Thread: Tells its own story

So I spoke to a farmer today about a Ruahine creek that always produced deer back in the lean eighties. The walk up, over and in to where I would camp was a good couple of hours off track and not the easiest but there are worse. I hadn't been in there myself due to living away for a long while and then hunting other public land. It wasnt the easiest place to camp or hunt but the rewards were always worth it. I thought it might be nice to go back in a few times and re live some memories. I love hunting real deer. There always used to be a few hunters going in there and you had to try and work it so that the creek hadn't been hunted for a week or so before you went in. When I asked him if there were many people still going in there he said he couldn't remember the last time anyone did. In his words "no one wants to hunt real deer the real way anymore. They all want to lug heavy rifles around farmland". Out of a non hunters mouth...............Things have certainly changed. Has carrying packs, living rough, being independent with what you carried in, reading the weather and learning real deer habits really been mostly replaced by learning how to open gates, sussing out where the best paddock is, shooting long range, riding a quad safely etc etc etc? I hope not. I am sure there are still a few real hunters out there hunting real country but it used to be most of us. This spot used to be well hunted and popular so it was a real wake up for me today and confirmed what I have been suspecting. Have others noticed the same? Do hunting clubs still run club trips where they walk in to the bush on Friday nights by torch light for the weekend? I haven't heard of many still doing that. And torches are so good now On a positive note I cant wait to get in there now

I dont roll like that.
Dont know any farmers.
Cant afford a quad
Too tight to pay for a chopper.
Doc land only for me.

Never hunted the ruahines.
Let me know where it is and I'll go and check if theres still any deer there.

You have restored my faith. Am sure there must be plenty hunters like you/ us out there still.

Sounding a bit condescending there mate.

Gotta say, pretty much all the hunters I know are hard yards hunters. Got mates that’ll occasionally chopper into remote areas, but they’re still putting in the hard yards once they get there. Most of the time they pack in on foot. That’s how I’ve done all my hunting since I started 4yrs ago.

Have never had access to farmland to hunt, & am somewhat proud to say all my deer have been public land deer hunted by hiking in & hitting the hills on foot. I thoroughly enjoy putting in the yards & working for my animals. The pulling of the trigger is only part of the process for me & I love being out there in the middle of nowhere. That being said, as someone who hunts primarily for meat (never actively targeted trophies, not to say I wouldn’t take one if opportunity arose), public land hunting does mean that sometimes (like now) the freezer runs empty, and I can see the appeal of getting out for an easy meat hunt on a farm. I’d happily accept the offer of the odd opportunity for such a hunt if I had the chance.

Different situations I guess- hard yards hunt to nourish soul and the urge to explore, & farmland hunting to more reliably fill the freezer...

Still doing the hard yards on DOC land here, still keeping a look out for these large mobs of deer farm shooters speak of, no such luck yet. Do see more compared to many years ago, but only as single animal or a hind and yearling pairing and that's about 1 in 3 trips out.

5 years ago I would have said there were no deer in this area. Now I see them every week. Maybe your observations reflect the reality of higher feral deer populations on farmland, and the fact it is much easier to collect venison off farm tracks than week long treks into remote country.

I am also restricted to DOC land, but have found the best places to hunt are the fringes of private land. I have shot deer on many occasions moving back through public land on first light after feeding on farm land nearby throughout the night.

Originally Posted by Pixie Z

Different situations I guess- hard yards hunt to nourish soul and the urge to explore, & farmland hunting to more reliably fill the freezer...

Pretty much this.

I have hunted a couple places in the ruahinies. River and track access. Only once we havnt seen an animal, Usually someone or 2 in the hunting party will get one glassing and shooting them on the slips.
Yet to get one in the bush. But spoked a couple. And last weekend my dog put us onto two, she winded them and we moved to the rivers edge not 10 seconds later a hind and yearling came down the other side and started crossing the river. Yearling slightly in front. My mate was waiting for a shot on the hind and just as the opportunity arose they bolted.
He was very apologetic, wished he had of just shot the yearling. Ild much rather hunt with someone who picks his animal and waits for a shot than just blasting away at the first thing that steps into view.
Big props to people who bush or river hunt them without a dog. Without my dog we would of kept walking and these two would of crossed 50m behind us if our scent didn't scare them off.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Sounding a bit condescending there mate.

Wasn't trying to be. Just wondering out loud and I like to read peoples views on topics. If you look on FB hunting pages there seems to be a big percentage of pics of deer on utes etc etc. On You Tube there is more remote, back country hunting clips. The answers here have been good to read. I think Ben has nailed it too. Lots and lots more deer hunting opportunities on private with the boom so only natural those who can will make the most of it. I guess there will be those who only hunt private or public land and those who do a mix. Those who hunt purely for meat in the way that ticks the box the best and easiest way to feed their family and those who want meat and/ or adventure.

I have access to some farms that are heaving with animals and often go with a mate for some fun and prime grass fed meat(last one I got had marbling on the back steaks)but when I wanna go hunting I always go deep in doc bush without a dog, you cannot beat a bush stalking session against highly edgy deer,and when I get one its a feeling of extreme accomplishment and almost mental exhaustion as the mode I go into when bush hunting is total concentration.

Seems to be more people hunting public land now than I can certainly remember compared to when I was starting out hunting. Spots in the Ruahines would often only have 2 to 5 vehicles in the carpark on any given day in the roar. Now sometimes they are so full it is almost ridiculous. 16 vehicles worth of hunters up one small catchment.
Outside of the popular hunting times of the year many spots in the Kawekas and Ruahines it was rare to bump into a person. Now often midweek you can bump into people.
In general the deer numbers are the highest they have been possibly for decades, and I reckon hunter numbers are up there too.

I still walk hours into DOC land even though I dont need too. I meet heaps of farmers through work and could hunt private land if I wanted too. I enjoy sleeping under a fly or just sleeping out with a bivy bag if the forecasts good. I like peace and quiet and get as far away from huts as possible. 30kgs of venison Hung , Cooled and carried out over a few hours seems to taste better than something shot on the farm fence. Just my opinion.

well we walk 8km in , in daylight , just to shoot the odd goat.
the same 8 km out by torchlight just to shoot a few possums.
the amount of walking we do loaded up looking for deer I don't even want to think about.... I'd never get off the sofa again !
i can't even spell qaud let alone use one....
A chopper is the thing I chop wood with....

And I wouldn't change a thing.