Thread: Northland hunter heading to Canterbury

After a dry few days, head to Avoca Homestead, off Arthurs Pass. To get to the actual house, there is a very easy shallow river crossing right at the end of the road. When you get to the river turn right upstream for about 100-200 m to find the wider, but much shallower crossing. Walk it all first to work out what the river has done since I was last there. DO NOT Attempt the straightahead crossing after rain.

If you can’t manage to do that upstream crossing after several days of no rain in the high country then you probably shouldn’t drive a four-wheel-drive period.

Walk up into the hills from the Homestead and get onto the deer trails close to the treeline. Mix it up a bit, stalk the trails into the wind in the afternoon towards sunny faces, then find a good spot to glass from close to deer o’clock that you can shoot from within the effective range of your rifle.

I’ve heard lots of disappointed stories from that part of the world from impatient lazy bastards, but the three times I’ve been up there I’ve come home with a nice fat deer, including a quality public land 12 pointer.