Tips for a newbie in the Roar - Hunting reds- Kaimai Mamuka Forst Park

Hi All,

After hours of trolling maps and exploring areas I think I've found a good piece of bush that I've spooked some animals in a couple of times, but yet to bag one there. It's a pretty secluded spot, so I thought it would ba great venture into my first roar experience. I've been looking up how to make a roaring horn - thinking of going for something simple like a piece of vacuum hose. My question is how do I approach the roaring? I'v watched a fair few vides and most people seem to roar to call them in (with the odd person trying to sneak closer if the animal isn't coming out.

My questions is where in the bush would be a good position to set myself up in for a roar, the place I'm looking at has four distinct areas that I could position myself in:

1) Some denser bush on steep sides, which probably 5 -10 meter viability. It has lots of game trails though;
2) A ridgeline that isn't exposed, but looks to have some old farm track. It has some good areas with less dense bush wherre you can probably see around 20-40 meters;
3) A large grass clearing, I didn't see a ton of sign here, but there was a few places where it looked like animals had bedded down;
4) A gully with large mature trees and open forest floor. This seem has the best distance to cover (also would you sit at the top or bottom of the gulley?)

Cheers in advance.

First thing is the areas youve spooked animals and seen beds might not he where the stags hold up during the roar. Look for areas with stag sign, wallows and scrapings etc. Its good to have a decent knowledge of the area layout so you can make a plan on the fly when somthing reacts to your roars instead of guessing your way through the bush while trying to find your stag. Sometimes they will hold their ground. Sometimes that will come to you. Knowing of different approaches if the wind isnt favourable. etc. Hope this helps a bit. Roar hunting can be easy and it can be frustrating.

roaring horn yup simply 12 in piece of 50mm alkathene pipe all you need - how to use it much more difficult - forget any notion that a few roars and you will have a stag coming in - yes you see that on you tube but in real life you are lucky if they stay in same place and keep roaring - learn what a red hind in esterus sounds like and get that perfected could be your best friend - google it - now get up high in your block and listen at night -pin point where your stag is - as much as you can quiet no noise at all especially mettalic noises - if nothing going give a simple roar occasionally not more than every 15 mins or so least the better - most new hunters roar way to much and shut up more stags than they ever get going - now if there are several going don't roar at all - when it comes daylight sneak in -what is good if you have a mate with you leave him back to roar but tell the silly bugger wait 5 -10 mins after stag has roared to roar back and not to much - move the horn away from the stag -try to confuse stag where its coming from - I get down behind a big tree and moan into the bowl of the tree - try and get him to roar same style each time as it can be confusing to you sneaking in if he imitates the stag - you want him to sound like a love sick spiker but have the stag guessing where he is - no mate here is where your hind call comes in - the best is if he has another stag roaring at him - then just stay silent - take your boots of for last part to stay silent and just sneak in - if he shuts up give him some hind calls and listen -try and be in a spot where you have some visibility around you not stuck in a gully in a patch of thick stuff- break up your profile by standing alongside a tree or punga - he may see you first -no noise he could be only 50 metres away - mettalic noise he will be gone - what if it all goes quiet - go back onto a ridge and wait 10 mins even 15 mins and try a few roars again - how often stags roar can vary from every 5-10 mins to only once every half hour - no go again -try next day likely still in area good luck

I like to cover the ground. Walk the Ridges. Roar down the sides onto spurs and Gully. Wait a minute or so and carry on if no replies. If one roars back don't roar ba k too soon. If you roar too much they can thinks you are a big boy an shut up or bugger off.

I've always found the Kaimai red roaring to be a bit different, less vocal and less confrontational. Could be wrong but that's my experience anyway.

Be careful in that tight jungle over that period and be more than certain of what you point your rifle at.

Great knowledge on here so far... just reading this is starting to arouse me.

Learn how to hind call as that often stirs them up. Always roar a little less than they do. Dont be afraid to go quiet and stop roaring if you have one going half arsed as they will often spark up trying to get you to reply so they can locate you. If you have multiple animals going, leave them to wind each other up and stay quiet. If you are in on a stag and he spooks dont roar to get him to stop, hind call instead.

Cover the ground and roar from high points. Stags like terraces for night roaring and ease of holding hinds, but often hold hinds just off the sides of those terraces during the day where feed might be more abundant.

Ringer stags often roar the most.

if they or one is roaring don't roar at it, try and sneak in to him from the high ground if the wind allows.if you roar to see if you can get a reply or get something going do your roar in an area that has shooting avenues because more often that not if there is a stag in the area he'll roll in to meet you for a fight without roaring himself, i have been caught out a couple of times being lazy thinking nothing is around and roared from stupid places only to have one come straight in silently.also as above hind calls can be deadly!

if a stag holds up in a certain spot. and the only once that are moving in on you tend to be spikers etc. would the one holding up possibly be a bigger stag ? and is there a way to differentiate a good animal vs a not so good one ? thats my question.

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

if a stag holds up in a certain spot. and the only once that are moving in on you tend to be spikers etc. would the one holding up possibly be a bigger stag ? and is there a way to differentiate a good animal vs a not so good one ? thats my question.

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yes,he will be the dominant one and they tend to hold their ground and let the satellite stags do the dumb stuff like investigating other roars,ya can't tell by their roars if they're big or not but I find the big boys seem to low key moan as to keep in contact with hinds rather than roar hard out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

if a stag holds up in a certain spot. and the only once that are moving in on you tend to be spikers etc. would the one holding up possibly be a bigger stag ? and is there a way to differentiate a good animal vs a not so good one ? thats my question.

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the only answer to that is the big boy will have the hinds

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Originally Posted by Yesmate

yes,he will be the dominant one and they tend to hold their ground and let the satellite stags do the dumb stuff like investigating other roars,ya can't tell by their roars if they're big or not but I find the big boys seem to low key moan as to keep in contact with hinds rather than roar hard out.

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roger, had a heaps of them last year in the valley were flyuing back to this year, theres would be a super deep moan from a tighter gut that wouldnt move, and every other moving roar would come in on us to be let down it wasnt asa big as we hoped lol

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

roger, had a heaps of them last year in the valley were flyuing back to this year, theres would be a super deep moan from a tighter gut that wouldnt move, and every other moving roar would come in on us to be let down it wasnt asa big as we hoped lol

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he will more than likely be in the exact same spot if he's still alive and hell more than likely be friggen hard to get,make a plan and take your time.this year ill be trying get a stag for the 4th time in the same spot, its such a tricky spot to stalk im going to try and sit my mate in one of his exits for an ambush while I push him out.only laid eyes on him once he wasn't bad 3 years ago hoping he's a beast now and that I can out smart him.

My experience in the Mamaku Plateau, South Road mainly. I found it best to camp out and hear where they are. There are some good animals up there. Almost the size of horses.

Go out during the week if you can. Kaimais can be superbusy on weekends. I had a customer who nearly ended up in a fist fight with another hunter while both of them were approaching the same roaring stag from slightly different angles.

Ye mid week and think lke a cunning stag,smell like a hot hind looking for it.Good luck.

sounds fun in the kaimais... the range in the tararuas im flying into, we must of had 5odd stags on each ridge running down from the open tops to the river system we were in, and over the length of about 1km of river system we had around 2 dozen ridges... we literally had 50 roars from different animals each mornig.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

if a stag holds up in a certain spot. and the only once that are moving in on you tend to be spikers etc. would the one holding up possibly be a bigger stag ? and is there a way to differentiate a good animal vs a not so good one ? thats my question.

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He will only be dominant, not necessarily larger in antler size. More likely to be bigger bodied and older.

Thanks everyone for the great tips!! Some good learning for a newbie like myself, appreciate the time and effort.

One of the more important points is to watch the wind. One small whiff of human and the stag will shut right up and boost off. Keep in mind if approaching one or if one is approaching you. Smart animals will circle you just out of sight and catch a whiff of you downwind and get out of there before you see them. I think I read in one of Saxton and Lentles books (Red deer in NZ?) to try and match the rate at which they roar, that way they will think you are a similar-sized stag, i.e. worth a fight. I think if you roar slower they will think you are a bigger animal and piss off. Or maybe it's faster, can't remember? I've also heard the trick where you station a mate some distance away with a roaring horn while you sneak in silently on the stag. Of course, be very mindful of the wind while doing this, this can be easier said than done on a light wind day in the bush though. Get something to easily tell wind direction. I like to use a lighter as it's very sensitive but the noise and sight can be a problem, maybe a really thin piece of cotton or something could work too.

Above all else (and this goes for everyone)....POSITIVELY IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET. Be safe out there.

Lots of good info guys. A good read. Haven't been out in the roar since before covid. Itching to get out this year. It's fast approaching, so go luck everyone!

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Originally Posted by Juicy

One of the more important points is to watch the wind. One small whiff of human and the stag will shut right up and boost off. Keep in mind if approaching one or if one is approaching you. Smart animals will circle you just out of sight and catch a whiff of you downwind and get out of there before you see them. I think I read in one of Saxton and Lentles books (Red deer in NZ?) to try and match the rate at which they roar, that way they will think you are a similar-sized stag, i.e. worth a fight. I think if you roar slower they will think you are a bigger animal and piss off. Or maybe it's faster, can't remember? I've also heard the trick where you station a mate some distance away with a roaring horn while you sneak in silently on the stag. Of course, be very mindful of the wind while doing this, this can be easier said than done on a light wind day in the bush though. Get something to easily tell wind direction. I like to use a lighter as it's very sensitive but the noise and sight can be a problem, maybe a really thin piece of cotton or something could work too.

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the mate trick is good - but get your mate to roar much the same way each time and wait a few mins after the stag has roared before he roars back - mix in the odd hind call to - the reason for getting your mate to roar the same sort of way each time is so you can tell its him - the bush and wind can make it difficult to pinpoint roars at times - I have had mates moan like hell that they got halfway to where they thought the stag was and then could not tell if it was me or the stag roaring - or maybe a little grunt cough at end - just some way that you know that was ya mate roaring