Northland hunter heading to Canterbury

I'm heading to Christchurch for work in July and thought it a good reason to take a few days off and go for an armed tramp and a look up a Canterbury river and see what I can find.

I've looked on the DoC website and narrowed down my options. Ive called the DoC office and got no help from them. All they go by is the number of permits issue in an area.

Would a kind local be able to point out a reasonably safe area to do a little armed tramp for someone that hasnt seen the Canterbury high country before?

Thanks in advance and if someone they are coming up to Northland I'm happy to help with a days fishing in return.

Stan

with 4wd the options are endless...without,Mt Hutt springs to mind. or Lewis pass area.

Do you have a 4wd ?

Yep 4WD would be good if thinking of heading this way, but Molesworth isn't a go anyway.

tahr come down lower in winter to feed -
July = winter
its going to be rather cold so pick a hut to stay in

kowhai river track in kaikoura

APNP

Where the sun shines,deer will be.

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Originally Posted by outdoorlad

APNP

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Advanced Practice Nurse Prescriber ?

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Originally Posted by outdoorlad

APNP

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Anti Personal Nonlethal Pellet?

All Pisstaking Not Preferred

I will have a 4wd vehicle with me but it will be a rental and I believe the insurance doesnt pay off road.
Also first time in Canterbury and going alone is a recipe for desaster driving up a riverbed

@micky_Duck i have looked around that area and have thought about going in to Manuka Hut on the other side. It looks to have easier access and like others say. A hut is always good to have in winter. I'll be bringing a shelter with me aso as a backup.

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

kowhai river track in kaikoura

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Good choice, thank you but I've been in there when I was based in Marlborough in the late 90s and would like to see some Canterbury company.

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Originally Posted by Bill999

tahr come down lower in winter to feed -
July = winter
its going to be rather cold so pick a hut to stay in

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I totally agree. I hope there are still a few around?
They will have to be lower because I won't be going up into the bluffs for them on a solo trip.

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Originally Posted by Patunui

I will have a 4wd vehicle with me but it will be a rental and I believe the insurance doesnt pay off road.
Also first time in Canterbury and going alone is a recipe for desaster driving up a riverbed

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worried about damaging a rental? you sure your from northland? haha

the rivers are different down there they are all stones and its a better surface than most of state highway one up here
just go real slow and avoid any big rocks

obviously walk each river crossing first

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Originally Posted by Patunui

I'm heading to Christchurch for work in July and thought it a good reason to take a few days off and go for an armed tramp and a look up a Canterbury river and see what I can find.

I've looked on the DoC website and narrowed down my options. Ive called the DoC office and got no help from them. All they go by is the number of permits issue in an area.

Would a kind local be able to point out a reasonably safe area to do a little armed tramp for someone that hasnt seen the Canterbury high country before?

Thanks in advance and if someone they are coming up to Northland I'm happy to help with a days fishing in return.

Stan

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Go up the waimakiriri in APNP . Park on the left before the waimak bridge. Theres a highwater track that takes up all the way up the valley . Deer on sunny faces at this time of year. Take your bino's and your woolies

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Originally Posted by Patunui

I will have a 4wd vehicle with me but it will be a rental and I believe the insurance doesnt pay off road.
Also first time in Canterbury and going alone is a recipe for desaster driving up a riverbed

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Your a very wise man..

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.

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Originally Posted by Patunui

@micky_Duck i have looked around that area and have thought about going in to Manuka Hut on the other side. It looks to have easier access and like others say. A hut is always good to have in winter. I'll be bringing a shelter with me aso as a backup.

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If the track is anything like what I went into, don’t count on driving to the carpark in winter time. Could be a bit bogged. But if you ahould be fine in there. Also up the rangitata is good.

Thanks a lot for the info.

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

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.

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Thats awesome. Thank you.

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Originally Posted by Bill999

worried about damaging a rental? you sure your from northland? haha

the rivers are different down there they are all stones and its a better surface than most of state highway one up here
just go real slow and avoid any big rocks

obviously walk each river crossing first

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You are right there. Our roads are shocking!

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

Go up the waimakiriri in APNP . Park on the left before the waimak bridge. Theres a highwater track that takes up all the way up the valley . Deer on sunny faces at this time of year. Take your bino's and your woolies

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@Nathan F thanks for the advice. That looks like a great simple option.
I looked on google maps and see there is what looks like a vehicle track that goes into the bush just before the bridge. Is this the case? Is there a car park in there somewhere?

Thanks again,
Stan

Not sure how safe your vehicle is if you were to park it there over night.

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Originally Posted by Sauer

Not sure how safe your vehicle is if you were to park it there over night.

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Hi @Sauer. Do you think it wouldn't be safe if it was completely empty with glovebox and everything open to show it is empty?

I’m sorry but I don’t really know as I have never parked there, but have heard it is a common spot to have your car broken in to. It is quite an isolated spot, but next to the road so your vehicle is quite obvious.

There is a short shingle road on the other side of the bridge by Klondyke shelter where your car wouldn’t be so obvious, but you would have to cross the river to get back onto Turkey Flat.

@Patunui @Flyblown you can’t drive to the Avoca Homestead anymore. There is a dirty big gate about 2 k from the end of the road. Will probably mean the place gets a bit less pressure, which will be good.

Thanks @stug, didn’t know that. Why did they do that I wonder? Hoons, bogans & vandals?

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Originally Posted by Patunui

Hi @Sauer. Do you think it wouldn't be safe if it was completely empty with glovebox and everything open to show it is empty?

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I reckon you’ll be fine especially in Winter.
@stug When did they stick the gate in? Is it to stop folk crossing the tracks or getting to the hut?

The road has slipped away beside the railway track, so there is not enough space for a vehicle and train at the same time. When we were up there in Dec 2020 we parked at the new carpark and walked through the gate to see that someone had destroyed the gate and lock so they could drive through. We carried on walking, when we got back they had installed the new gate. Would be pretty difficult to cut through the new gate.

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Originally Posted by Patunui

Hi @Sauer. Do you think it wouldn't be safe if it was completely empty with glovebox and everything open to show it is empty?

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Be good as gold. Just take the sensible precautions. Been for countless overnighters and multi day trips up there and never encountered a problem. The carparks quite hidden. You have to be looking for the track to see it. Your vehicles not visible from the road.