Mount Cook Tahr?

Hi guys.

A friend and I are heading to the Mount Cook area next weekend, he's never hunted before and I've never hunted Tahr though I have plenty of other hunting experience.

We've had a look at the DOC website which is good but it would be great to get some advice from someone who's been in the area recently...even if you just want to suggest a comfortable hut where we have a good chance of seeing a few animals - we're not after trophies but I'd like to make his first hunting trip a goodun!

Feel free to PM me, any help or suggestions will be very gratefully received!

Matt.

Definitely ring the DOC office. Around that area they are the complete opposite of useless, like in the major centres.

They can often tell you right down to the nearest animal how many are in a certain catchment.

We could say somewhere and it will have been culled yesterday. In saying that, head up the godley with a 4wd and binos, dont poach lillybank, and you will find meat!

Chris

To early, spring flush wont be till November then thar will be low down on the flats, moving up high towards mid December. Go up the Murchison. You can get over Tasman Lake for free with Glacier boats ,they do this for hunters. Check first .It is a bit of a hump up the valley , best to camp in ya tent.Watch those rivers , or just go straight across lake, and hunt those front faces.If you have to go now ,hunt the front faces across the lake and down valley.Early morning and evening

Try the Hoophorn stream or even just the faces beside the road up to the terminal lake.

There are tahr pretty much all through the area so its just a matter of sitting in a likely spot and spending the hours glassing for the Tahr. It is getting into avalanche season so you want to be very careful where you hunt at this time of year. An old climber always told me to stay out of the mountains in september due to the risk.
The spring flush will still be several weeks away yet.

Sweet.

Dont go up the godley then haha. More for me next weekend!

Chris

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Originally Posted by crnkin

Sweet.

Dont go up the godley then haha. More for me next weekend!

Chris

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We want a trip report with photos

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by tui_man2

We want a trip report with photos

sent from my Samsung s3 using tapatalk 2

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+1

Haha.

Youll be lucky.

I'll be over thursday, let's positively identify our target though!

Chris

If there's one thing I've learnt about crankin it's don't listen to his advice
He doesn't actually go hunting, he just talks about it and buys/sells rifles that he never takes out on the hill

I'm picking there's going to be a serious amount of snow back there as its a he'll of a storm at the moment in the alps . Watch for slips guys

Burn!

Last time I give up a guaranteed east coast Tahr spot publicly.

Tells a lot about your personality mate.

Chris

If your set on the mount Cook area I would follow the Tasman or similar and spot from the valley floor, locate animals, where they are feeding and look at how accessable they are, there will be some areas you wont want to go near with what the snows doing around now so a big long river with lots of glassing gives you more options.
I just came from Dunedin yesterday and there was lot of fresh snow in the Southern parts of tahr territory, from what I saw something a bit further north may be a better option

Quote:

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Originally Posted by horihunter

If your set on the mount Cook area I would follow the Tasman or similar and spot from the valley floor, locate animals, where they are feeding and look at how accessable they are, there will be some areas you wont want to go near with what the snows doing around now so a big long river with lots of glassing gives you more options. I just came from Dunedin yesterday and there was lot of fresh snow in the Southern parts of tahr territory, from what I saw something a bit further north may be a better option

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I'm not far from raikaia today and it's shit house back there too nor west snow I'd imagine through the Canterbury southern alps ,

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, watching this weather closely and will decide whether to go or wait a bit nearer the weekend!

I'm in Hanmer and its snowing here as I type.

Well the trips been put back, not sure when yet...probably the end of the month. Hopefully the spring flush will bring them down a bit.

Good idea...the weather wont be to flash up there at the moment. Looks like i will just have to keep doing the garden and the lawn again!!:oh noes: