What I'm learning from the Kaimais

As the title suggests I'm learning a few things from that wonderful playground The Kaimais, as I'm getting back into hunting and learning everything over again, I'm realising I really didn't know much to start out with! So here's a few things I've been learned by the hills so far,
1. Supple jack does not care that you want to go in a certain direction, go around or be prepared to travel at half the speed of smell.
2. There really is no need to go look at every creek and stream in the catchment , you think it's a good idea going downhill but when forced to climb back up a dodgy cliff, cos the stream turned into a sheer drop waterfall of broken leg doom!! you realise that water, although very picturesque can lead you into some peril.
3. You can lie through your teeth to anyone about the state of your fitness, but you can't fool a hill !!
4. Deer in the Kaimais are far smarterer than I am and have beaten me thus far, been in a few times now, deer 2 Me 0, Actually deer 3, Sat and watched the rear end of a hind through the scope for about 2 minutes waiting for it to stand up only to realise it was already deceased ( had been shot through the neck and not recovered ) must admit I thought I was super ninja stalker getting so close to this animal without disturbing it, so was a big slap back down to earth when I finally realised the truth
5. And this is the most important one! Bush hunting is challenging but Damn it's Fun !!! You can't beat being in the bush.
Even when the bush is a steep, supplejack infested nightmare with super smart deer.
Cheers

Now need to learn how to post photos properly

Stick with it bro! Took me over a year to shoot one in there, but it was well worth it & found some awesome looking places along the way. Take secateurs.

Always be prepared to spend a night out, and carry spare batteries for your headlight

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Originally Posted by Ricochet

Stick with it bro! Took me over a year to shoot one in there, but it was well worth it & found some awesome looking places along the way. Take secateurs.

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Haha yep, picking a likely looking spot on map and heading to it has lead me to some awesome, annnnnnd not so awesome places
I geuss that's the challenge and fun of not knowing an area

Yes it all looks so easy on the map:wtfsmilie:

Keep trying you will win someday, as you said being there is half the fun because when you get one the hard work starts getting it out.

Moved to eastern Kaimai foothills almost two years ago and after about a dozen day walks am still yet to see a deer in the bush. So I feel your frustration brother!
I am lucky enough to live by a river and have shot a spiker 250m from my back deck, but only see deer in October for the Spring flush then they move back up into the shite where they're safe...at least from you and me it would seem [emoji6]


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Its a good place to learn. If you can get deer in there you will get them any were.

Nice one Hunt4life wish I lived that close, getting up at stupid o'clock to get up the hill before first light hurts the next day
I've definetly found where they are just need to be there, when they are. Sounds simple enough hahaha
Actually a question for anyone willing to part knowledge, will the deer be feeding at night in this full moon therefore not being at their browsing sites early morning and be bedding down during the day feeding arvo into the night
Any thoughts ??

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Nice photos bonecrusher awesome country right there
Will most likely be in there tomorrow weather dependant will take a few pics an post em up

Your attitude is spot on for a bush hunter....having a sense of humour is more important than your rifle, simply because you will use it more......:thumbsup:....good luck and be safe!!!!!

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Riding this tomorrow :-) I was thinking about going in for a hunt this afternoon but weather is brewing up, interesting article from Twig & Tweet re Hunters behavior at the blade I have had a yarn with him regarding laying poison and perhaps looking at alternative methods as Kiwi are present but he was only interested in hearing his own voice so no traction so Pengy he is a pom that shouldn't have been allowed to immigrate to NZ someone ripped his sign off I wonder who he offended :wtfsmilie:

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To answer your question regarding the full moon effect on animals is that during the full moon phase the deer feed over larger areas ( usually you see more sign around during this phase) but the deer because they have feed well during the night usually move into cover before daylight and come out just after dark. Obviously there are always exceptions and you do get them early in the morning and before dark.
The no moon phase is better for morning and evening hunting, generally.
Still they have to be there so better to be out there any time of the day than at home, I am amazed at the number of deer we get on the trail camera's during all times of the day and night. Big stags as well.

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Originally Posted by Bonecrusher

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Riding this tomorrow :-) I was thinking about going in for a hunt this afternoon but weather is brewing up, interesting article from Twig & Tweet re Hunters behavior at the blade I have had a yarn with him regarding laying poison and perhaps looking at alternative methods as Kiwi are present but he was only interested in hearing his own voice so no traction so Pengy he is a pom that shouldn't have been allowed to immigrate to NZ someone ripped his sign off I wonder who he offended :wtfsmilie:

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To be honest, destroying a sign that warns hunters to be careful around an area (where people are likely to be static, setting up traps etc off track, arse in the air etc) is monumentally stupid and does us no favours

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Originally Posted by Mooseman

To answer your question regarding the full moon effect on animals is that during the full moon phase the deer feed over larger areas ( usually you see more sign around during this phase) but the deer because they have feed well during the night usually move into cover before daylight and come out just after dark. Obviously there are always exceptions and you do get them early in the morning and before dark.
The no moon phase is better for morning and evening hunting, generally.
Still they have to be there so better to be out there any time of the day than at home, I am amazed at the number of deer we get on the trail camera's during all times of the day and night. Big stags as well.

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Cheers Mooseman that's great info I'm hoping to catch one out, resting up after a big night of feeding tomorrow in an area i scoped a couple weeks back, fingers crossed there's a really full sleepy one not overly well hidden in there .... can dream aye !!

Took me three years to get my first in there:o
Sure learnt a lot in that time. As said here before if you can get one in there you can shoot them anywhere.
I started hunting there in the 90's so the animal numbers where a lot lower than what they are today:o
Keep at it you will get there soon enough.
Might duck up for a go when I'm home between the 30th and 7th just to see if I still have it:XD:
I no longer have access to my X spot:(
I was getting one every 3 and a half days before I left for my big OE......that was back in 97.....:wtfsmilie:
Anyway keep trying your hard work will pay off soon:thumbsup:

Trip in today was great ..... well windy mainly, really windy new sign on top of sign from last week and fresh browsing so I'm looking in the right place, just not right time
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So much of this around
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Wind really killed the day but still good to be up there amongst it !!

Nar that can't be the Kaimais where's the supplejack;)

Haha yeah it's still there had to play twister through a fair bit of it to get up to that spot, but well worth it, need to do an overnighter and sit there till dark me thinks

You need to penetrate deeper into the kaimais going from that picture. No self respecting Kaimai deer will be in that outside of the silly roar season. I went to a new spot 2 weeks ago in the kaimais on the eastern side. Walked a good 2 hours in and veered of the beaten track. Sign was almost non existent for first hour then bumped into hind which didn't provide a clean shot. All of her 4 other mates didn't want to hang around. Spooked another on its own later in the day. So in having said all that, keep at it, there are plenty of deer in there.

Nice one Rusky that's a great day walk right there!
That spot in the picture is in the middle of some pretty steep and thick stuff about an hour or so up the track before I head off into the vines, it's been browsed pretty hard and there's sign aplenty
The couple of stag prints and scrapes I've seen in here will definetly be checked out closer to the roar