Ruahine Overnighter

It's a pretty shit time all round to be fair, so when @Philipo suggested an overnighter into the ruahines, I was keen as !
Late Thursday arvo saw us punching up the hill to Tarn Biv a bloody good climb for a couple of old fat fuckers in 2 hours 45.
Last time I was at tarn biv a good mate dropped me and @199p off out of a 500d for a 24 pk of beer seemed way easier [emoji1787]
We arrived just on dark in some pretty average conditions to be fair, rain was forecast all night but the morning was supposed to a cracker which turned out bang on, basically unlimited visibility apart from the clouds coming and going.
As soon as the binoculars reached the eyes we spied a mob of 4 deer at 500-515 yards which we quickly sorted out with the two big 7mms, (Prc and Fatmax) doing our bit to help control deer numbers.
Maybe another 20 minutes glassing saw a heap more deer up under the saw tooth before we had to bail out to both get back to work.

This is my second semi decent walk in, in the last 3 weeks, I'm really bloody impressed with the exo mtn K4 pack after hearing how well Shane rated his and heck its been a total game changer for me carrying loads.
Cheers for the company Phil.
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That’s the ticket, nice one

Bit of new gear there too [emoji6]

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Yeah she's a mint little spot that & I'd say kinda unappreciated, ya need horsepower n skill as most shooting opportunities are stretching it out, but it's awesome glassing ( especially under the Saw-tooth, which is well outta range for anyone, but great to watch ) I worked out that this was the 3rd time I've walked up there in 10 year increments, so was great to keep up the tradition


Pity when ya only have time to do a quick over-nighter but then there's nothing better - pushing it, out in the hills & good times with a great mate.

You guys didnt waste a minute, nice one.

Nicest looking NI country I have seen for deer hunting.

Great looking spot

She's a grind up Rosewells for sure. You didn't take a photo of the dunny though. Probably the most iconic shitter in the park.
My K4 should be here soon. Glad you like yours.
Last time I was up there there were plenty of gut bags on the tops. That little blue 22 had been through I was told. Still, they're not stopping making them.
The pinch up Black Ridge to Sawtooth is pretty sketchy if I remember too.
I see in the same country, Smiths Stream has been given a birthday and a new track cut from Hinerua down. That was another tough track.

Awesome looking spot, have eyed it from Howletts & thought it looked good.

Did yis recover the venison ?

Nice country, very jealous

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

Did yis recover the venison ?

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Negative Nathan shoot and scoot, would of stayed there all day thining them out if time allowed.
While that might not sit well with some Doc have told us it's us or choppers doing shoot and destroy, the numbers in the Ruahines are that high have been for a few years now.
Wouldn't shoot any stags, just thin out some hinds.
I care about the Ruahines a fair bit, there's a fair bit of family history in there, always carting out rubbish etc, but there's only so much venison I can give away and belive me that's a lot.


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Originally Posted by BRADS

Negative Nathan shoot and scoot, would of stayed there all day thining them out if time allowed.
While that might not sit well with some Doc have told us it's us or choppers doing shoot and destroy, the numbers in the Ruahines are that high have been for a few years now.
Wouldn't shoot any stags, just thin out some hinds.
I care about the Ruahines a fair bit, there's a fair bit of family history in there, always carting out rubbish etc, but there's only so much venison I can give away and belive me that's a lot.


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I believe you

“bloody good climb for a couple of old fat fuckers”. What the fuck are you talking about? I saw Phil at the end of last year and he looked like a bloody racing sardine to me and you have surely been training for sprinting up the skytower. I’ll be in palmy for a few days at the end of the month so best you plan on coming over for a grog at a local so I can lay eyes on ya and show you what old and fat really looks like. Nice country you were in by the way.

Epicness. That's one of the problems with an Exo, too tempting to carry out too much. Great photos and write up. Very cool.

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Originally Posted by Rushy

“bloody good climb for a couple of old fat fuckers”. What the fuck are you talking about? I saw Phil at the end of last year and he looked like a bloody racing sardine to me and you have surely been training for sprinting up the skytower. I’ll be in palmy for a few days at the end of the month so best you plan on coming over for a grog at a local so I can lay eyes on ya and show you what old and fat really looks like. Nice country you were in by the way.

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Built like a greyhound jockey ;)

That's a grueling climb any stage in a good keen mans life. And like most grueling climbs, the rewards keep coming once your up there :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by kiwijames

She's a grind up Rosewells for sure. You didn't take a photo of the dunny though. Probably the most iconic shitter in the park.
My K4 should be here soon. Glad you like yours.
Last time I was up there there were plenty of gut bags on the tops. That little blue 22 had been through I was told. Still, they're not stopping making them.
The pinch up Black Ridge to Sawtooth is pretty sketchy if I remember too.
I see in the same country, Smiths Stream has been given a birthday and a new track cut from Hinerua down. That was another tough track.

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Yeah she's a great throne to do ya business on alrighty

They did a great job of doing up the toilet & biv a couple years back, The Biv was toasty warm & the new alloy window is awesome ( Pity they never put a little deck or veranda to store ya gear but appreciate the work the grew put in ) Re the new shitter is now set a little higher ( on a grouse new deck ) but you can see it from the Biv, Dunc took a vid of me enjoying the view hahahahaha

Here's a couple of extra pic's that brads never posted up including one for James, pity the sawtooth was clouded in.


PS - I was really impressed with the condition of the track so great to see some work being put into maintenance, Re - Smiths stream hut should be on everyone's bucket list, it's definitely an entertaining place to stay the night.


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I carried my walking -bang stick all the way up n back & didn't fire a shot, hopeless aye hahaha


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Originally Posted by NIMROD

That's a grueling climb any stage in a good keen mans life. And like most grueling climbs, the rewards keep coming once your up there :thumbsup:

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@NIMROD From memory I read a great story of yours form like 2007 ish on the great old FnH forum of you & a young lassy doing a culling mish up there, did you shot a Deer on that slip going along the ridge between the Daf saddle turn off & the Biv ?

now that is a real good looking waist belt.... neat looking spot too.

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Originally Posted by Philipo

@NIMROD From memory I read a great story of yours form like 2007 ish on the great old FnH forum of you & a young lassy doing a culling mish up there, did you shot a Deer on that slip going along the ridge between the Daf saddle turn off & the Biv ?

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Lady Hunter did from memory

And no... I didn't flog this sign :yaeh am not durnk: When they put the new flash bang sign at the bottom of the spur,
they just tossed this one into the scrub. Lady Hunter convinced me I'd be doing a good clean up job by carrying it out :D
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@Philipo with the Savage? What cal?

It says 7mm in the opening splurb.

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Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

@Philipo with the Savage? What cal?

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7mm prc is ugly as sin a bit like phil really but shoots well.

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Originally Posted by BRADS

7mm prc is ugly as sin a bit like phil really but shoots well.

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180 ELDM or 175 ELDX?

Factory?

Was he still moaning about the sticker?

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Originally Posted by BRADS

Negative Nathan shoot and scoot, would of stayed there all day thining them out if time allowed.
While that might not sit well with some Doc have told us it's us or choppers doing shoot and destroy, the numbers in the Ruahines are that high have been for a few years now.
Wouldn't shoot any stags, just thin out some hinds.
I care about the Ruahines a fair bit, there's a fair bit of family history in there, always carting out rubbish etc, but there's only so much venison I can give away and belive me that's a lot.


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That's a neat story and photos, i find it hard to shoot deer myself if i don't need the meat or its just an average stag . I enjoy just watching them or getting a photo but agree we need to thin them out a bit in some areas, especially hinds.

Lovely writeup of a neat bit of the Ruahines. Hunted the Sawtooth often in the 80's. Yes, it was often barrel stretching shots. I'm sure my old photos show the tussock a fair bit taller back then....

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Originally Posted by XR500

Lovely writeup of a neat bit of the Ruahines. Hunted the Sawtooth often in the 80's. Yes, it was often barrel stretching shots. I'm sure my old photos show the tussock a fair bit taller back then....

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The Takahe have trimmed it a fair bit since then

Thats inspiring. Great pics. I will never forget the yellows and greens of the tops in the sunlight.

Us old farts are mostly past that stuff now. But it has inspired Brian and me to bivvy up in the tawhine tomorrow night rather than use a hut.

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Originally Posted by Philipo

Yeah she's a great throne to do ya business on alrighty

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The Kylie dunny was the same but I'm not sure if there's been an improvement here. The lids held on by a rock :thumbsup:
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I'll shoulder some of the blame, but not all of it, for numbers building up in there :playingsmiley:
This is the slip your "walking-bang stick" is pointing at in your photo Philipo :D
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Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

@Philipo with the Savage? What cal?

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7mm PRC bro, I think Sav is the only factory rifle you can get in 7prc at the mo, I actually don't mind it. Thought I'd take it up there to see what it was like as a walking stick & it was pretty nice to carry, a little heavy with the rail & NF NX8 on it but well balanced

I'm shooting factory ammo currently ( have loaded some handloads to try but haven't put em through it yet ) the 180's shoot .8 - just under an inch, but I haven't verified at range yet so wasn't gunna shot past 4-500, it's new Terminator brake certainly a lot nicer to shoot.

She did come home a little dirty n rusty, got very wet on the way in but far out modern guns get the ginger spots bloody quick aye


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Originally Posted by kiwijames

The Kylie dunny was the same but I'm not sure if there's been an improvement here. The lids held on by a rock :thumbsup:
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Was there two weeks ago. No lid now, probably got ripped off in the wind.

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Originally Posted by hebe

Was there two weeks ago. No lid now, probably got ripped off in the wind.

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Na there's a lid there, good deck around it, and a pretty robust lid locking system that the back country trust installed in 2021.....unless it's just been replaced? But no mention in hut book about it.


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Exactly what the Ruahines needs, some one not afraid to knock some deer over; we’ll all benefit in the end, so will the environment.
The big bangers were just the ticket.
If I thought I could walk up there in around three hours I’d go back…
I was also planning on taking the 300 RUM up there, I think it’d like it up there and make some new friends. 😀

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Originally Posted by craigc

Exactly what the Ruahines needs, some one not afraid to knock some deer over; we’ll all benefit in the end, so will the environment.
The big bangers were just the ticket.
If I thought I could walk up there in around three hours I’d go back…
I was also planning on taking the 300 RUM up there, I think it’d like it up there and make some new friends. [emoji3]

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The whole of the Ruahines Craig.
I saw 6 reds this morning walking to Longview all from the track without binos !

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Lady Hunter did from memory

And no... I didn't flog this sign :yaeh am not durnk: When they put the new flash bang sign at the bottom of the spur,
they just tossed this one into the scrub. Lady Hunter convinced me I'd be doing a good clean up job by carrying it out :D
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And I suspect that they point in roughly the right direction, Ballard especially.
GPM.

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Originally Posted by BRADS

It's a pretty shit time all round to be fair, so when @Philipo suggested an overnighter into the ruahines, I was keen as !
Late Thursday arvo saw us punching up the hill to Tarn Biv a bloody good climb for a couple of old fat fuckers in 2 hours 45.

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What??? From all your posts over the years I thought you were a young buck in your 20's!!!..:)

Lovely pictures, sexy rifle too!

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Originally Posted by BRADS

Na there's a lid there, good deck around it, and a pretty robust lid locking system that the back country trust installed in 2021.....unless it's just been replaced? But no mention in hut book about it.


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I can tell you now that when I sat on the Kylie throne the lid wasn't there. Could see the lid lockers and the decking etc but the actual toilet lid was gone. Made the flies pretty bad when the sun hit the biv.