tahr and chamois quest 2013

[ozyclint]

gday folks, myself and friend, mark pitts of marksman quivers, hunted in the westland region of New Zealand again this year for tahr and chamios. once again we walked into the hunting area. a total of about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) with 1800m (5900 feet) elevation gain. we decided to use a different creek to get to the hunting area this year. well it turned out to be an adventure. it took us 4 days to reach the hunting area!! one of those days we travelled 750m (.46 mile) horizontally with 300m (984 feet) elevation gain! 3hrs of that was on hands and knees (with pack on and sometimes dragging the pack) through the forsaken westland scrub, such was it's thickness. wasn't fun at the time but on reflection we're glad we explored that creek. it offered a character building adventure that's for sure.

it's become somewhat of a tradition to take a pic before we leave-



the area had copped about 2 feet of rain in 24hrs last summer. the effect was devastating and dramatic! boulders the size of cars had been tossed around like pebbles, such was the force of water rushing down a 45 degree slope.



'team kifaru'





got to download some more pics........

 

[mtmiller]

Keep the pics coming. Looks like an amazing adventure.

 

[luke moffat]

Awesome stuff Clint!!! Very jealous of the hunts you have down there. Would love to vacation down there some time, not so much to hunt really but see some amazing country and more of the hut to hut hiking/backpacking and fishing.

 

[shanevg]

Awesome pictures so far! Can't wait to see more!

 

[Mark Pitts]

Hi Rok sliders.
I am sure Clinton wont mind if I add to his thread, so here are some more pics.

More to come.

Cheers
Mark.

 

[AndyB]

Looking forward to this one!

 

[shanevg]

C'mon guys!!!

 

[RedStag]

sounds like a serious adventure. are you both new Zealand residents??

 

[OBP]

Looks awesome, a New Zealand trip is at the top of my bucket list for an overseas bow hunting trip. Can't wait for the rest of the story and pics!

 

[Huntr]

Awesome thread guys! Thanks for taking us along.

 

[Manosteel]

keep it coming! great thread

 

[Mark Pitts]

Next morning we started up the creek, the going was ok with some tricky accents and some detours into the super thick bush to get round some impassable sections of the creek.

After pushing through the bush to clear a house sized boulder in the creek we ended up at another wall of rock which forced us back down into the creek at the end of the day.
We were able to set up an awesome camp although we had very few options, This will be a camp that will stick with us for ever it was picturesque after a horrible slog through the dense un cooperative bush.

"Fern camp"

Cheers
Mark

 

[Mckinnon]

I am jonesin for the rest of the story guys!

 

[realunlucky]

X2 can't wait to read more of the adventure

 

[Bighorse]

Now we're talking......This is my style of hunt. No obstical too big. Use your brain and brawn. I'll be checking back on this one. I noticed bows too. Sweetness!

 

[Mark Pitts]

After our fern camp we set of again up the creek not knowing what obstacles lay ahead.
And obstacles there were a plenty!!!!!

We made ok progress, then the creek gorged out becoming impassable waterfalls, we started to try and negotiate through them but the reality soon kicked in that it would be a suicide mission.
We decided to take the next best option, a small side creek/slip which was going the same way we were heading ....up.

After climbing to the top of the slip where it entered the bush we decided that's where we were going to have to go. It was even a struggle just getting out of this sheer sided creek and into the bush with a full pack on.
One saving grace at this point was that I filled my water bladder up with 3 litres of crystal clear h20, this would be our only water for the next 1.5 days.

We had to put our crampons into use at this point on the loose leaf litter and sliding wet mud, they instantly warranted the cost and 600 grams(1.33 lbs) of weight they added to our packs.

Looking down.

As we were on a knife edge spur with sides heading straight down to the rocky creek below, the chances of stopping with a loaded pack pulling you down would be pretty slim. the photos don't do it justice. it was quite fatiguing mentally and physically.

 

[Mark Pitts]

I have loaded some of Clintons pics on to Photobucket now, so lets continue the adventure.
(I will initial his photos, credit where credits due)

CM.

The higher we climbed the denser and lower the scrub got.
It became awkward as there was still room to move between the trunks, But the tops of the trees started to become intertwined.
This was causing us to constantly be ducking and with a fully loaded high pack on this meant almost dropping to your knees.

Just before we stopped here for a bite to eat we had to remove our packs and drag them through a particularly thick section so instead of put them back on we stopped for lunch.

CM

CM

Then started the 3 hour death crawl............The bush got lower, so we had to follow suit and do the same.

 

[Mark Pitts]

After 3 hours of hands and knees work by chance we popped out of a hole onto a hill of rock with a little bit of grass
(not big enough for a tent or at the right angle for one either unfortunately)
but never the less it got us out of the bush and afforded us a look at the sky that we hadn't seen for 7-8 hours.

It also gave us chance to try and access where we were and where we needed to be. But all that would have to wait as it was getting on in the day and we needed to find a camp spot, it took us a while but behind our hillock slightly in the bush we found it and after a little clearing we made another top camp.

CM

CM
The lay down test for size met with a "thumbs up"

CM

CM
View from the hillock.

CM
Getting closer..........

 

[Mark Pitts]

The next day we continued on we had the decision to go left of the spur we were on and hopefully come out in the creek above the gorges we were avoiding . Or go right and head to the creek we had been up before.......
We headed left, we didn't take any photos until we popped out on the creek, as the journey was testing yet again with varied terrain within the bush from giant boulders that were difficult to navigate around to fern covered understory that covered up large drops and craggy creeks and lets not forget the ever present twisted sub alpine bush. yet again mentally and physically draining as every step had to be planned.
At least we could stand up on this leg and walk/scramble.
Boy we were happy when we dropped into the creek.

 

[Mark Pitts]

CM

Back in the creek.

CM

Looks like an easy stroll.

CM

Just keep going up!

CM

I was above Clint looking for a a spot to camp, when we re grouped he told me of this buck he had put up.

CM

The shute this Chamois ran up was on the other side of the creek and near vertical, they are amazing animals.

CM

We found a camp spot as Clinton described, it was pretty average to say the least we couldn't even put the inner of the tent up.

Then the fog rolled in.