Hunting for food (in New Zealand)

[livinglandnz]

Wow, that's a long walk in to even hunt! Is there nothing closer, easier? Have you considered a pack animal? No such adventures in my area, so utterly amazing to even consider.

Here, the white tales are fat and sassy on croplands, hiding in woods during day, mostly. I'm in Virginia, USA. Hunters take them dawn and dusk. State requires license to hunt.

There are easier deer to hunt but many people including myself like to go quite far into the forests/parks for the experience and to see country most others are too lazy to walk to. The areas are far too rough to take a pack animal they just wouldn't get in. Its also just the culture of our hunting...Walk miles and carry it out on our back

 

[tortoise]

Some areas are very rugged with the bush and mountains, its just not possible to carry the entire animal on my back when it could be a 7-8 hour walk back out to the road.

Wow, that's a whole different world! DH goes out to his heated hunting stand in his pajamas. Harvests a deer, guts it. Then showers, goes to work. At lunch time (the weather is near freezing temperature during hunting season) he drives the tractor out, drags the deer in, and hangs it in his cold room.

The most adventure we've had is once a deer ran and he lost the track. He called a man who has a hound dog that tracks blood trails. The dog found it! The deer had fallen down a steep river bank. That was a tough one to get pulled out to where he could get it with the tractor.... but nothing compared to your hunting style! Wow!

 

[baymule]

Maybe a couple of pack goats? LOL

 

[Hinotori]

That's a lot of meat. Helps tons on grocery bill I bet.

I know Oregon requires you to purchase a license, then put in for the tag lottery for specific areas. Usually as a hunting group. Dad is going with my brother and his friends this autumn if they get tags. Probably Dad's last time. Brother is group leader to organize them. Deer have been on the decline since the state said cougar couldn't be shot anymore and the damn things kill all the fawns, then go into town and kill pets and hunt kids. But they only enforce that outside of the big cities like Portland. If one shows up on the outskirts of Portland they shoot it.

We haven't looked much into the laws here in Washington but I know it's pretty restricted just like Oregon because of the low deer numbers. I can't remember which Game Management Unit we are in, but rifles are restricted because of plot sizes around here, and you can't hunt deer or wapiti with a shotgun here. We've thought about trying for a bow tag for deer. Can just sit outside and wait for the pests to come for a drink or to chew on my trees.

 

[livinglandnz]

Wow that's a lot of rules, the only legal rule here is you are not allowed to take a .22 into the national parks because all birds are protected. We have made Canada geese a pest a few years back though. Anything here with four legs is fair game no matter what time of year.

 

[Medicine Woman]

I tell you what…. Several months ago I was letting DD learn to drive by taking the dog (Trouble), run in the sugarcane fields in the back of our home to the boat launch and a herd of wild pigs passed in front of the truck at night. There must have been at least 30 of them. We were just glad Trouble was in the truck with us but I was thinking….if only I had a loaded rifle right now!! I don’t have permission to hunt on the farm but we do have a hunting lease further to the back and I know those pigs had to mess up the cane, at least some. As far as on my personal property goes, I will trap hogs if I learn they are around and I try to buy whatever land that borders me. If I only take what I need, nature will always provide.

 

[livinglandnz]

I tell you what…. Several months ago I was letting DD learn to drive by taking the dog (Trouble), run in the sugarcane fields in the back of our home to the boat launch and a herd of wild pigs passed in front of the truck at night. There must have been at least 30 of them. We were just glad Trouble was in the truck with us but I was thinking….if only I had a loaded rifle right now!! I don’t have permission to hunt on the farm but we do have a hunting lease further to the back and I know those pigs had to mess up the cane, at least some. As far as on my personal property goes, I will trap hogs if I learn they are around and I try to buy whatever land that borders me. If I only take what I need, nature will always provide.

Sounds like a great spot you are living. I shot two deer a couple of days ago, should see me right for a few weeks.

 

[Medicine Woman]

Sounds like a great spot you are living. I shot two deer a couple of days ago, should see me right for a few weeks.

It’s great until hurricane season. But I put up with the inconvenience for the benefits. As a small child I lived in the southeast of Australia and my father worked as a tugboat captain and worked around New Zealand and Australia. I feel connected in a way to that region, as it was the first home I remember.

 

[Greer L]

Hello. I am very new to this site, a huge part of my self sufficient lifestyle is getting my own meat. We dont have seasons for hunting here and deer are registered as a pest so we can shoot anything and any amount. I usually average 15-20 deer per year, all red deer and Fallow. I still have my own ethics in which I don't shoot pregnant hinds, but many people do here and its not a problem. Picture of one of my last stags. I find it interesting the different style of hunting between here (NZ) and the US. I really dont know why that pic is upside down !
View attachment 19780

Nice buck. I enjoy hunting and as a new member on here I plan to learn to butcher my kills I’m just not set up for it at this time. I would have started but have sanitary standards I don’t want to get sick from improper handling. We have a 2 buck limit and one must have at least 3 points 2 inches or longer on one side. Here’s mine from last year.

 

[tortoise]

Nice buck. I enjoy hunting and as a new member on here I plan to learn to butcher my kills I’m just not set up for it at this time. I would have started but have sanitary standards I don’t want to get sick from improper handling. We have a 2 buck limit and one must have at least 3 points 2 inches or longer on one side. Here’s mine from last year. View attachment 20286

Hi @Greer L ! Welcome! This book helped me feel confident. DH has been home-butchering deer since he was a teen and he still finds it helpful.

Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering: Danforth, Adam: 9781612121826: Amazon.com: Books

Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering [Danforth, Adam] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane...

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