Thread: Oxford Forest Hunting

Are there a decent amount of animals in Oxford Forest? Its one of the most accessible public land hunting areas from where I live and wanted to get some info about the area. I don't have my license yet so when I go I will just hiking to Wharfedale hut and going off track a bit to look for animals with binoculars. I would like to see some chamois and red deer.

If its unlikely I will see any animals does anyone else know public land close to Christchurch as possible where I would see some animals?

Thanks

You'll see deer in all the Canterbury foothills. Numbers vary depending on hunting pressure and feed availability. Best advice is get out there and start looking! As a new hunter you'll be less likely to see animals when they are there then someone who's experienced and knows that they're looking at. Don't expect anyone to give their public land honey holes on a public forum either haha!

Originally Posted by Springy

You'll see deer in all the Canterbury foothills. Numbers vary depending on hunting pressure and feed availability. Best advice is get out there and start looking! As a new hunter you'll be less likely to see animals when they are there then someone who's experienced and knows that they're looking at. Don't expect anyone to give their public land honey holes on a public forum either haha!

Thanks for all the help. I didn't really think about the fact everyone has their secret spots but it makes sense.

It's not being nasty or playing secret squirrel...but when you post it on open forum you can at times see a heap of people heading into area on the " hot tip" and some of the areas will not handle the extra pressure well. Go have a look...as has been said there are some animals everywhere.

Yes there are definitely deer up there. I’ve seen deer up all four catchments I’ve gone up there but not every time. I’ve not been up wharfdale track but friends who have been up there have seen deer. There’s also deer in the mt Thomas and mt Richardson areas but it’s more bush and less open country

Are there many wasps up there nowdays ?

There are many wasps!
I have been nailed on each of my last 3 walks in there.
Don’t step on fallen logs, they explode like wasp land mines

@Pete@tte here is a tip for you to try...lightweight cotton overalls with gaiters over the top..... it wont stop all the hot arsed germanic huas from stinging but by hoki does it limit the damage and usually gives me time to get further away...and do carry a pottle of no more wasps/carbaryl powder so you can kill any nests you see..it does make a difference,even if you just dong the huas near your walking paths.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

@Pete@tte here is a tip for you to try...lightweight cotton overalls with gaiters over the top..... it wont stop all the hot arsed germanic huas from stinging but by hoki does it limit the damage and usually gives me time to get further away...and do carry a pottle of no more wasps/carbaryl powder so you can kill any nests you see..it does make a difference,even if you just dong the huas near your walking paths.

I have been wearing macpak light hiking pants with gaiters but they chewed through them no problem, I’m not wearing anything thicker!
Got nailed in the face last roar in Westland and my face doubled in size, fortunately on the last day so now I carry pill style antihistamines…
I would like some of that nest powder for future, I would see a dozen nests every trip into Oxford, normally 2day hunts.

no more wasps...yellow squirty pottle in most supermarkets/garden centres/farm stores.... puff and run. they will be dead within hours. the chewed through thing I havent experienced.I get hit, I run doing the mount somers macarena.... hot black arse haka..then stop 20-30 yards away and do the strip/scrap/smash the little hot arse shits off me and usually the poor dog. I ve had them crawl into cloths but never eat through them... the light overalls arent bad at all in summer,get pair one size too big and wear belt around middle to keep the crutch up...

You should always carry some antihistamine tablets hunting in Canterbury

Not just in Canterbury but anywhere that has beech forest

Arahura helicopters has been doing donuts on flight radar for the last two days over Oxford. Must be some really great scenery up there. ������

Nothing changes I remember live capture going on in the RHA in the 80s

Originally Posted by outdoorlad

You should always carry some antihistamine tablets hunting in Canterbury

Maybe even an epipen. I remember a school trip up Mt Richardson. One guy got stung, had never been stung by a wasp before and it turned out he was allergic. A few of us had to carry him out double-quick.