I thought I would start a STEWART ISLAND thread, for the purpose of hopefully shareing information between those planning a trip to a new block, or those planing their first Stewart Island adventure. I've posted replies to other members articles, and posted photos in the various forums, and as a consequence I have recieved P.M.'s from quite a few guys wanting info., or tips about the various blocks I have been to. They want to know things like; what gear to take, what sort of fish are caught, what Charter operator we used etc. and heaps of different info. So I thought it would be a good idea to have a separate thread devoted to this so members could contact those who have been before to share info and help each other out, (it may have been done before ... but in any case this is a "fresh" one). It would be good if members could respond with info like; - Where they went i.e. which block. - When they went, month and year etc.. - What they thought of the block etc. - How well they did, i.e. deer sighted and shot between all members of their team. - What the fishing and diving was like. - Any tips or suggestion for those planning on going there. - Maybe just post a few pics of their trip.
Go for it dudes
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12pointer
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #1 - Jan 12th, 2008 at 1:45pm
I've been to; - Bungaree. It was a good block, BUT, too many trampers to share with at times, and you had to have someone at the camp all the time or your food would "walk", or your knife and fork etc., because some tramper forgot to bring their own. Fishing was good even off the rocks for cod. And there were plenty of deer there, but that was a long time ago. We shot 2 deer and this was my first trip to the Island. I wouldn't go there again myself due to the amount of trampers passing thru ,or staying, (we even had 30 high school boys, and teachers camped there in tents one night in November 1985, when we were there .... the boys were letting off fireworks and crackers all over the place .... little buggers. BIG BUNGAREE HUT
- Freds Camp, I was there in May 95. Good got it's own jetty but you need a boat or you are always walking past one of your mates areas to get to the area you want to hunt as there is a cut track along that passes the hut. We caught salmon off the jetty. The hut has platform bunks sleep about 12 side by side (I think). We spotlighted and speared heaps of flouder on the nearby mudflats. We shot 3 deer, and seen or put up another dozen or so. FREDS CAMP taken from jetty.
-Kellys Block in Port Adventure. Been there twice, last time was November 2003, it's a good block, good 6 man hut, plenty of deer sign then, we shot 2 and seen quite a few more. Fishing and diving good plenty of "Bluff" oysters, and Paua. We caught moki, trumpeter, blue cod, greenbone (butterfish), stargazer (monkfish), seen flouder, heaps of cockles over by Bosom up the Heron. KELLYS HUT
-North Tikotatahi. A good well known hunting block.The, hut sits out on a little penninsula and cops a bit of wind and sand gets into things a bit. But plenty of scope for hunting. NORTH TIKOTATAHI HUT
Pegasus North and South. We were there in November 2006 and it was our first trip to Pegasus. These are BIG blocks and it takes a lot to learn the area, you'd have a big head start advantage if you went down there again. Some of the bays and coves over by Belltopper Falls were well worth a look for deer. Deer numbers weren't high and you'd stalk quite big distances between patches of hot sign. Wicked scenery and real good fishing and diving (in my opinion you don't need scuba as you get all the fish and shellfish you want in snorkelling depth) Some of the "open" tops are covered in some shitty monkey scrub though. South Pegasus hut lacks a bit of view being up on a little terrace above the beach and surrounded by trees. It can get a bit muddy on the track up to the hut and around camp if there is too much rain. NORTH PEGASUS HUT
SOUTH PEGASUS HUT
-Bosom Block in Port Adventure Lots of little bays with sandy beaches, good hut and area to pitch a tent if needed, sheltered, good fishing and diving, always somwhere calm to hunt no matter which wind direction. At the Bosom block a couple of boats/dingys are a must. BOSOM HUT
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Backpack
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #2 - Jan 12th, 2008 at 4:29pm
NORTH LORDS Possible new hut. Good to have at lest two dingies, one for fishing and one for dropping hunters off along the river. Lords river is very very tidal, so beware where you tire up the dinge. Good numbers of deer, and large area you can cover.First block on Stewart Island I hunted,in June 1997, 8 guys, 10 days, nine shot and about 34 seen. Took me 36 hours of hunting to get one. If you are good, you get a 50/50 split, sitting on broadleaf to stalking. Beautiful river, great all round area.Bookings for Maori blocks 032128075 , Charter boat Bob Hawkeless 032127254, Over night accommodation and car lockup, Bluff Backpackers 032127106. SOUTH LORDS Definitely has new hut, basically as above. These areas average the most hunters of all the blocks, but they also average the most animals seen and shot. Probably because of the feed along the river. We were at South Lords in Feb/ March 1999 , March 2001, March 2004, on each trip we saw between 30- 40, and shot 9-14. As we are on these blocks 8 to 10 days,we don't skin the deer, just gut and clean out, put a stick in between the ribs to spread, hang up, wrap a mozzie net around the group and on the last morning before the bout arrives, form a cutting gang, and put all the meat into the chilly bins we bought the food in.(one bin per person), get ice at Bluff, and we have no problems.
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #3 - Jan 12th, 2008 at 5:10pm
Have also been to N. Lords. There is a new hut there. Upper Lords has a very basic bivvy. Only thing I'd add to backpack's post is that if your flying down from the N. Island the cheapest way we found to get large amounts of gear down there is to crate it up and send it on the train to Invercargill. Hill to the east of N. Lords hut looking across to S. Lords hut;
Looking back up Lords river; As far up the river as you can get; Lords river; Deer;
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Oscar
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #5 - Jan 15th, 2008 at 1:33pm
Deer Permits and hunting blocks Transport providers to access hunting blocks Getting to Halfmoon Bay Huts and hut tickets Hunt responsibly Personal safety Map
Herbs before herbivores
Not all those who wander are lost
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #7 - Jan 15th, 2008 at 1:55pm
I'm keen to walk the North West Circuit soon. Now as this track passes through a lot of the hunting blocks does this mean that I can't take my rifle if hunters have booked those blocks. Thanks
"The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." -Jack London
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #8 - Jan 15th, 2008 at 2:01pm
Tramper, the Nw circuit is great but tourists got to know you can see kiwi so its chocker, the track is 6' wide and has waist deep mud in places, shooter be a major hassle for ya.
We had the doughboy block for a couple of weeks in 04 and again in 05, its easy and cheap to fly into a lot of those hard sand bays in the fixed wing, the hut is shared with trampers and even though the track to it would probably have the best mud holes on the whole island and it is on the lesser used SW circuit there were parties in it most nights. There are great camp sites however and some excellent bush and beach hunting although the sand salt and wind are tough on the gear, you want to be on your game navigation wise round there, there is miles of humps and hollows in the back there.
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #11 - Jan 16th, 2008 at 12:03am
Have hunted Martins creek & Cavaler blocks in Mason's bay, fly in and land on the beach at low tide. Good numbers of animals, hunt the sand dunes & bush. On one trip we shot 4 the first afternoon between 3 of us. Used to be able to walk down the south end of the beach & get paua at low tide. Basic hut at martins and bivvy at Cavaler, may have changed now?
The Homestead block is also good.
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #12 - Jan 17th, 2008 at 10:27am
Been down to Cavalier Creek a couple of times . Was the easiest and still is the easiest way to get there.
Overlooking Cavalier Creek down towards Kilbride.
Was the Hut when I was there but Southland NZDA have revamped the hut to a much more comfortable living quarters. No need to take a tent nowadays.
it was said the the majority of animals are within about 1 km from the coast - and that may be right for the most part but don't b fearful of going inland more as the animals are there also and I think have had lesser hunting pressure that the coastal strip. Tough crappy bush right on the coast with a lot of flax etc but further in is not bad and it isn't hard to find sand dunes which will take you back in a bit.
Big Bungaree The only way to get there shy of a good walk is on a floaty thing - expensive, you need more people but can haul a heap more gear.
There is a hut there that is quite adequate but we carted a lot of gear and set up our own camp adjoining the hut to stop any whinging Hikers from moaning about how Hunters were over-running the place. http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM58H
Whitetail Deer I found are a totally different kettle of fish to hunting Reds. You have to move a lot slower and spend a lot more time just looking. What i used to do was bash around for the first day or to and when you spook one then go back the next night/morning about 2 hours earlier and then start a very slow observant stalk in that area - they are very much creatures of habit!
Haven't been on here in a while - too much to do, too little time and all that...
Have been to Kelly's block twice, and absolutely loved it! Hut is good, with room to pitch a tent if more that 6 in the party. We took a boat across, and a dinghy is a must again, for getting up and down the coast, and fishing/diving!
Last trip I saw 6 of the blighters, but they saw me first, so were on the run by the time I saw them! Am still to shoot my first! However, the rest of the guys in our party shot 12 all up, with about the same again being seen and not shot...
I'm gonna fear God, love my neighbour, and hunt ducks.
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Re: STEWART ISLAND whose been there Reply #14 - Jan 17th, 2008 at 5:59pm