Overnight meat hunt.

Another trip into the Tararua's, this time I stayed the night. I managed to get away Tuesday late morning after having some work to catch up with on Monday.
Weather seemed pretty good, the wind was quite strong Tuesday afternoon when I got in there though.
Wednesday morning was a ripper, not even the slightest breeze, I could see the sky was blue in the fading darkness as the sun slowly started creeping up.
I checked my usual spots and first live critter seen was a yearling spiker. I watched him for a while and noticed he stopped a few times and kept looking back, no doubt looking at his mates but buggered if I could see them, probably among the Toitoi somewhere.
I put a round through him with the 270 and then looked for any other movement, nothing. I crossed the river to check he dropped where I shot him, yep no drama there, he was proper dead. I then quickly took off further up river to see if anything else was out. I got about 500 m further up and saw 3 adult looking hinds standing right on the bush edge, they didn't seem rattled so probably didn't hear the gunshot over the noise of the river. I watched them for about 30-40 seconds before the darkness of the bush swallowed them up, its always nice to watch animals when they are unaware, these ones were always going to be safe from me as they all looked fairly chubby in the guts area, pregnant most definitely.

I went back to the spiker and boned out everything I wanted. He was still in hard antler as well.
I had met two young fellas in there who were tramping, I gave them one of the back steaks, they seemed like good lads and were very appreciative of that.

Fairly lazy walk back out today, I stopped at a couple of likely spots in the river, its fair to say that my hunting is far better than my fishing skills.

I still have a few days off work (more than a few) I will be out again somewhere pinging over more young yearlings.
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It’s harder when your fishing for LH fish!:)

Thanks for the write up, great photos of the river.

You are a pro on the hunting for sure Oneshot. As to the fishing I hope you don't mind my making a comment. If spinning, it isn't likely to catch anything mid pool late in the morning unless they haven't been fished before or there is colour in the water.
Looking at photo 3 there is a nice pool a third of the way down that photo. If it was me I would be casting upstream into the white water at the very top and expecting to hook one there where the water drops into the pool and also under the feed line. Don't discount the shallow side edge where it drops away to the deep. There are some other good fish holding runs further down that photo too. If the water is moving along fish will make a split second decision and grab a spinner but in flat water like in photo 4 they might just follow for a look. Just make sure that the retrieve speed is right relative to the water speed and the spinner used - if you practice casting out and watching the spinner at different retrieve speeds you will gain a feel through the rod - to know by feel alone when you are winding with the correct resistance from the spinner.

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

You are a pro on the hunting for sure Oneshot. As to the fishing I hope you don't mind my making a comment. If spinning, it isn't likely to catch anything mid pool late in the morning unless they haven't been fished before or there is colour in the water.
Looking at photo 3 there is a nice pool a third of the way down that photo. If it was me I would be casting upstream into the white water at the very top and expecting to hook one there under the feed line. Don't discount the shallow edge where it drops away to the deep. There are some other good fish holding runs further down that photo too. If the water is moving along fish will make a split second decision and grab a spinner but in flat water like in photo 4 they might just follow for a look. Just make sure that the retrieve speed is right relative to the water speed and the spinner used - if you practice casting out and watching the spinner at different retrieve speeds you will gain a feel through the rod to know by feel alone when you are winding with the correct resistance from the spinner.

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Appreciate the info thanks, yeah I'm fairly certain the ones I have caught have been pure luck. Plus I know those left hand fish are more elusive anyway.

Cool result in a neat looking spot well done.

Nice one ! I was up at Powell hut on Monday night, and getting back to Holdsworth yesterday I noticed another forum members name in the intention book, doing the Jumbo Circuit, so a few of us in the Taras during the week :thumbsup:

Best time is mid week mostly for me to avoid people. I'm upping my training at the moment to prepare for a trail run from Kaitoke to Holdsworth, its going to feel pretty strange not taking a rifle.

enjoy the venni and if its legal....try some worms....much easier and less stressful.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

enjoy the venni and if its legal....try some worms....much easier and less stressful.

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I haven't used bait since I was a kid, but yes they do work very well from what I used to catch as a youngin.

Great story and thanks for the write up @oneshot
Looks like a good trip.
How was the spiker in the fat department? I'm sure it's just the photo, way he's lying, but he looks a little skinny with those ribs showing.
Before I started stalking in the uk I'd always take the spiders as well. But after hunting here you are actually encouraged to take pregnant hinds if in season. Because you are guaranteed not to leave a fawn to starve. It's an ethical thing for sure, I'm not great when field dressing a hind that is pregnant. But to spare a spiker who is bottom of the food chain anyway and tomorrow's potential trophy and shoot the fatter pregnant hind? Just my way of looking at it.
Tops marks though looked like a fun walk with pack rod & rifle :thumbsup:

In this particular area all deer are on the smaller side as they have poor genetics. Each to their own with what to shoot really. I much favor the tender soft meat of a yearling. Id prefer to at least give a fawn a chance at life and hopefully be next years freezer filler. Trophies certainly are not my priority.

Are there still good Perch in the Kourarau Dam out of Gladstone, used to worm fish off a bubble or float, good fun and eating! :cool: I think they were all left hookers as well

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Originally Posted by Maca49

Are there still good Perch in the Kourarau Dam out of Gladstone, used to worm fish off a bubble or float, good fun and eating! :cool: I think they were all left hookers as well

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I havent been there for years, yeah Perch are greedy bastards and good fun to catch.

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Originally Posted by ebf

Nice one ! I was up at Powell hut on Monday night, and getting back to Holdsworth yesterday I noticed another forum members name in the intention book, doing the Jumbo Circuit, so a few of us in the Taras during the week :thumbsup:

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E. - have the missus up that way midweek.
Practice for 'girls only' 3 day walk on the Tora track circuit.
Lungs aren't what they used to be.
Went on a 3 day walk with our mutual friend from Norfolk Rd - Holdsworth to Totara Hut - day after Kaikoura.
Weather was crap, so walked out via Waiohine Track.
Saw lots of sign around the fiats, but it gets hit pretty hard by weekend sprinters and trail runners.
Might make an effort when the missus is away, but 1/2 km/hr isn't exactly covering the ground :oh noes:
Nice story @oneshot :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by oneshot

Appreciate the info thanks, yeah I'm fairly certain the ones I have caught have been pure luck. Plus I know those left hand fish are more elusive anyway.

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It's not that the left-handed fish are more elusive it's just that like humans there are fewer of them

Nice country there. Much Spring growth?

Jeese mate, you GAVE a backstrap away......hope i meet you coming back from a kill......:thumbsup:....good onya

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Originally Posted by sako75

Nice country there. Much Spring growth?

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Not as much as there should be this time of year.

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Originally Posted by Scouser

Jeese mate, you GAVE a backstrap away......hope i meet you coming back from a kill......:thumbsup:....good onya

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haha, I have plenty already in the freezer, its getting to the point where I start giving away the old stuff in the freezer to make room for new stock.

Do you find sayers less popular for hunters compared to totara flats? Was up there for a quick overnighter on Sunday/Monday and looking at the log book there was only 1-2 other hunters there. Appeared to be mostly euro trampers?

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Originally Posted by Maca49

Are there still good Perch in the Kourarau Dam out of Gladstone, used to worm fish off a bubble or float, good fun and eating! :cool: I think they were all left hookers as well

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Caught a perch there last year Maca. The Kourarau lake level has been down a bit for a couple of months due to maintenance however its back to normal levels as of Sunday and the trout/perch are biting..

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Originally Posted by IngloriousFame

Do you find sayers less popular for hunters compared to totara flats? Was up there for a quick overnighter on Sunday/Monday and looking at the log book there was only 1-2 other hunters there. Appeared to be mostly euro trampers?

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Anywhere on that side of the range gets hunted alot more than you think, its only often luck you might be in there on your own.