I've recently bought a 60 acre piece of mountain land to hunt on. Some of it is steep. I've discovered the shooting/walking stick I used for 20 years is too short to help coming down. I've been toying with the Idea of buying trekking poles to steady and help me with the climbs and descents. Has anyone got any experience using them hunting?

No - but I'm sure you can find yourself a nice springy sapling of maybe hickory or similar . as tall as your head , that you can dry and use as a hill stick. A third leg on steep country is worth its weight in gold , but those fagotty looking trekking poles with the plastic handgrips and funny feet just dont do it for me .

A real bloke here would use a piece of lancewood or manuka for a hillstick...

Muzza, We cut our hill sticks to shoulder height when I was mustering in the 60's. Found anything taller had a bit more weight above the hand and was not as quick to deploy if a slip occured and you had to get the bottom end out to save a fall. also just the right height to lean on for a breather, and as you say, manuka is hard to beat.

Von Gruff.

You are probably right on the height VG, although I guess its a personal preferance thing as well.

I have a manuka stick and a lancewood one that I relocated from a national park - as you do . I think the lancewood has more character and is maybe a bit more springy for those moments when you have to lean very heavily on it .

Habits are funny things . . .

When I was mustering most everyone (me included) caried a "Nibby" or hill stick but I've never used one hunting, although there are times when I wished someting was to hand !!

Our family always preferred well seasoned lancewoods over manuka (manuka sometimes shatters when it breaks - with very nasty splinters)

Cheers - Foster

My knees have tended to be a bit on the dicky side these days so used a trekking pole on my last tahr hunt. It worked a treat and unlike a manuka stick you can telescope it and stow it in your day pack when not in use. Fair bit less weight than a wooden pole. Personally I found it worked a treat. Buy a quality one though same as any outdoor equipment as you get what you pay for.

A long solid pole is an advantage the short trekking poles are also great. To ascend you need a shorter pole, to descend a longer one can help.
I use manuka staffs and trekking poles depending on the terrain. Sometime I may attach a leather thong to allow me to hang onto things on some bits.
Dont write the trekking poles off they are very light and easy to change length, being able to attach a basket in snow is helpfull.
A longer pole can be used as a hill stick and if lashed to another as the main support for a bivvy tent.

Gidday Guys,

A six foot length of lancewood and you will be able to move about the scree like a tahr.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

A rifle and a 6 foot piece of lancewood!!! Be handy in the bluffs..not. If hunting a trekking pole is much more convenient.