West Coast Thar Info

Hey Team,

Asking for a bit of help here please. Myself and @scoped are looking into venturing down to the South Island at the end of this year over the Xmas/NY holiday, to try our luck on bagging one of those furry goats people call tahr :) Have tried the classic online search, but struggling to find some information.

Have been told to talk to James Scott, but I still haven't been able to get hold of him (rung him roughly 10 times, and emailed a couple times too).

Basically we are looking at getting a chopper into somewhere preferably with a hut where we could base ourselves from, and fly camp from there weather dependant.. We both haven't hunted these furry creatures before, so are more interested in seeing a few as opposed to bagging a trophy buck.

If anyone has any information about where a good place to look at flying into and any other tips, that would be much appreciated. Staring into the DoC website has got me more confused than anything else with the 47 blocks to choose from.. As we will be venturing down, obviously am after a decent chance at nailing one of these creatures.

Cheers guys :)

Nelson

east coast country many consider t be easier hunting due to less scrub and generally nicer terrain. Tahr males are called Bulls by the way to, :). if you have access to a 4x4 you could drive into an east coast river system Or you could try get access to some of the private or public area around mt cook area that is almost road side shooting terrain

Cheers Rob, whoops I knew they were bulls too.. Haha was drifting off thinking of the Chamois... Hahaha

We are planning on doing two weeks down there, the first being the week before Xmas which we plan on getting a chopper in. Then the week after New Years which we would go back to the SI and do a walk in (and/or 4x4) hunt :)

A couple of the Taranaki guys have had good success up the Whataroa over the years (Butler, Top Butler and Whimper huts). If the weather is good on your way in, drop gear at the Butler and get James to drop you are your fly camping gear on the Gunn Range... Both chamois and tahr accessible from the Bulter hut, less chamois and more tahr around the Whimper and Top Butler.

I personally wouldn't bother with the coast for thar at that time of year unless you hunted them before.
Bulls will be really low and nannies and kids will be high generally.
Your window for them moving about is shorter as well leaving you later on the hill at night.
I would take advice above and hunt the east coast for thar in the summer.
A lot of inexperienced people shoot small bulls in the summer for the sake of getting one.
Pisses James off if you fly with him no end.

You are more likely to get a representative one on the eastern side imo.
Chamois are plentiful on the coast in the usual areas during those months.
Summer bull skins do not generally look their best either.


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Originally Posted by R93

I personally wouldn't bother with the coast for thar at that time of year unless you hunted them before.
Bulls will be really low and nannies and kids will be high generally.
Your window for them moving about is shorter as well leaving you later on the hill at night.
I would take advice above and hunt the east coast for thar in the summer.
A lot of inexperienced people shoot small bulls in the summer for the sake of getting one.
Pisses James off if you fly with him no end.

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the bulls being low down, isn't that what you want!?

"Pisses James off if you fly with him no end." So.. errrrr explain this?!

Decent bulls being lower than the usual drop of points. In the native in most areas.
Great if you know where to look but not so much for someone thats never hunted them.

Shooting 10 and 11" bulls pisses him off. Simples.

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Waro choppers shooting velvety stags on the tops before the roar pisses me off. Just saying.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by R93

Decent bulls being lower than the usual drop of points. In the native in most areas.
Great if you know where to look but not so much for someone thats never hunted them.

Shooting 10 and 11" bulls pisses him off. Simples.

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Agree here. You think it sounds good. Until you see the absolute crap that they are in. Dam monkey scrub christ its annoying me just thinking about going through it