Thought it is about time I contributed a post to this forum, apologies to the guys that have read it already it's shameless copy and paste form the other pub!
The waioeka is a place where I find myself heading to more and more these days as there is less bullshit that goes on with vehicles in this part of the country and generally pretty good deer numbers for anyone willing to put the leg work in and sometimes for those who aren't (murupara moonbeam).*
This trip was last Labour weekend, the winter had been bad for waioeka hunters as plenty of rain had kept the Creeks up for most of August and September with only handy day hunting spots accessible for the most part, well for the weekends we wanted to hunt anyway.* Come labor weekend everything lined up and weeks break in the weather had us heading up one our favorite creeks with the plan of heading up into the headwaters and checking out some country I had scouted the previous roar but hadn't had good look at.
Friday evening saw us making the 3 hour walk in arriving at the first hut after dark pretty well soaked after an unexpected rain shower passed over, we had company too, which was unexpected as there was not other cars in the car park.* It's always good meeting like minded people in the bush and this was no different, a good keen man.* He had shot 2 on the way up so was going to spend the next day packing them out to the car park, which meant the whole valley was ours, beauty!.
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The next morning dawned over cast and still, a perfect morning for hunt up a near by creek, by 20mins in the dogs nose was in the air and* we had the first deer down, a spiker feeding in the morning gloom on a little bench above the creek.* At the shot he crashed off over the creek but quickly came to terms with his fate.
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We dealt to him and hung him for the return trip, as it was still early we decided that this creek might still have more to offer as there was plenty of sign around.* Another 20 mins and again the dogs nose goes up, this time my mates in front with one up the spout, around the bend in the creek is primo little grass opening in the creek, irresistible to a hungry deer that's done it tough over the winter.* Deer number two down in the first hour of the hunt ;D
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Happy with that we marched on down to the first one turned him to a back pack and gave them both a lift back down to the hut to hang for a couple of days.
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After a late breakfast and a few brews we shouldered pack and set off for a relatively unknown Goaties hut up the head of one of side creeks, the year before another mate and I had spent 5 days traversing through the high ridges in the Urutawas and ended up at this Hut for our pick up.* It's an awesome little spot that sees the odd person through but mostly contract cullers (trusty 222) will know this spot well ;).*
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We hunted our way up checking out all the little side creeks and benches, the deer sign was prolific and clearly showed the deer were living low down.* Amazing what a couple of months of no pressure can do to a place!* A lucky stag got some education whilst sitting down on the creek terrace chewing his cud, the shot went low and showered him in dirt, I don't know who got the bigger shock, the deer or me mate for missing and absolute sitter ;D
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After a long day it was nice to drop packs, have a port and just enjoy the NZ back country.
Day 3 dawned blue bird so we set off early to explore the headwaters of the main creek. On they way down be bumped into a family group of Whio which made for some great photos.
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After and hour we were at the confluence of the main creek so we dropped packs, put day bags on and hoofed it up the main river to some likely looking slips and river benches.* It didn't take long to get into some action, while stalking under a mahoe face, the dog got really keen short while later deer number 3 was down.* The 140gr TTSX work really well on bigger animals with great knock down performance but they are bit tough for smaller framed deer, she ran about 100 yards before keeling over in the creek.
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A bit further up we spotted another one up on steep bush face sidling through and feeding lazily, a quick shot with the 308 had her tumbling down to the creek and number 4 getting a ride home
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We went up as far as we could and with only a few hours left and one more creek to check out we shouldered the deer and headed for our packs 1.5 hours down stream, en route we stopped for quick brew at one more of the goat/possum bivvys.
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Heavy packs on we trudged on down stream for an hour so before once again dropping at the mouth at of our favorite creeks, we only had an hour so of light left and with 4 deer already in the packs it was more of photo hunt than anything else, good idea we did too because we bumped into half dozen young pigs which made for some great photos.
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Was pretty cool being able to get that close, at one point I had a young boar no more than 2 meters away nosing around in flax with the dog on full lock at my knee, quivering to be let go ;D
We arrived back at the hut well after dark, tired, hungry but stoked with the day.* A few ports wet down well that night as we talked shit and reflected on a great day in the bush.* Sleep came very easy.*
The last day dawned blue bird again but the hunting had been done so it was a lazy start and about 12 brews later we decided no one else was going to get our sorry arses down this river so a quick sweep of the hut and re stock of fire wood, had us shouldering 40kg packs and starting the slow march back to the truck finally getting there 3.5 hours later, thoroughly rooted but stoked with another great trip into this country's* amazing back country.
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Those summer BBQ'S are always better with meat you earn't and a great way to plan the next one!
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