Thread: Clements Road Recce

I had a few days spare so I decided to have a look up Clements Road. Ive been hunting this area for a while now, Normally I walk in about an hour. camp and hunt from there.
I know there area fairly well and I have had some good success there. I have wondered what the hunting would be like further in.
The weather was looking good for a few days so me and Bea the dog would go for a look.
We got to my campsite with a couple of hours spare so Bea and I went for a wander up the creek. Surprisingly there wasnt a lot of sign, certainly not fresh anyway, although we did have one squeal at us.
That night I regretted my decision to sleep under a fly. The mozzies were a menace and the low irritant repellant was just a dressing for the mozzies. As dawn broke the mozzie night shift was replaced by the Blowfly day shift. No need for an alarm clock.
I had a leasirely start, with the plan to have a look around and check the area out.
Bea was keen as but I have noticed that as she is gaining confidence in what we are doing, she is venturing too far in front. I had to constantly keep calling her back in. I guess I just have to stay consistent and keep her close. Im just trying to slow her down and get her hunting at my pace. Hopefully she will get the message over time. If anyone has any tips on how to get that range right, Im all ears.
There wasnt a lot of fresh sign so I decided to go lower and check out a clearing I had seen on aerial photos.
I was making my way down a crown fern covered ridge and Bea seemed a bit more excited than usual. About 40 or 50 metres in front of me I saw a head and neck of a Deer peering at me from behind a log. I got Bea in behind me and lined it up. I didnt hear it crash off so I was hopeful. I sent the dog forward and she found it.
A small yearling spiker.



Just as well it was a neck shot as there wasnt much meat on it.

Next day I had another look around but only spooked a couple. Just on dark I had a visit from another hunter who was camped not far from where I was. He told me about a bivvy not far from me so I went for a look first thing next morning.
Does anyone know this tree?



Not too far from the biv there is a nice slip. I decided a bit of a poke around up on the terrace just above it. Climbing up was a bit steep and the the last metre I had to pick up the dog and lift here up there. Just as well she is small.
I followed and this is where Bea did a bad thing.
She chased her first Deer. I guess it was inevitable that it would happen. She must have known it was there and she ran up and a couple of seconds a Sika hind can hurtling back towards me with Bea on its heels. I called her off and roundly abused her. Hopefully she got the message. We will see next time. She is only 18 months so hopefully she will settle down in time.


Id forgiven her by this stage.

I got back to camp, packed up and headed out. Its always good to explore some new country so all in all a good trip.
Thanks for reading.

Chur Bay

the longline in your pocket/pack is good insurance....Meg hated it going back on and behaved because she knew it would go on if she doesnt...also if she being pigheaded about going to far,I make her stay in behind for a bit..we both hate that ,but it works,she can still let me know something is about.Poppy on other hand seems to like walking alongside me..which in long term could be awesome..time will tell.
great writeup,thanks for sharing.

Cool. Having Bea trail a long lead of thin rope that you can stand on or grab might help with the ranging issue. Have a command that goes with the tug like "steady". I used "steady" and clicked my tongue. Later just a click of the tongue steadied her and pulled her in. Even at her old age I would put the long line on sometimes to steady her. Its also good for a steady find of a shot animal rather than the dog hooning all over the place.

(MD and I were writing about long lines at the same time)

I've tried the line but in the bush, Its a PITA as it tangled up all the time. She will get in behind on hand signal so I was just doing that. Keeping her in behind for a bit. She hates it but will stay behind as long as I want. I usually hiss to get her attention and a raised hand to stop. The goal is to have her 5 or so metres in front and hunting slower and constantly stopping and looking back for me.
Im trying to read her and stop her before she goes too far. I just need to hunt with her as much as possible I guess. Nuthin wrong with that

Thats good advive on the find Tahr. I will definately keep her in close next time.

I find just putting the longline on makes my dog act much more settled

Originally Posted by Chur Bay

I had a few days spare so I decided to have a look up Clements Road. Ive been hunting this area for a while now, Normally I walk in about an hour. camp and hunt from there.
I know there area fairly well and I have had some good success there. I have wondered what the hunting would be like further in.
The weather was looking good for a few days so me and Bea the dog would go for a look.
We got to my campsite with a couple of hours spare so Bea and I went for a wander up the creek. Surprisingly there wasnt a lot of sign, certainly not fresh anyway, although we did have one squeal at us.
That night I regretted my decision to sleep under a fly. The mozzies were a menace and the low irritant repellant was just a dressing for the mozzies. As dawn broke the mozzie night shift was replaced by the Blowfly day shift. No need for an alarm clock.
I had a leasirely start, with the plan to have a look around and check the area out.
Bea was keen as but I have noticed that as she is gaining confidence in what we are doing, she is venturing too far in front. I had to constantly keep calling her back in. I guess I just have to stay consistent and keep her close. Im just trying to slow her down and get her hunting at my pace. Hopefully she will get the message over time. If anyone has any tips on how to get that range right, Im all ears.
There wasnt a lot of fresh sign so I decided to go lower and check out a clearing I had seen on aerial photos.
I was making my way down a crown fern covered ridge and Bea seemed a bit more excited than usual. About 40 or 50 metres in front of me I saw a head and neck of a Deer peering at me from behind a log. I got Bea in behind me and lined it up. I didnt hear it crash off so I was hopeful. I sent the dog forward and she found it.
A small yearling spiker.

Attachment 214874

Just as well it was a neck shot as there wasnt much meat on it.

Next day I had another look around but only spooked a couple. Just on dark I had a visit from another hunter who was camped not far from where I was. He told me about a bivvy not far from me so I went for a look first thing next morning.
Does anyone know this tree?

Attachment 214873

Not too far from the biv there is a nice slip. I decided a bit of a poke around up on the terrace just above it. Climbing up was a bit steep and the the last metre I had to pick up the dog and lift here up there. Just as well she is small.
I followed and this is where Bea did a bad thing.
She chased her first Deer. I guess it was inevitable that it would happen. She must have known it was there and she ran up and a couple of seconds a Sika hind can hurtling back towards me with Bea on its heels. I called her off and roundly abused her. Hopefully she got the message. We will see next time. She is only 18 months so hopefully she will settle down in time.

Attachment 214875
Id forgiven her by this stage.

I got back to camp, packed up and headed out. Its always good to explore some new country so all in all a good trip.
Thanks for reading.

Chur Bay

Good coordinates for the tree?

Yeah Nah

Cool hunt.

Id love to have some of those heads at home on my wall. Seems a shame to leave them there, but testament to someone's hunting skills.

Thanks for the feedback gents.
I was talking to the guy who I got her off. He spends a lot of time at home keeping his pups staying put in one place for extended periods. Makes sense to me. Working on their impulse control.
I can do more in my day to day routines to build steadiness and practice range.
And of course .more hunting . I have an e collar so that might be an option as well.

Good effort.

That last photo, is it taken upstream of the 'forks' campsite by any chance?

With the dog moving too far ahead try a firm no, turn 180 degrees and walk away for 15-20 m. Then walk in the direction you want to go. Eventually the dog will realise it needs to keep checking on you and stay close.

I have done a couple missions up and over into the waipakihi River. Seen some and didn't manage to close the distance enough before they carried on and spooked some aswell.
I find the wind chafing direction with the change in temperature screws me in the evenings.

Definitely have to give that area a go.

Nice looking Bitch mate what breed ? looks similar to my little vizsla heading x cattle pig dog mix she is an awesome little dog comeing up to 3 years old .

She's a Heading Viszla cross.
Mums a Viszla.

Thats a cool looking little rifle there @ Chur Bay tell me more. Good yarn to