And then getting to the Forbes, Mistake Hut in full view, and you have to hop out and yomp it cos the Forbes is either too high, or too bloody rough. $600 per person sounds pretty good to me for a week in the hills.

As someone else said Lyell Hunt has been rebuilt.
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Thanks Everyone who PMd or got in touch to offer advice - pending a downgrade of bloody COVID we might be lucky enough to sneak in around the 4th September - Appreciate all the help :thumbsup:

Anyone know the realistic time it takes to walk from Rakaia road end to both Reiscek and Lyell? Been told 6hrs to Reischek but that’s probably mountaineering/tramping timings..

I’ll be carrying a weeks food, rifle and optics. Looking at late feb / early March so hopefully low river levels.

A bloody long time and some deep river xings haha