Exactly what others have said. I would rather drive for 2 hours to avoid that shit and hunt less often. Even driving up the Whariti Rd and hitting the track for 30 mins and then turning down a western ridge will get you a deer easily enough. Find a good posse where you can see onto grassy slips. Don't lose too much elevation. Sit down and start glassing through your binos. If nothing, change locations. Do the same. Sitting on sharp spurs off main ridges where you can look into 2 catchment by not shifting far is a good plan. Best time will be 6pm and later at the moment. Take a GPS and good torch because you will be walking home in the dark. Good idea to have a mate with you for the first excursions.
Keep at it and stay on this forum. Its a great information source.
https://nz.geoview.info/whariti_road,180968776w