!4th April and we have just arrived at Poolburn Reservoir, and Jocelyn is officially well out of her comfort zone. We are in a total whiteout with thick snow all around us.
But before we get into that i had better update you on what we have been doing the last couple of weeks.
We left Kaikoura and headed through the inland road towards Culverdon but we passed a nice looking reserve at a place called Balmoral. So we went in for a look and decided to stay for the night. A small river flowed past beside us and I had a quick fish with no luck. Next morning we had just decided to stay another night when the phone rang and Monique spilled out a tale of woe and tears. James had come off his bike on the way home from milking up the road and was in hospital getting stitches in 3 of his fingers and had some serious swelling in his ankle. Apparently it was chaos at home and every one was stressed so we packed up and headed for Oamaru.
about 5 1/2 hrs later we rolled up at Rods and everything was pretty settled again but James was a bit knocked around but would be ok in a few days.
!st of April and I was off to chch to pick up Mick.He was coming down to do a bit of hunting as the roar was about to start. Next day Rod was busy on the farm so Mick and I headed for the hydro lakes to do a bit of fishing. We took the kayaks and ended up at Aviemore. It was glassy calm and the sun was beating down and when we launched the kayaks we saw the water was crystal clear. As it turned out I was to have all the luck on this day simply because I had a fast sinking line to take my fly deep. I ended up catching about 7 trout but kept the 3 nicest ones and released the rest.Catherine and Monique really like to eat trout so they would be happy with that.
Next Day we were off to a hunting block.Rods mate Tom had organised access as the farmer was a client of the accountancy firm he worked for. We headed to Palmerston than turned towards Naseby onto the Pigroot rd .So called apparently because there used to be so many pigs around the area that the road verges were all rooted up.
We moved into the shearers quarters and boy they were a bit rough. The previous occupant obviously never believed in house work. We eventually headed for the high country and before we had got out of the utes we had spotted a number of deer up in the tussock basins. As there were seven of us we split into 2 groups and Rod ,James,Mick and I headed for a group of deer up and over a high spur. Mick ended up shooting the young stag and Rod got a good yearling. After we had dressed out the deer and loaded up the meat we carried on a bit further to where we had sent James to have a look.He had spotted a good stag climbing up and over the main ridge although he said it only had one antler but it was a good one.There were also a number of hinds went with him. A bit further around we saw 5 deer down towards the creek.Mick pulled off a really good shot and dropped a 4 point stag. We then watched a spiker heading up through the tussock but we figured we had enough for the day so we turned down hill towards the ute.
The other guys got back quite late as they covered a fair bit of ground.They managed to shoot a ten pointer but missed out on a larger stag .They also saw a number of other deer. Rod went with the other guys the next day and did a big climb up onto the main range after stags they could hear roaring .Mick ,James and I had a very enjoyable hunt up what was called Boundary Creek watershed. We climbed our way right up into the head basin Where we spotted three deer and two very large pigs. James was keen on taking out the pigs which incidentally were just over the boundary on the neighbours block.Unfortunately he never came up with many volunteers to carry huge pigs all the way back to the truck from way back there so they were left to carry on their business unmolested. On the way back out James spotted another 5 deer which were easily stalkable but again were just over on the neighbours side.
We made it back to the ute about 5.30 feeling pretty well done in but feeling good about a neat days hunting.
We made contact with the other guys and found out that Simon had popped out something in his knee and was having a lot of difficulty getting down off the hill .We spent the next couple of hours trying to get the ute closer to their exit point off the spur they were on so he wouldn’t have too far to walk. They had shot another stag and seen a good number of other animals as well.
Next morning we packed up and headed back to Rods.Hung up all the meat and sorted out the gear.
Our next foray was off to Makihikihi to a farm up against the hills.There is a deer farm next door and also a trophy hunting block around the top boundary. The fences don’t appear to be that great as we have seen deer going under them .We took Gracie along with us for the first evening hunt as Rod had to head back to the farm that night. We set up our tent then headed up the farm for a look before dark. Gracie bouncing along beside us as keen as mustard.I took Gracie with me and Rod,Mick and James climbed a bit higher. There is a lot of sign on all the tracks on this block so you need to keep reasonably alert. As I moved through one gully I turned to check on Grace coming through a muddy stretch then I turned back just in time to see the back end of a deer ghosting into the trees only 15 metres away. We decided to climb up a steep bit and get a look into the next gully. At the top we found a nice comfy tussock to sit on and Gracie decided she was hungry.So she proceeded to down 4 easter eggs one after the other. From our lofty perch we could look over into the neighbouring block and we started to spot animals. Down below there was a nice fallow buck with a hind not far away. Then up towards the top of the ridge we spied a very dark coated buck with wide palmated antlers along with 5 hinds. After a while 3 wallabys came bounding out of the scrub and proceeded to chase each other across the paddock. It can be amazing what you will see if you just stop and sit for a while.
As it was starting to get closer to dark I decided I better get Gracie a little closer to the ute as I didn’t want to be walking her out in the dark. We sat for a while longer on another spot on the way out and listened to the stags roaring down on the deer farm next door.What a stirring sound it is.
Back at the tent it was now dark so we got to cooking a bit of dinner .Savaloys are one of Gracies favourites so down the hatch they went as Rod and the rest of the team arrived. Rod and Grace left after dinner and it seemed something was definitly missing after Gracie left.She is such a joy to be around. James went out with Tom and co for a spotlight and he shot a nice young fallow buck. There was some amazing strong winds in the night and at one point we all had to get up and put our fly back over the tent as the wind had blown it right off.
After a good breakfast we headed up the hill again. Their was some debate as to where the actual boundaries were as we spotted a good red stag in no mans land. There were also a few fallow hinds around. James and I decided we would get down in the bush for a stalk and we would meet up with Mick on the way out .Once we got down out of the scrub belt it was surprisingly open and we could see a reasonable distance.We had been going for about an hour when we both heard then saw a deer running through the scrub about 60 or 70 metres above us. I cranked one into the breach of the 7mm and spotted the first deer moving through a gap. It was a fallow then I saw a movement out to the right and realised there was another deer following after the first. There was a narrow gap in the scrub and i concentrated on that gap .As the deer ran through the gap I squeezed off a snap shot.Straight away the deer came tumbling down the hill through the scrub. It was a sharp chance and sometimes they pay off. It turned out it was a very good conditioned red hind so we had some excellent meat to take home with us. Back at camp we had a quick feed then packed up the tent and headed back to Rods.
That night Dave and Donna Logan from Omokoroa called in for the night.They were travelling in a camper van.They had been down to Stewart Island for a look and they very generously bought out their hard won paua for us to share. They also cooked it for us with a new recipe.They cooked them with onions and added cream then left them to simmer and reduce .They were enjoyed by all and the cream sauce was just lovely.
Mick hadn’t tasted paua until this trip so now he had had them panfried with garlic and butter and now in the cream sauce.He reckoned they definitly passed the taste test.
It was great to catch up with Dave and Donna.Next morning they headed off to Oamaru to check out the Steampunk exhibit and then they were off to Mt Cook.
Next on the list of activities was a wallaby hunt up the Hakataramea Valley. You head up through Kurow which incidentally is Richie Mckaw country, then turn right over the New Waitaki river road bridge.
I had contacted one of my old box holders whose parents had a block up there.She mentioned that I could have access so i gave them a ring. Her parents were very accommodating and we were made to feel welcome.
We found our way up the back of the farm using an old map that the owner had provided and we tried to work out the boundaries then we went hunting. Straight away we started to flush wallabies. We had two dogs with us and we had shotguns and a couple of heavier calibres for the long range ones. Anyone who thinks wallaby shooting is easy when they take off through the high tussock is wrong. You only catch glimpses of them as they head off at a terrific speed. After an hour of hunting we were still unable to claim even one wallaby to the tally. Its pretty hard going in the high tussock as it is also liberally sprinkled with matagouri and spaniard grass both of which Mick reckons he wished he’d never been introduced to. We came up over a ridge to get a look into the next basin and straight away we saw wallabies over on the other face.As I was around a bit further I could look up the gully and I saw a very nice fallow buck take off through the matagouri. The owner had said we could shoot a spiker if we saw one but to leave the rest so the buck was safe from us. We started to knock over a few wallabies and through the afternoon covered a bit of hard ground but it was very enjoyable and great exercise.By the time we got back to the truck the old legs were starting to feel they had done a good day. We dropped the map back to the owner and discussed the boundaries again and it sounded like we had spent most of the day in the neighbours block. Fortunately he wasn’t too concerned about it as he reckoned thats where they all came from to eat his grass.
The next day we decided we would head out onto the Waitaki River in the jet boat for a couple of hours and see if we could put a dent in the trout population. The river was running quite high and Rod negotiated the braids and managed to drop us off at a couple of likely looking spots. Mick and I were flycasting and James and Rod were using lures. Straight away Mick got a couple of strikes but didn’t hook up.We changed to a different spot and Mick caught a nice rainbow. Then a bit further down he got another one.
I suggested to Rod he try one of my softbalts as elsewhere I had some success with them. Straight away he caught two nice fish,a rainbow and a brown.James also caught one. At last I hooked up and had a good fight with a nice rainbow then at the last minute dropped it close to the bank. It was good to feel a fish on in that fast current. Then Mick hooked a really nice brown that headed for the fast current
.He managed to get some control but before he could get it to the bank it too dropped the hook .That was a really nice fish he said.
Back to the ramp we were all very happy with the results.
Next day about 11am we had to head for chch to drop Mick off. He had enjoyed his trip and got to know a bit about south island hunting and fishing.Gracie made him a love letter to take home with him so Mick was happy.
We decided to carry on to Kaikoura after dropping Mick off as Rod needed his trailer back at Oamaru.James came with us as he was keen to get in a paua dive. We ended up staying two days and on the second day James and I headed for the coast. I found a spot that looked ok then we geared up and jumped in. Straight away we found a really good crevice loaded with paua so it didn’t take long and we had our limit. The water was a lot clearer than the last time i dived at Kaikoura so it made the task so much easier. Next time we decided we would take the spear guns and see if we could get some butterfish as well.
Next day we hit the road back to Oamaru.
The following day we had a very important task to undertake.We loaded up the ute and headed north to Hilton up by Temuka and we spent the day rebuilding our maimai .Gracie was the foreman and James the gopher.We pulled apart and rebuilt the front of the maimai and then we chopped out willows and dragged them up out of the river. At the finish we stood around and admired a work of art. The ducks don’t stand a chance.
We have spent a bit of time lately at Rod and Catherines and they make us feel so welcome. It is an absolute joy to have such quality time with Grace and James and when Monique came up too for uni holidays. Before I headed south I called into Rotorua to see Joe (my dad). He gave me all his fly tying gear and I said to him I think James might want to have a crack at fly tying. Well he has taken to it like a duck to water and every spare minute he is tying up a new masterpiece. And Gracie is just Gracie.To know her is to love her.She is always a bundle of joy laughing and kidding with lots of hugs and kisses.
So even though we may only leave for a week or a month it is always tough saying goodbye. But the following day we were on the road again.
This time we were heading for Poolburn Reservoir.
To get to Poolburn we headed south and turned off at Palmerston and onto the pigroot road that we had been on to go hunting only ten days ago. But this time the road was quite different. Once we gained a bit of altitude we got into some very heavy snow. the tussock covered hills that we had come through the other day were now totally white and even the foothills had a lot of snow on them. Pool burn was after Ranfurly but before Omakau. The road becomes a dirt track and again as we gained altitude the ground became covered in snow. I think by this stage Jocelyn was going into shock. Anyone that knows Jocelyn will know that she is allergic to the cold. We wound our way up to the top and the reservoir emerged out of the sleet. It was all a bit gloomy so I didn’t muck around just drove down to the first campsite and got set up. The weather had actually cleared a bit so although it was still freezing the outlook was quite stunning.
What an amazing place this is. If you didn’t know better you would think you were on another planet. You find yourself even when it is freezing going out for another look around. The terrain is quite bleak with very little cover on it but there is all these strange rock formations of all sizes as far as you can see. In the reservoir itself the rocks form islands of all shapes and sizes.
Over the next three days we had a good look around and we found it such a fascinating place. And on top of that there is brown trout and lots of koura living in the lake.
The morning after we arrived a lot of the snow had gone but there was a gale force wind and boy was it cold. It was a bit of a mission to get Joc to poke her nose out the door but in the afternoon we went for a bit of a drive in the ute. There is a dam at one end of the lake and the runoff feeds into a small steam at the base. The reservoir itself covers a large area with islands and arms feeding off in all directions.It is very picturesque. Although the level of the water is obviously way down on where it normally is which I guess is a reflection of the drought this area has just been through. Back at the rig Joc dived back inside and turned the heater up and got out her hottie. That was her done for the day.
I put some more clothes on and went for a fish. I found it quite hard casting in such a strong wind but I persevered and managed to catch a trout of a reasonable size although it wasn’t in the best of condition. But the best thing was I caught it on one of the flys James had made for me. It was a green Wooley Bugger with a gold bead. I new James would be very happy to hear a fish had fallen to one of his creations
James had given me his koura pot to try out so each night I set it out from camp.The first night I only got one but the next night I had three very large ones in it. I cooked them up and had them on a sandwich for lunch and they were excellent.
The next day dawned fine without a cloud in the sky. But oh my what a good frost. The ute had a 1/4 inch of ice on the screen. After breakfast and the ice had melted we got the kayaks down and went for a paddle.It is a great place for kayaks with all the rock formations and different arms to check out. After lunch we hopped on the bikes and went for a look around in the other direction to where we had been the previous day. That evening I hopped back in my kayak to go for a fish.I had only gone about 20 metres and I hooked up and landed a nice brown trout.
I decided to put him back thinking I had just got started and would catch another one. You guessed it no such luck. But it turned out to be a highlight of pool burn .The lake went glassy calm and around the edge the rock buttresses were perfectly mirrored and when the sun went down the streaks of red in the sky were mirrored across the lake in front of me.Awesome.
Next day we packed up and headed south again.
