Thread: Tips for traveling in thick bush

Originally Posted by Bagheera

500m is a long way in thick bush.

The key to moving through thick bush, specially supplejack, kiekie, windfalls and broompole beech is practice. The more you've done of it the better you get at avoiding it. The GPS and compass are your friends: you don't have to follow straight up the crest of a spur or along any easy to navigate landform, because you can always get yourself back onto the route or location you want to visit. You can follow little runs of more open bush and often there is a much easier way on a scale of 10 or 20m. Very thick patches of supplejack are often only 10m across and around it is relatively easier going.

This is good advice; direct is not always best.

Another trick: keep an eye out for big native trees as generally it won't be as thick under them. I look ahead for them wherever possible (highpoint, window in the bush) if I'm in thick stuff.

You can also use satellite images to find the bush with big natives (its a different color and texture to manuka, scrub, etc) or less thick stuff. If I'm doing a recce or know I'll be in thick stuff, I scroll over the area I'm going to hunt on google maps at the closest zoom before I go. It downloads the maps and they'll be there even on airplane mode. If it gets bad I use the maps to try and find easier bits like big natives or clearings, less thick shit.

Good luck