James270
FNG
This is a quick hunting report from a trip a mate and I did last year in New Zealand. This was the hunt that gave me a taste of mountain hunting. I hope you enjoy.
It all started about five years ago with a discussion over a few beers around a fire after a day’s hunting in a State Forest in South Eastern Australia when Ben suggested that we should head to New Zealand for a crack at some southern hemisphere speed goats in the alps of the South Island. Life seemed to get in the way and it remained a bit of a pipe dream until late 2014 when we finally dropped the hammer on booking a Tahr and Chamois hunt for early May 2016. Planning, and a fitness regime, started in earnest in late 2015.
After a great two weeks travelling around the South Island with my family I waved them good bye and found myself sitting in the arrivals hall of the Christchurch airport waiting for Ben to make it through customs. A quick trip to Gun City to finalise a few last minute purchases before a relatively early night saw us on the road the next morning heading for our departure point for a few days east coast tahr hunting. The short flight in was uneventful but the size of the “mild, east coast hills” still had a couple of aussies wondering what they had got themselves in for.
Camp was quickly established before it was off for an afternoon hunting on one of the spurs that rose from the creek bed we were camped near. A solid climb saw us gain some height and had us glassing the surrounding peaks as we slowly worked our way around a ridgeline. A few nannies and kids were sighted at close quarters and a decision was made to work around the face to try and locate a bull. With the light starting to fade a mature bull was spotted and Ben stepped up and the ever reliable 25/06 had the first animal of the trip on the deck. A good solid bull with a mane that photos cannot do justice to.
By the time the caping was finished it was well and truly dark and we slowly made our way down off the tops the camp by torch light in what was an exhausting and exciting introduction to NZ hunting.
The next morning was overcast and cold and it wasn’t long before the rain set in and the tops were clouded in an impenetrable mist. The day was spent down lower with a few tahr sighted, including a small group that tried to sneak around behind us, but no shots were taken.
To be continued....
.
It all started about five years ago with a discussion over a few beers around a fire after a day’s hunting in a State Forest in South Eastern Australia when Ben suggested that we should head to New Zealand for a crack at some southern hemisphere speed goats in the alps of the South Island. Life seemed to get in the way and it remained a bit of a pipe dream until late 2014 when we finally dropped the hammer on booking a Tahr and Chamois hunt for early May 2016. Planning, and a fitness regime, started in earnest in late 2015.
After a great two weeks travelling around the South Island with my family I waved them good bye and found myself sitting in the arrivals hall of the Christchurch airport waiting for Ben to make it through customs. A quick trip to Gun City to finalise a few last minute purchases before a relatively early night saw us on the road the next morning heading for our departure point for a few days east coast tahr hunting. The short flight in was uneventful but the size of the “mild, east coast hills” still had a couple of aussies wondering what they had got themselves in for.
Camp was quickly established before it was off for an afternoon hunting on one of the spurs that rose from the creek bed we were camped near. A solid climb saw us gain some height and had us glassing the surrounding peaks as we slowly worked our way around a ridgeline. A few nannies and kids were sighted at close quarters and a decision was made to work around the face to try and locate a bull. With the light starting to fade a mature bull was spotted and Ben stepped up and the ever reliable 25/06 had the first animal of the trip on the deck. A good solid bull with a mane that photos cannot do justice to.
By the time the caping was finished it was well and truly dark and we slowly made our way down off the tops the camp by torch light in what was an exhausting and exciting introduction to NZ hunting.
The next morning was overcast and cold and it wasn’t long before the rain set in and the tops were clouded in an impenetrable mist. The day was spent down lower with a few tahr sighted, including a small group that tried to sneak around behind us, but no shots were taken.
To be continued....
.