Tahr Hunt Pointers

I don’t generally like to publicly ask for access/hunting spot info preferring the go get amongst it approach but being in the other island and on my first winter mission for Tahr I will see if anyone can share some knowledge following a hiccup in our plans.

I’m flying down to Chch next weekend to tee up with a mate over a long queens birthday weekend hunt. We were planning to hunt the Clyde or Lawrence River but when my mate politely enquired about access through Erewhon station he received a rather rude and abusive response to basically get lost. I know this is how people access this area so I wonder if he got a bad day or if people have been abusing the privilege.

We have looked into the Havelock River but my mates ute is a stock triton and reports from people he know have told him it’s not worth the risk in a vehicle not capable. We are now looking into some alternate options that allow basic 4wd and walking access of which we have some options in mind but if anyone is willing to send me a PM and share some post cull pointers to help this North Islander get onto a winter Bull Tahr I would be very appreciative.

Thanks, Dylan.

i thought you would be more into the Seek and Explore side of hunting, especially for Tahr in the southern Alps of New Zealand!
Thats what half the Beauty is, isnt it?

;)

One of the most popular local spots would be up Bush stream to Crooked Spur, maybe head halfway round to Stone hut and camp somewhere? Not sure on current numbers but always tahr about. Not sure what the current status of access up Forest creek?

The Godley is always worth a look if the Macauley is low, I think we are in for a bit of rain this weekend and early next week so that may need to be factored in, there’s not much snow about at the moment.

Take sunglasses & sunscreen if your going high plus the normal cold weather gear.

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Originally Posted by Rees

i thought you would be more into the Seek and Explore side of hunting, especially for Tahr in the southern Alps of New Zealand!
Thats what half the Beauty is, isnt it?

;)

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Sure is, not sure how my hunt won’t be seek and explore..?

Will try and give you a PM later this evening

A Triton should make it up the Lawrence, and to Black Bluff in the Clyde. Should make it all the way up the Havelock to at least Mistake Flat, maybe even St Winnies. But, it all depends on the driver, how the truck is set up and the river conditions. Definitely take recovery gear, be able to winch yourself out if you have an oopsie. And be prepared to either not go any further, or sit tight if the river comes up - like sit tight for a few days cos "gethomeitis" has killed a few in those rivers.
We are expecting a pretty big rain event this weekend, and the rivers may not be passable next weekend. Queens Birthday is probably the busiest weekend in all of that area and the huts may be full, take a tent.
There is access to the Clyde at Erewhon, ring DoC Geraldine for confirmation of where. I think Colin and Erin get bloody sick of weekend warriors ringing up or rocking up and expecting to get through Erewhon, the access is before you get to the homestead. Have a good look at the WAMS maps to see where the boundaries are.
If the river is up and impassable it may be worth it to drive to Messy and get Malcolm to fly you in, lots of opportunities to get away from the crowd.

15 minute flight will get you away from people and high n dry.No wrecking or drowning yr truck.Save a lot of time and pilot will know where to put you for a bit of success getting a Tahr or 2.

Get up in the morning and climb
When you can't climb any further that means you are at the top of the mountain
The tahr will be somewhere below you !

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Originally Posted by Trout

15 minute flight will get you away from people and high n dry.No wrecking or drowning yr truck.Save a lot of time and pilot will know where to put you for a bit of success getting a Tahr or 2.

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Having never used a chopper like this before what would you expect to pay out of curiosity? Obviously a few variables

Guestamint,maybe $500 to $700/2 return.Get yr hunting close to a chopper base,short flight to hunting area.What would it cost if you half wreck yr truck being new to hunting down here in our rocky valleys.Its allright for locals,theyv made several trips and know where to go.Youl spend half yr time rock hopping and looking.Depend on how much time you got.

Yo stagstalker, love your posts, in particular your 284/rem mag vids, keep up the good work. I kind of agree with trout, if you can I would take a whirly bird, with limited time you want to be hunting from your camp without the drama of trying to chase Tahr up from a valley in the morning as they head back up. Lots of spotting(with a spotting scope) and then planning an ambush for when they descend in the evening. Good luck

Thanks everyone, post has only been up 6 hours and there has been some extremely helpful information come my way. Some legends amongst us

take your best binos,hunk of close cell foam...big enough to park your bum on when glassing.lots of time sitting n glassing is better than lots of time walking.
when you find a bull...shoot the plurry thing,dont piss around working out if its 11-12-13" if YOU think he big enough,SHOOT THE PLURRY THING. the skin/pelt is trophy enough on its own....there are lots of areas you can hunt tahr without risking wagon to rising water levels...there will be lower animal numbers to be sure,and probablt no huge bulls and you will need to walk...but your a fit young fella... I dont chase big hairy goats myself.... any of you chaps been up boundary stream...rawls gully lately??? both seem like a not bad option to me...

I like the bit,dont piss around, is it a 11 or 12 or 13,shoot the bloody thing.Get within 320yds.Have yr 300wm,270,308 or what ever zeroed at 300yds.point n shoot.Shooting tahr at 500 or 600yds across a valley could take you hours to get there and you end up climbing down in the dark,get bluffed and yr stuffed.Not nice in the winter.Allways think of the hours recovering yr animal in the mountains.

Any side stream up the Havelock has good numbers still. Shoot some nannies while you're there. Crossing the main stream of the Rangitata is required to get up to the Growler and beyond, this can be dodgy and there is a lot of rain this weekend so I'd suspect it may be uncrossable as late as Queen's Birthday. A flight into the Sinclair range with Station Air would be cheap and productive. Shoot some nannies.

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Originally Posted by Trout

15 minute flight will get you away from people and high n dry.No wrecking or drowning yr truck.Save a lot of time and pilot will know where to put you for a bit of success getting a Tahr or 2.

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well aint that a fact....so bloody easy nowadays,fly here,fly there,fly out again. Sunny day,low rivers mmm,still sounds good too.

Could be interesting times in those hills.

Get a load of the Mt Summers rainfall of late.

https://www.ecan.govt.nz/data/rainfa...details/316310

Hope you can still make something of it @stagstalker

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Or you could drive a bit further South and try the county at the head of Lake Ohau - Hopkins etc, it didn't get the "Canterbury pasting" and usually has a different weather outlook to the northern Tahr range - Red Hut, wallk/drive upstream from there and once you get past the Dasler track - climb

Oh - and if you are the least bit un-certain about a river crossing for your vehicle, walk it first, you sure as eggs can't come to grief if its crossable on foot

This weather has definitely thrown a spanner in the works! I have been anxiously watching to see if I will be able to hunt Tahr or if it will be a whatever works hunt. Looks like we can still make it happen but will need to be selective on where we go with more rain forecast on the main divide this weekend.

Access to the upper Rangitata via the Ashburton Gorge/Lakes road has been compromised. It is possible to get through, but basically only a minimal track for locals to get out in an emergency. Road blown out at the Potts Bridge, possibly impassable still. The creeks are still carrying a lot of dirty water and constantly changing. Would suggest that that area is for next time rather than this weekend. May be possible to get up the southern side to Messy. The Rakaia is still high and dirty, but only from the Lake Stream down - the main Rakaia above the Lake Stream is normal winter flow and glacial blue. But Double Hill Run Road has only got very marginal 4WD access, punched through today. Will take a few more days work to make it safe, lots of soft areas and big rocks, rough.

Does anyone know how much snow fell in the upper Rangitata area after all that weather? I saw some reports suggesting 2 meters, this could be an issue trying to get around in the higher country.

Plenty of snow up high, but doesnt look like 2 metres. Still plenty of accessible country if you can get there. Just a normal early June hunting scenario really........except for the buggered roads.

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Originally Posted by stagstalker

This weather has definitely thrown a spanner in the works! I have been anxiously watching to see if I will be able to hunt Tahr or if it will be a whatever works hunt. Looks like we can still make it happen but will need to be selective on where we go with more rain forecast on the main divide this weekend.

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Mate I was down there last weekend and I can tell you if you thinking of just a day walk or overnight. I know a few good spots that both got a 13inch bulls out of. Pm me if your stuck.

Thanks again to everyone who offered some help and those legends who went beyond with their gestures. We had a wicked trip both managing to shoot a bull each and then two nannies on the way out. The weather was average and we covered some miles. Can’t wait to get the skin tanned and back at home. Full report to come in the form of video when I get it together but here’s a couple of photos for you all.

Love that pic of the tahr looking back up hill at you. The stag is not too shabby either .

very cool pics

Very cool good work! Look forward to the video.

So that beaut stag you got earlier this year will have some company now :)

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Well done, conditions were rather trying, so well deserved.

Great stuff. You will be stoked ah [emoji106]

Moving south any time soon.....

Did the ice axe and crampons work out good for you?

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AWESOME photos....really stoked you had good trip....agree that stag is nothing to sniff at....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCbShnbzKTg

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Originally Posted by kukuwai

Great stuff. You will be stoked ah [emoji106]

Moving south any time soon.....

Did the ice axe and crampons work out good for you?

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Didn't have to pull out the crampons luckily but the ice axe was handy!

enjoyed the video...... that 140grn SST preformance was rather good.

Nice work, well done ��