Kirkliston (Sth Canty) or Oteake (North Otago) blocks

Hey Team
Im heading up to the lakes on Monday to help my in-laws pack up their caravan for the season. I have the go ahead to head out overnight for an armed walk after I am done.
I see that the two above blocks are reasonably handy to Aviemore. I havent been into either before, and am just wondering if someone in the know can give me a wee heads up on either block? Im probably leaning towards Kirlkiston as its up the Haka valley and I have seem plenty of fallow up there on private land.

I may have just answered my own question, but still keen on some input if anyone wants to chip in.

Cheers

Cam

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Originally Posted by Delphus

Hey Team
Im heading up to the lakes on Monday to help my in-laws pack up their caravan for the season. I have the go ahead to head out overnight for an armed walk after I am done.
I see that the two above blocks are reasonably handy to Aviemore. I havent been into either before, and am just wondering if someone in the know can give me a wee heads up on either block? Im probably leaning towards Kirlkiston as its up the Haka valley and I have seem plenty of fallow up there on private land.

I may have just answered my own question, but still keen on some input if anyone wants to chip in.

Cheers

Cam

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Was in the Kirklistons early December a couple of years ago. Hunting Wallabys. Great trip. Saw lots and shot quite a few. Also saw Pigs, Red Deer, Chamois. Always had a semi-firm plan to return and explore further through there. Will get there one day.
Access is through private land for which prior permission is needed. Not absolutely certain but maybe no open access there ... ? I think landowners are decent about allowing access.

Yeah looks like Kirkliston is a goer. Some nice country in there.
Just saw on the DOC website that permission is required. ill give them a bell and see what I can come up with.

Just PM'ed you mate, regarding Kirkliston.

About 10 years ago we went in through the lower easement (got permission off the farm manager, was Lone Star owned at that time) and walked over to Pearson's (?) Hut. Lots of skippies, a few Chukkar and a fantastic Chamois buck (that came home with us). It would be a dead certainty that the Fallow from the front country down by the Waitaki have colonized into the DOC areas by now .,. .

pm'ed you

Yep I got hold of the farmer and have gained permission to get in there. Now just need to decide what rifle to take. I love popping wallabies, but don’t want to be under-gunned if I do come across a red. Having seen HEAPS of fallow on private land further up the valley I wouldn’t be surprised if there are fallow up there too. My .223 is 1:12 so I’m limited to 55gn rounds, though I would be confident to headshot out to 200m. Wouldn’t want to push it any further though. If I take the .308 I’ll have the firepower for anything, but will get really expensive if I start shooting everything that moves! Decisions decisions!

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Originally Posted by Delphus

Yep I got hold of the farmer and have gained permission to get in there. Now just need to decide what rifle to take. I love popping wallabies, but don’t want to be under-gunned if I do come across a red. Having seen HEAPS of fallow on private land further up the valley I wouldn’t be surprised if there are fallow up there too. My .223 is 1:12 so I’m limited to 55gn rounds, though I would be confident to headshot out to 200m. Wouldn’t want to push it any further though. If I take the .308 I’ll have the firepower for anything, but will get really expensive if I start shooting everything that moves! Decisions decisions!

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I took my Tikka T3 30.06 shooting Barnes TTSX 130 gn. Spendy, yes, when the tally gets to 14 Wallabies, plus the tally my son shot too. But, damn, it was one hell of a good time. That's priceless.

Went there last winter 308 bro not to many Roos ,pigs chamois and red be prepaid 308 any day [emoji106]

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Buy some308 =fmj 147gr anmo from gunworks.About $25=20rds,deadly accurate.It will drop anything out to 300yds.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Delphus

Yep I got hold of the farmer and have gained permission to get in there. Now just need to decide what rifle to take. I love popping wallabies, but don’t want to be under-gunned if I do come across a red. Having seen HEAPS of fallow on private land further up the valley I wouldn’t be surprised if there are fallow up there too. My .223 is 1:12 so I’m limited to 55gn rounds, though I would be confident to headshot out to 200m. Wouldn’t want to push it any further though. If I take the .308 I’ll have the firepower for anything, but will get really expensive if I start shooting everything that moves! Decisions decisions!

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Take both rifles.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Delphus

Yep I got hold of the farmer and have gained permission to get in there. Now just need to decide what rifle to take. I love popping wallabies, but don’t want to be under-gunned if I do come across a red. Having seen HEAPS of fallow on private land further up the valley I wouldn’t be surprised if there are fallow up there too. My .223 is 1:12 so I’m limited to 55gn rounds, though I would be confident to headshot out to 200m. Wouldn’t want to push it any further though. If I take the .308 I’ll have the firepower for anything, but will get really expensive if I start shooting everything that moves! Decisions decisions!

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take the 223..... and when you can,find some premium loads for it... just pick your shot ,its going to be pretty open country so any deer hit well will be able to be watched as it does death run,hopefully down towards car LOL. 55GRN IN HEAD/NECK/BOILER ROOM and its going to be a heavy pack...but if you see stag of lifetime at 350 yards you will be kicking yourself,but then again if youve fired 40 rounds at wallabies,big stag should already be in next county.

It's a grunt walk two rifles not a good idea

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trout

Buy some308 =fmj 147gr anmo from gunworks.About $25=20rds,deadly accurate.It will drop anything out to 300yds.

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I could not see anything under that name on gunworks website, can you post a link as that's dirt cheap.

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HJ i havnt looked at Gw for a while,sold out bugger.GC have the Fiochi perfecta 147gr fmj $39/box 20.
Kelly country $29/20,good ammo for small game under 300yds.
I still have a few packets , i keep for roos.

So I headed into the hills on Monday avo, with the intent to camp overnight. . Weather forecast wasn’t great, but I thought I would go for a walk at least and scout out the area. I pulled into the easement carpark and it started raining. A couple of km up the easement the wind really picked up and the rain started going sideways, gusty enough to knock me sideways occasionally. Less than ideal for hunting, but I carried on up hoping that as I entered the valley it would be more sheltered.
Nope. The wind just turned and was heading directly into my face, hard enough to sting. This made it very difficult to scan the land ahead for animals, and left me with no possibility of glassing.

I carried on regardless, with the intent to poke my nose through the massive amounts of scrub in the many gullies. I figured that if there were any deer there they would be seeking shelter too. No luck, though at times I got a strong animal smell, so I suspect they were in there.

The wind and the rain picked up again, and I called it and headed back to the car. Bedraggled and exhausted.

I walked just over 10km in total, but walking into that constant wind and driving rain left me absolutely exhausted!

I did get a good look at the terrain though, and I would love to come back in fairer weather.

There was a crap ton of wallaby sign around, with literally hundreds of tunnels through the matagouri, and shit everywhere. Wouldn’t mind coming back and finding a good overwatch position, to snipe them as they came out of cover.

I only saw one wally, and he was a big one so is obviously feeding well etc. didn’t get a chance to get a shot off though!

There was a reasonably well worn 4wd track from the farm right up into the block, so I imagine the area may be well hunted by locals.

I’m still keen to come back though in fairer weather and give it a good nudge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Delphus

So I headed into the hills on Monday avo, with the intent to camp overnight. . Weather forecast wasn’t great, but I thought I would go for a walk at least and scout out the area. I pulled into the easement carpark and it started raining. A couple of km up the easement the wind really picked up and the rain started going sideways, gusty enough to knock me sideways occasionally. Less than ideal for hunting, but I carried on up hoping that as I entered the valley it would be more sheltered.
Nope. The wind just turned and was heading directly into my face, hard enough to sting. This made it very difficult to scan the land ahead for animals, and left me with no possibility of glassing.

I carried on regardless, with the intent to poke my nose through the massive amounts of scrub in the many gullies. I figured that if there were any deer there they would be seeking shelter too. No luck, though at times I got a strong animal smell, so I suspect they were in there.

The wind and the rain picked up again, and I called it and headed back to the car. Bedraggled and exhausted.

I walked just over 10km in total, but walking into that constant wind and driving rain left me absolutely exhausted!

I did get a good look at the terrain though, and I would love to come back in fairer weather.

There was a crap ton of wallaby sign around, with literally hundreds of tunnels through the matagouri, and shit everywhere. Wouldn’t mind coming back and finding a good overwatch position, to snipe them as they came out of cover.

I only saw one wally, and he was a big one so is obviously feeding well etc. didn’t get a chance to get a shot off though!

There was a reasonably well worn 4wd track from the farm right up into the block, so I imagine the area may be well hunted by locals.

I’m still keen to come back though in fairer weather and give it a good nudge.

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Hey thanks for the report, even an "armed walk" is better that sitting on the couch and we all learn something! I'm sure it'll go better next time!

I was out for a walk nearby you on Monday aswell. That wind was no joke!

I coasted 2.8km in loaded tanker last night and still had to brake for corner at the end of that...... coasting is truck induced "maori overdrive" eg it chucks itself into neutral....tail wind was wicked.

I was near the main divide on Sunday evening Monday morning.Blu its guts out,dusty in the river bed sometimes.Two fallow didnt know what hit them at 7.30am as they walked pass me having coffee in the truck.308 made toast of them,mum n bamby.Good tail wind from alps to Methven to Geraldine.Nearlly got a speeding ticket.Patrol felt like it had twin turbos cruising along.