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New to saddle hunting in New Zealand

G

Gnasher40

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
7
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Due to extended time off I’ve been looking at new ways to hunt here in NZ. After finding various vids on web and this site I’ve started putting together some items that I can find here and ordered a sit drag to try. I like the idea of 2tc and reppelling down. Don’t like the idea of price of saddles. I have a sewing machine so may diy. Big learning curve to get over. Oplux and resc tech not widely available here although Donaghys armor-prus is very similar. Any views on it?
 
Welcome from Central Illinois! No knowledge on the rope. I've used Sterling, Teufelberger, BlueWater, and Samson. Any life safety rated rope will work, just some are more pliable or easier to pack.
 
Welcome from Northern Virginia. Never heard of that brand but if it’s climb rated should be fine. So tell us, what do you hunt in NZ and what are the requirements to do so?
 
Welcome, Kiwi! I’ve always wanted to visit NZ. Sounds like a lot of spot and stalk happens there from videos I’ve watched. Good luck in your endeavors. This is a great resource for DIY.
 
Gnasher40 said:
We are spoilt for choice, deer species include Fallow Sika Wapiti(Elk) Red Rusa and Whitetail then we have goats and tahr and we have a big turkey and peacock problem. Over populated species have open season. Some are area specific so need a hunting permit for public land.
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So, how does one hunt a peacock? Do they have good vision? What do they taste like? I can’t imagine they’d be hard to find.
 
Gnasher40 said:
Due to extended time off I’ve been looking at new ways to hunt here in NZ. After finding various vids on web and this site I’ve started putting together some items that I can find here and ordered a sit drag to try. I like the idea of 2tc and reppelling down. Don’t like the idea of price of saddles. I have a sewing machine so may diy. Big learning curve to get over. Oplux and resc tech not widely available here although Donaghys armor-prus is very similar. Any views on it?
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Welcome! Easiest options for DIY are a Sitdrag with a rock climbing harness, or a wraptor (search the forum for wraptor - the concept is very well described and not hard to do). I've made a wraptor though I don't hunt from it, because I also made a DIY Kestrel (there's patterns and pics of the diy plans for it here somewhere) using mesh and it was more comfortable to me.

I once had a long-distance girlfriend from Dunedin. She visited me here in the states, and me visiting there was a bucket-list idea... that got crossed off for good when I met another girl who became my wife and learned about the old girlfriend. :)
 
Welcome! I hunted free range Sika deer on the north island back in 95. It was a gas. I killed a 3x4 stag with my recurve. I tell people it was akin to hunting whitetails year round in the thickest cover, tipping the terrain up to 45 degrees and then keeping the ground muddy with plenty of rainfall. Slip sliding away.

Everytime we found fresh sign, by the time we had built a ground blind and scouted it out the deer had us figured out and vacated the area. I think I saw 3 deer all week.
 
Phopkins said:
Welcome! I hunted free range Sika deer on the north island back in 95. It was a gas. I killed a 3x4 stag with my recurve. I tell people it was akin to hunting whitetails year round in the thickest cover, tipping the terrain up to 45 degrees and then keeping the ground muddy with plenty of rainfall. Slip sliding away.

Everytime we found fresh sign, by the time we had built a ground blind and scouted it out the deer had us figured out and vacated the area. I think I saw 3 deer all week.
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Sika are very tricky spook very easy. Good work!
 
Gnasher40 said:
Due to extended time off I’ve been looking at new ways to hunt here in NZ. After finding various vids on web and this site I’ve started putting together some items that I can find here and ordered a sit drag to try. I like the idea of 2tc and reppelling down. Don’t like the idea of price of saddles. I have a sewing machine so may diy. Big learning curve to get over. Oplux and resc tech not widely available here although Donaghys armor-prus is very similar. Any views on it?
Click to expand...

I absolutely love the armor-prus 8mm for friction hitch usage for 11mm main lines. I use that with Sampson predator main line rope.

If using the 8mm armor-prus for main line, not sure what to use for friction hitch cordage.

Welcome to the group.
 
Finally got my Sitdrag and have started modding it. Sewed cord into loops to stiffen them. Molle webbing top and bottom. And four belt loops on the top. Added two dump pouches. I’ll post pictures soon. I really like the triad bridge, how long are the continuous loops?
 
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