Thread: Queenstown advice please

For the Christmas break ill be based in Frankton Queenstown, towing kids around Frankton Arm in the boat and drinking my share of Steinlager…
But I have negotiated a 1 night/ 2 day pass to go out for a hunt after building a deck for our house in Invercargill.
Can I please get some suggestions from the knowledgable queenstown locals on this Forum for a direction to head.
I am intending to drive as far as I can then hike to a hut or set up camp. I have a good lightweight tent. The next day ill have to head back so it is all short lived.
Last year I drove into skippers with the family and thought i could hunt Mt Aurum. I also went to the DOC office in Qtown last xmas but got very limited advice. I got all the maps for up glenorchy way but never ended up getting time to go for a look. A newby hunter is coming along for the hike so I'm trying to find a good spot to try see a deer with a bit of scenery and a bit of a walk. I took him into the Longwoods 3 or 4 weeks ago and we got a spiker so he is super keen!
I realize there will be lots of people hiking the hills at that time of year so Im expecting to trek for a bit to get away from the road.
Any suggestions please. Im not asking for guys secret spots. Just some suggestions for this one off trip
Thanks

Have attached a photo of the deck!

I generally stay away from the hills at this time of the year... the problem in the Queenstown region being every man and his dog is camped in all manner of remote places from Christmas through to about the second week of January. If you go, go easy.

Skippers is a pretty place and a nice area for a picnic but as you'll have worked out from other posts here and from DOC, hunting pressure has been intense within this (very small) restricted hunting reserve. You're very unlikely to see a deer there.

Sitting here, there is nowhere I can think of recommending within the confines of the immediate area that won't be overcome by 50% of the 40,000 other visitors who come here at this time of the year to enjoy the outdoors. If it were me, I'd be enjoying the family. If I just HAD to go for a walk, I'd be heading as far from Queenstown as I possibly could. Milford. Te Anau. Haast. Anywhere but here.

Could I suggest you have a look at the Eyre Mountains - southwest of Kingston. There's plenty of area to hunt with little chance of bumping into others. There are some nice valleys, the hills aren't stupidly big and it's not too far to drive. From your place to any one of many access points will be about an hour or so. A one hour walk will have you in some nice country with reds on offer and its a little bit "away" from the manic stupidity of Queenstown. Don't count on staying in any huts... you just won't believe how many of even the remotest huts will have trampers in them.

Have fun, stay safe and good luck. Let me know how you go.

Merry Christmas.

Glenorchy are has only pone place lately for hunt and it has been well hunted, dart, routeburn are all 1080 draped and only in the very back country of free valley and whakaari will/would be an option but be aware of boundaries, a lot of bad things happen around there.
in my opinion going south is the wiser option but think eyre mountains is somewhere around majors lakes right??? if yes be aware of the "holidayers" there too.

Good luck and happy xmas!

Originally Posted by planenutz

I generally stay away from the hills at this time of the year… the problem in the Queenstown region being every man and his dog is camped in all manner of remote places from Christmas through to about the second week of January. If you go, go easy.

Skippers is a pretty place and a nice area for a picnic but as you'll have worked out from other posts here and from DOC, hunting pressure has been intense within this (very small) restricted hunting reserve. You're very unlikely to see a deer there.

Sitting here, there is nowhere I can think of recommending within the confines of the immediate area that won't be overcome by 50% of the 40,000 other visitors who come here at this time of the year to enjoy the outdoors. If it were me, I'd be enjoying the family. If I just HAD to go for a walk, I'd be heading as far from Queenstown as I possibly could. Milford. Te Anau. Haast. Anywhere but here.

Could I suggest you have a look at the Eyre Mountains - southwest of Kingston. There's plenty of area to hunt with little chance of bumping into others. There are some nice valleys, the hills aren't stupidly big and it's not too far to drive. From your place to any one of many access points will be about an hour or so. A one hour walk will have you in some nice country with reds on offer and its a little bit "away" from the manic stupidity of Queenstown. Don't count on staying in any huts... you just won't believe how many of even the remotest huts will have trampers in them.

Have fun, stay safe and good luck. Let me know how you go.

Merry Christmas.

Thanks for the advice. Ill look up the eyre mountains on the DOC website now. Thanks and Merry Christmas

We got my daughter got a gopro for xmas so ill try flog that and get some footage of the trip. Ill do a bit of google mapping and work out the best way in because I will be short on time once I get there.

That deck looks at least a 2 nighter lol

Originally Posted by HILLBILLYHUNTERS

That deck looks at least a 2 nighter lol

You would have thought so! The Weather isn't looking to flash for my window of opportunity anyway. Its supposed to be sumner...

Bloody hard work building decks,bent over,on yr knees and the dollars woow. Good luck with yr hunt.