Thread: South island hunting

Hey guys, new to the forum. My old man and I have done quite a few trips into the doc country around Southland (eyre) Otago and south Canterbury (ahuriri area) with no luck spotting any animals. Could anyone point us in a direction for somewhere we we might just have some luck seeing some animals. Please don’t share any secret spots tho. Thanks

Well - speaking as a long time armed tramper and assuming you are not bush hunting hobbits! Animals are fairly thinly spread in the Ahuriri in my limited experience in that valley, and the same on the western side of the Erye mountains, although even I see animals just about every trip there (I like crossing the river in the Centre Hill locality). There are better numbers on the Five rivers side and you should be seeing deer there if you are taking your time, and glassing diligently (like for at the very minimum 30 min at first and last light).

There are very good numbers of deer just about everywhere on both public and private lands BUT numbers don't make them any easier to hunt, you still need to cotton on to when and where to see them. You don't even have to walk that far, are you trying to hard e.g. covering too much ground without enough looking!

Theres deer for heaven down yr way up to Five Rivers and I dont even live down there.But iv seen them and I dont walk far.

My son n law lives in Mossburn,good base to go hunting from.

Have you got binos ?you want to spend some time watching gullys and faces with cover, it takes a while to get your eye in . make sure the wind is right so not blowing up your bum tho it is a way of finding out if anything is there. theres some good tips here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gND5zlmJA0

Thanks guys appreciate the responses. Will post up if we have any luck. Good on ya

Nevis valley holds plenty of animals, starting to get difficult to get over there now with snow and ice on the pass.
It was new to me hunting down here as well , especially after NI bush hunting.
Everything felt and still does feel so big and open.
Best advice I was given is gain some height ( depending where your hunting ) sit down and glass . My Bino's have proved to be an awesome asset around here.
Take your time , you can scan an area for 30 mins and see nothing and suddenly there will be one standing there.

Have recently seen quite a few animals in the Mataura and Robert Creek catchments near Fairlight Station. Send me a message if you want more specific beta as I'd personally prefer to see less animals. Happy hunting!

Could always try the blue mountains, they are a public ballot for the blocks.
the Rowallan and Dean forests near lake Hauroko have seen me right the few times I've been down that way

Thanks again for the help guys, very much appreciated. So lucky to have this forum full of a bunch of good fellas!

And if all else fails...Just ask @Brindog about the longwoods

Its a good forum alright mate !!

Best of luck with the deer. It will happen just keep at it. You are always better off for the mission anyway. Good for the mind,body & soul

If I could offer two words of advice it would be...Wind.....&....Slow!!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Hey mate

Struggling to get the Pm message to work properly, any advice?😂. Sorry not very good on the technology front.

Cheers guys

Just get a 308 and a warm huntress for the cold nights.