RUAHINE MISSION

Kiaora whanau,

I've got a few days off uni before I start a placement so I can finally get into the bush for a couply nights! I'm pretty excited. I'm down here in Palmy, so am looking at going somewhere up the Ruahines. I've only done afternoon hunts really in the Ruahines and have only been hunting for a year or so (pretty much unsuccessfully). Seeming as I have bugger all luck(/skill) in general I was thinking if I walk a bit further I might have more chance of bumping into something.

My question is just is it worth going all the way to some of the more distant huts in the Ruahines in winter or do the deer go down low because of the cold? I was thinking of heading to Leon Kinvig hut. Will it be all good to hunt around there in winter?

Cheers
Tom

Hey Tom

Cant say i have been there but if you can find spots that have a sun / cover / food and water then there will be deer in there, downside with winter is they tend to stay in mostly the thick shit and not move around much, upside is if there are sheltered slips that get the sun that are close to there bedding areas then you have a great chance to find them. I wouldn't stress about walking a long way in to see deer just get off the main tracks and away from heavy hunter spots.

getting up high and glassing down into large gullys that go from trees to open are great areas just watch you dont get screwed by the wind at 1st and last light as it will travel downhill.

post up a few reports of your hunts thus far mate
Cheers
Shane

Forks hut in the southern Ruahines used to be my go-to spot. Hut wasn't the flashest but good hunting not far away.

How ya mate.Ruahines hunt real well in the winter,sunny faces & slips ,it's all about feed and warmth. Still good numbers in the tops until the snow get here.So get into it!.

Cheers for the tips/ motivational statements haha.. I'll let you know how I go, still a week and a bit tille I get out there to plan my trip instead of studying

Weathers looking dodgy for my one free weekend.. fakn typical
I've changed my plan accordingly. Now thinking of heading into Piripiri hut for a night and see how I go. Was thinking I'll get there by starting up the track to mid pohangina hut then popping over the hill to piripiri. Good idea? Feasible? Is it worth even going hunting if the weather is shit?

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Originally Posted by huglife

Weathers looking dodgy for my one free weekend.. fakn typical
I've changed my plan accordingly. Now thinking of heading into Piripiri hut for a night and see how I go. Was thinking I'll get there by starting up the track to mid pohangina hut then popping over the hill to piripiri. Good idea? Feasible? Is it worth even going hunting if the weather is shit?

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If the weathers average you mighy want to choose elsewhere that dosnt have the track running up a river.
Rangi / deadmans toka biv longview for example

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Hey Tom, just a heads up Piripiri bivvy can be very difficult to acsess since the land owner has just of accsess across the farm. I have never personally done it but have been into Mid Poh before (which is the track you would begin on before heading over the ridge to Piripiri) and can tell you that is would be one hell of a bush bash to get their if possible at all. Spoke to one of the staff from Palmy DOC last yr and he said that best bet would be to go about 15 mins past mid Poh/ centre creek junction before heading over the top. He estimated it would be at least 4 hours from there and said that the Piripiri Biv can be slightly difficult to find as its positon on the map is actually wrong (on a different nearby spur apprently). Not wanting to put you off, just a heads up that it is quite an ambitious trip particularly for just one night!

What ever you end up doing good luck, and stay safe!

can park at the pohangina bridge and walk up the river then up the boulder to piripiri hut , not that hard , will get wet nuts tho

Huglife / Tom......Just get in your 4wd / car and go for a drive up to the top of the Ruahines to the A frame hut....Weather / road conditions permitting. Any of that country there at the right time of the year by using a spotting scope you may / should be able to see the odd deer on slip faces. There are guys on you tube who do long range shooting up there under the leather wood.

Or as like Cigar has stated....The forks hut area......I haven't been back there for years. Spring growth time is the better time. Go to the front country hut and have a poke around you might see a deer or further back on the plateau you might bump into a pig. Travelling over land and looking north you may see the odd deer on that side then down a steep track to Forks hut. Take the right branch and head up stream via a small gorge will take you to some resonable deer country.