Oxford Bush Mission

Afternoon !



I'm heading out into oxford bush on Monday night for an overnighter because Waitangi day Tuesday! (day off work such a blessing haha). Going to take the dog for her first bush mission too hoping to find a deer.
Thinking ill head in from the Wharfedale track and let the wind guide me in. Haven't been before , wondering if anyone has recently ? any shared experiences good and bad ?
Is the carpark fairly safe around there ?

Ill try send an update of the trip for anyone in the area who's also interested.

Also new to forum , made a quick intro in the introductions thread. There's so much knowledge on here , look forward to having a yarn to some of you.

cheers

Haven’t been on that track for a long time but last time I walked it you had to be very careful of mountain bikers as the track was quite narrow in places and they won’t stop for you or your dog.

If its a nice day on Tuesday,youl met 50 trampers and 50 mountain bikers.Not a good place on a public holiday,good luck.

How about the Blowhard Track, been nearly 40 years since I knocked round in that neck of the woods but the tops there were always very productive . . .

Most probably be ship loads of wasps in there as well this time of year..

The problem with the Blowhard area at the moment is that the Wallis boys have been culling on the eastern side of Lees Valley Station during last year - culling the deer coming off the public land onto the station to feed, and they shot a lot. In the two trips that I was told of they shot in the order of 500 deer, although some were up the Townsend.

But the other thing about what you asked is smack bang on point.....is it safe to leave your vehicle parked there?!. Sadly there is zero respect these days and it's in doubt if any of us can park a car up and come back to it safe and sound.

Yrs ago i walked up Blow hard track 5am,came down Richmond track 9am.Must have came across 25 trampser,walking,joggers coming up the track.Couple asked me want i was doing with a rifle on the track.I said iv been hunting 4hrs befor you got here,im on doc hunting grounds.They walked away in discussed.I didnt tell them theres a deer carcus on the edge of the track 100yds further up,somebody left there the day befor.
This was on a standard weekend,2 days.

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Originally Posted by Sauer

The problem with the Blowhard area at the moment is that the Wallis boys have been culling on the eastern side of Lees Valley Station during last year - culling the deer coming off the public land onto the station to feed, and they shot a lot. In the two trips that I was told of they shot in the order of 500 deer, although some were up the Townsend.

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There was a heli working hard up near tarn hill hut this week too

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Originally Posted by dannyb

There was a heli working hard up near tarn hill hut this week too

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That’s a shame if it was doing WARO, there’s a Very good stag wandering around up there.

Roy, no problems leaving your car up at View Hill car park. Take some antihistamines with you (applies pretty much everywhere in Canterbury)

Fair , i guess i dont really know what the foot traffic is like there. is it pretty busy area ??

Any suggestions then if you had an over nighter planned for monday ?

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Originally Posted by Roy Canty

Fair , i guess i dont really know what the foot traffic is like there. is it pretty busy area ??

Any suggestions then if you had an over nighter planned for monday ?

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Just go,but first.Find a sunny face clearing about 90 minuts walk from the top track on yr map.Bash bash if you have to.Sit and watch yr clearing with the wind blowing in yr face.Enjoy the evening and early morning.Good luck.

take the oldest/cheapest car you can...leave nothing in it and leave glovebox and centre console open so lowlives can see there is nothing in it...hatchback,leave parcel shelf out so can see boot is empty too...... it was the only way to have car untouched in places many years ago.

The foot traffic will be busy on the track, but once you get off the track you won’t see anyone. Your not hunting the track, but you will see way more deer by getting to the tops and glassing.

I’ve been parking overnight at the local Oxford carparks, but not the wharfdale, for years and never had a problem.

I've got visions of Mr Beans mini, padlocks & take the steering wheel with you.

Thanks for the advice. I was under the impression though that the tops in oxford were over run with hunters ?? or is that not the case .

Would you be willing to PM me some recommendations on safe parking for the area ?
:)

Oxfords a busy wee place for both hunters and hikers.

I've parked at the start of the warfdale, at either end of the blowhard, no issues.

Make sure you've packed your high viz, every time I've headed out that way for a long weekend I've met at least two other hunting parties.

July last year there were still good numbers, but be aware that due to the hunting pressure they ain't coming into clearings until 5-10 mins before it gets too dark to shoot and they don't stay much longer in the morning. I've seen more deer on the walk up the track than I ever have from the tops.

I never lock my ute. If they want to have a look through it that's fine just don't break my window to do it.

There's plenty of deer in there, but bush stalking is a bitch in most of it apart from a few areas. Full of regrowth and windfall.

Probably more beneficial to sit and watch prime open areas/clearings at appropriate times.

Head up the Black Hill left hand branch track at the main watershed bush saddle leaving from the Wharfedale end .Hook into Coal Creek headwaters and break onto the T.R reverting burns.Snap.A few clean wild Merinos in there aswell as Reds and pigs if you want some muff along with venny.Ditto compulsory antihistamine.You will get stung

the Vespex does do a number on the wasps but where we go damn they're bad.

I'm slowly starting to become allergic to the shits so my summer hunting is pretty curtailed.

I can relate to that......if I go in summer..its overalls with tall gaiters over top for me or not at all. gets hot but beats swelling up after getting hit.

So i ended up going up around mt thomas out the back. Was a decent walk for sure ! legs feeling it. Was fairly windy up on the tops. No deer seen. Good to get out though , the dog did well too off lead.

Onward to the next trip.

Good on you, I gave it a crack over the weekend as well but on the Coast instead...tried some good looking bush tracks, bit of open riverbed etc, some good hoof prints etc but hey....not giving up and we'll be back there lol.