Walking our rifles

Hi all.
Been out trying some new spots and hunting up in tonagrio national park. Been walking around here and there. Found heaps of sign. Sat for ages watching clearings. Nothing. Changed places. Same again. Over last two weekends I have seen a heap of sign but no deer. Now I don't usually hunt this high up. So I'm after a bit of advice on where the reds are or what they are doing at this time of year and over next couple months. I know they are in the area but buggered if I know what they are upto.
Any help much appreciated.
Seagers

They will be doing fuckall and sitting tight to warmth and food using as little energy as possible.Down my way I will be close close to the ridges were they can get morning and arvo sun without walking to far.Last winter I got two by getting into the areas I mentioned at the crack of dawn and I found them moving about.you will still nail the odd one on the clearings.

Good luck mate.

Welcome to the forum Seagers.

We had good luck in spring/summer in Tongariro out in the open areas.

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Originally Posted by seagers

Hi all.
Been out trying some new spots and hunting up in tonagrio national park. Been walking around here and there. Found heaps of sign. Sat for ages watching clearings. Nothing. Changed places. Same again. Over last two weekends I have seen a heap of sign but no deer. Now I don't usually hunt this high up. So I'm after a bit of advice on where the reds are or what they are doing at this time of year and over next couple months. I know they are in the area but buggered if I know what they are upto.
Any help much appreciated.
Seagers

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Late December/early Jan.
Hard to hunt that dense bush, so take it easy and hunt dawn and dusk on the mountain bush line, ie get up there.
Even use the round the mountain track (be nice to the tourists, some of them are shocked to see guns), then cut off it to a suitable area.

thanks for the help. so dogmatix i should be up near the edge of bush slash snow line this time of year? i thought it be too cold.
cheers

Sorry I didn't make that clear.
I only hunt National Park in late spring/summer, when you hunt the bush edge as above.
They aren't that high this time of year, too cold.
They will be down low, but that bush is too tight.

Neckshot hit the nail on the head, not enough heat in the sun to make things grow, so they conserve their energy and stay warm, to high an altitude means a lot colder (need more food to keep warm) valley floors- same thing (a lot colder on the valley floor after a good frost) so the warmest places are about the middle of a hill face, easier to divide it into thirds, top third of hill- cold, bottom third- cold and the middle third is the warmest, this is only a rough guide for when the weather is cold and miserable, they will drift up and down to catch the sun.