Thread: Torlesse Tussocklands Park

Hi All

Went for more of a scope today up the porters pass side of Torlesse Tussocklands Park. Walked up Trig M then noticed a group with dogs coming up the Lake Lyndon side, pushed on to about halfway between 1189 this is when I saw another group across the way. Knew that my morning was finished I parked up for a bit then went home. Took a longer way back and saw some sign. Just after any tips or advice for hunting the area or a better spot

Cheers

Keep looking go further back check out the dog hiking area sites to know which areas to avoid

There's a Facebook page called "Hiking with dogs" the tracks in that area are quite popular from what I've read.

I've only really hunted deer for the past 5-6 years covering decent chunks of the Canterbury foothills. There are probably deer in the area you mention but the best advice for me was climb high and use binoculars at first light or evening. Try and get away from roads, tracks, huts and dogs. No-one will tell you their best spots on a web site but there are better area's to explore, especially over busy public holiday weekends. Watch a few you-tube clips from Canterbury - that'll give you an idea of the type of open areas to head to. Good luck.

Rabbit Hill (further along from Trig M) is one of the 'Further Faster Mountain Dog Challenge' peaks. Safe to assume there would be quite a few people and their dogs there on fine weather weekends.

Dogs mark areas by pissing on trees etc, as does the next dog that comes along, and then the next. Best to avoid these areas as deer certainly will.

Anywhere in the RHA around the Lewis Pass has a very high density of deer. You are quite possibly not up and about early enough if you are bumping into recreational walkers either, deer in high-pressure areas tend to disappear very shortly after first light.

The Torlesse gets a lot of pressure (especially the Thirteen Mile) from Christchurch hunters and helicopters operators. If you want to fill the freezer then head up the Rakaia via Lake Coleridge Village (LC) - at the LC Power Station head over the tailrace bridge then the 'Fishermans Access' track leads to the river. The river bed has a heap of 4wd tracks and it's best to stick to the right as you drive up (true left). The main channel is well over the other side of the valley and the biggest crossing is about 30cm so no problems with a quad, motorbike, horse or 4WD. The riverbed flats near Peak Hill are great for fallow deer (about 5kms from the village) and there are plenty of pigs that live in the scrubby areas near the hills on the left as you head up. Ive shot deer at all times of the day but evening is always good.