How to Kaingaroa pheasants and quail

This coming season I’m hoping to take the old man out for a pheasant and quail shoot in Kaingaroa. I haven’t done any bird hunting in the pines before and am wondering what signs to look for when searching for an area with good bird numbers (no need to tell me your secret spots).

I have seen plenty of both species along the road sides around the Matahina and Tarawera forests but am not too sure what to look for further in. Do they tend to stick to the thick stuff, the recently felled blocks or around the new growth or can I just pick any logging road and happen across a few? Any other tips and advice about hunting in the area is also welcome. Cheers guys.

I’ll keep an eye out next time I’m in there for work. Usually when I find a few shells some bastards being peppering the road signs but hopefully it should get me on to a few. I’ll hopefully be bringing the old mans lab over so I’ll keep that in mind, might have to double check the regulations on my access permit first.

Waiotapu areas in the small pines (mostly small atm) through to Harrolds Rd always seeing birds.


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The farm edges are a good place to start, quail like short grass.
Look for the three things - food, water and cover. Inky weed, creeks and last years cutover are all good.
Have you got a dog?

I usually take the shells out of my gun manually, save them and then reseed another area :thumbsup:

I realise you are taking your old man along so a lot of driving and not much walking? You will both enjoy the day anyways, but the most productive hunting is done on foot, in short pines or a year or so after harvest, where inkweed and other plants have seeded to make attractive feeding for the birds. look for Broom and some Toi Toi...... i navigate to the toi toi in a cleared area. Also where the short trees meet the tall trees is a good spot. They will want to fly into the tall from the short. Spotting a rooster on the road ...they walk / run tail down, females run tail up. That way you can spot which side of the road the rooster ran too at a greater distance.

I was thinking of heading into the pines South of Rerewhakaaitu so I’ll try to check out the Waioutapu area (but it depends on what blocks are open when Timberlands allows access for the year I guess). We’ve got a dog although she may be a bit out of practice however there is no need to worry about the old fulla, he’s tough as guts and can still walk circles around me.

Haha that might not be a bad idea. Cheers for the advice guys. Hopefully I have something worth posting after the 10th of May rolls around.

I’ve also just sorted out a farmer with a peacock problem on his property. I haven’t hunted peacocks before so that will be another first for me so if anyone has any tips on that it would be helpful. This is shaping up to be a good season before it’s even started. Hopefully we can hunt enough to fill the freezer.

Good eating peacocks, the meat is the same as turkey

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Originally Posted by Digger’90

I’ve also just sorted out a farmer with a peacock problem on his property. I haven’t hunted peacocks before so that will be another first for me so if anyone has any tips on that it would be helpful. This is shaping up to be a good season before it’s even started. Hopefully we can hunt enough to fill the freezer.

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Breast them and throw the rest.
Tasty but can be pretty chewy if you dont cook them right.

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Originally Posted by Digger’90

I’ve also just sorted out a farmer with a peacock problem on his property. I haven’t hunted peacocks before so that will be another first for me so if anyone has any tips on that it would be helpful. This is shaping up to be a good season before it’s even started. Hopefully we can hunt enough to fill the freezer.

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They are very cunning and if have been hunted before might be hard to get. Best figure out there routine and position shooters on there escape route. Or snipe with a rifle

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@johnd

Try Rotoehu forest too, we used to shoot a few in there years ago. Keep an eye out for patchs of ink weed there crops are full of the stuff normally

There are no pheasants in Rotoehu.Attachment 164529Attachment 164530

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Originally Posted by Ross Nolan

There are no pheasants in Rotoehu.Attachment 164529Attachment 164530

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I did a double take on your photos as your dog is a dead ringer for mine

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Originally Posted by hillclima

I did a double take on your photos as your dog is a dead ringer for mine

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She came from a guy near Te Awamutu - sound familiar?

Getting back on track, look at the background of the photos - this is the sort of scrubby cutover that holds birds. Both of those were within 400m of water also. Same old story - cover, tucker and water. Find them, find birds.