I just wanted to show all you that there are some Americans who can AND will climb those Alps with the best of them. I actually lived in NZ for about 9 months and guided for an outfit. I quickly learned that heli hunting was decribed as depicable, lazy, etc by the locals and since I was living there and considered by some to be an "honorary" local, I didn't want to be that in the eyes of my Kiwi co-workers and friends. Not only that, but I felt that the paying customers were being cheated out of the real NZ experience by doing these heli hunts. It just didn't seem "right".

When it came time to finally get to have a hunt or 2 or our own, we parked the rig at the base of the mountains, put all the gear we needed on our backs, and started climbing. When we got to where we thought woulf be a good camp, we stopped. And we hunted the drainages from there for 4 days on foot. It was the pureset form of hunting that can be had. I was fortuate enough to take 2 bull tahr. No monsters (10.5 and 11inchers), but to me, I couldn't have cared less. I earned them. And after the 4 days, I packed them the 17 miles back to the awaiting truck!!


tahr "camp".. under the stars, with the Southern Cross as our roof.



how we spent most of our time...


he ain't no ripper, mate, but he's all mine, bloody hell!!!




And when we got a few days off to go chamois hunting later in the year, we did it the exact same way. On foot. Although I did have to take a heli ride out of this hunt though.. let's just say that I learned some VERY valuable alpine hunting leasons on this hunt. I had 9 days in the Christchurch hospital to think about them!! Took a "little" tumble in the hills on that trip!

A monster? No.. But I hunted chamois the right way. Also made the best shot of my life on this goat.

All in all, those three NZ mountain trophies are some of my most cherished ones of all.

Would I go back and do it again?? In a heartbeat! Hell, I just might take you guys up on that offer and come show up!! I'll buy the Speights!!

Awesome! Anytime, just get some good edging boots!!!! (9 days! they only keep you for an hour for a broken leg in NZ!)

Now you are talking, cool hunt

Watch the last section of this video the hunter barely escapes.

Alfie dancing with rocks

Well done!

Now that hunting.

Scotty - anyone who offers to buy "Speights" is ok, and you can be very proud of your hunts in NZ.

Just so other folk don't get the wrong idea, older guys can also get right up there to where the big ones are, it just takes longer and involves better planning.

If you are an older person (and I have guided a 78 year old German gentleman onto Chamois - as a friend, no fees) you just need to put a bit more of that hard earned wisdom to work (more head and less legs) and do more research.

A friend of mine recently shot a very good Tahr at over 65 years of age and no previous alpine experience of any consequence. It took a while (and several lumps of his skin, a few pounding headaches, although they might have been as a result on imbibing too much "evening painkiller") involved a couple of scouting trips, and much "getting fit" but he has a trophy and a memory that is a treasure, and most of all, a pleasure to share with other hunters.

Cheers - Foster

I agree tentman, if you want it badly enough you can get there the altitude effect physiologically is negligible, NZ tahr are taken at 800 to 2500 meters alt its the climb of about 500 to 1500 meters to get near them that is the work. Good rule of thumb is if you can complete 300 meters alt climb on a 30 degree slope in 30 minutes you are in good shape for a tahr hunt. Another thing people forget on tahr is that if you can get to within 400 meters of a tahr on steep stuff then your equivalent projectile drop is about what you have at 250-300 meters depending on the calibre you use. Send that 140 gn corelokt straight and true through their brisket it breaks their back and they tumble down to you.... if you are lucky

good effort its great to see guys putting in the hard yard and doing a bit of REAL hunting

a hunt like this leave those other check book wheelding hasbeens for dead

Beautiful animals and it looks like a killer of a hike up those mountains. I envy you the youth and vitality to do it as I'll never get a chance to do something like that again.

After 7 knee operations I just cannot handle the climbing and uncertain footing required and would be a danger to myself and anyone with me in those conditions.

Scottyboy,

You're the guy who broke his pelvis in a fall. Sounded painful.

But at least you hunted the right way.

Come back --anytime soon

quote:

Originally posted by tussock:
Awesome! Anytime, just get some good edging boots!!!! (9 days! they only keep you for an hour for a broken leg in NZ!)

They probably did, the rest of the time would be waiting in A & E
Great hunt & neat pics. Thanks
Steve

Enjoyed your tale greatly, and big applause on your hunt, and doing it the right way. Too bad you went soft and took the helo out, though. A real man would have reset the broken bones and crawled off the hill on principle...

Thanks for sharing.

KG

Kamo, you thought you were joking....but Weathered was tahr hunting and he didnt even have a heart. At all, apparently.

quote:

Originally posted by Carlsen Highway:
Kamo, you thought you were joking....but Weathered was tahr hunting and he didnt even have a heart. At all, apparently.

Uhh that was a piece of info I didn't want out, Ohh well here goes.

Anyone know what the left descending coronary artery is ? I didn't have one for a lot of my climbing. I had double bypass last year



If I had not stayed fit I would not be here now.

This is me tahr hunting a couple of weeks ago. What means the most is that after a fair bit of work I am back to full duty on the local mountain rescue team

Good hunt Scottyboy and trophys you can be proud of. Inspiring stuff weathered. Gives an older bugger like me a real shot in the arm.

Scottyboy, that's a great story. You can be proud of your trophies and the memories that you will have for a lifetime. Although, it sounds like a good idea if you get back here and top them up before too long. Nice goin bro

Thanks guys.. It was a helluva tumble and I'm lucky to be around after a fall like that! I'll give ya a quick run down on what my sorry ass endured up there!!
1. pelvis fractured in 5 places.
2. totally dislocated hip with all muscles that hold hip in place torn.
3.fractured ankle on opposite side.
4. internal abdominal bleeding.
5. several large, deep cuts from those sharp ass rocks!
6. And one helluva bruised ego!!

We had forgot the radio and I layed up there for 4 full days in that busted up condition before they got to us and figured out that there had been an accident. The only thing that saved my butt from being either dead or paralyzed was the packframe I was wearing. I had 50lbs of meat, cape, and gear strapped on and that is what I landed on(luckily).
Was flown out to Hari Hari in a tiny little bird to the clinic. I overhead them(the docs) talking to eachother saying this and that about how messed up this Yank kid is and we need to get him to Christchurch ASAP!! Next thing I know, I'm on the life flight to Christchurch being pumped full of morphine! Stayed in the hospital (the sponge baths by the hot Kiwi nurses were the BEST) for 9 or 10 days before they let me out.. went ahead and stayed in NZ for another month or so and helped out where I could. Got back Stateside and had a long road of physical therapy ahead of me. Was on crutches for like 3 months after the fact..

Would I do it again? Hell yes!! I'd love to go back to NZ and give those big ol' stinky bulls and dainty chamois bucks a run for their money again! That country is amazing!! I WILL make it back to NZ just as soon as I can.. But first, I've GOT to get that Oz buff hunt out of my system. I've been wanting to do that hunt forever. Any of you ozzies know any good guys to go with on a good buff hunt over there? Once the buff is in the salt, I'm headed straight back to that south country and strappin' on the pack. Gonna find me a late season bull high up above the scrub.

See guys,thats how its done!

Good hunt,great memories,honest man gets an animal.