Life as a Hunter in the Southern Alps of New Zealand - Red Deer, Chamois, Tahr & Wild Goats

[@grahamclark5766]

High quality video with action doing the talking, keep up the interesting videos. One of the best on u tube Ben.

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed the video! I very much want to let my actions do most of the talking. All the best!

[@bradpope7913]

You’ve found Heaven on earth there dude👊🏽. I’m really liking the way you let nature narrate your sharing. That silence sounds roars bro😉. Keep pumping Ben

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Cheers bro! Always trying different ways of filming to get the best possible outcome for those giving me their precious time. We all head into the mountains to unplug and get away from artificial noise. I find no background music really immerses you into the moment / landscape. Hope life's treating well brother! Keep charging!

[@striker0137]

Thanks Ben, excellent as always.

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed it!

[@johnmead8437]

@@bendb_wildaboutnz The general locations would be interesting. Many feel they are "revealing" pet spots, but realistically these days the place is so riddled that's usually immaterial. There has probably never been so many easy deer around. These videos are really interesting to see the animals & environmental conditions in various sites, & provide a useful snapshot record in time. Unlike a few whose efforts to conceal locations compromises their contribution. Location can usually be identified if knowing enough, not just personal familiarity. Which would disappoint some whose superior comments tempt identifying actual pet spots.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Great footage as usual Ben, love how much effort you put in on the hill and behind the camera. The timeless vista shots and live animal footage make it feel like you're taking us with you! I recognised some of that country , makes me homesick!! Cheers for sharing, and great message re you have to pay to play!

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Yeah bro I know a fella like you can also read between the lines when it comes to getting a better idea as to how much effort on and off the hill I put into these films. I thought you would, especially when I talked about reminiscing on past missions. 100% bro there are no free lunches in this world! Always good to see you continuing to give back to the hunting community! Keep charging bro!

[@mattharris2018]

Great stuff. Those descents are as brutal as going up. Cheers

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Couldn't agree more, give me a long scree chute for the decent any day of the week! Hope the hills are treating you well!

[@HillDogTV]

Legend Benny! love ya work

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Cheers brother! Good to see you getting as much backcountry time as you can! All the best!

[@richardt.4224]

Hi, I've watched some of your videos before, but this one must be by far the best quality! Your stalking ability must be very good, or you have some great camera gear to get those close in shots, either way I enjoyed the quality, so thank you for sharing. Your segment on hunt fitness was very well said, something I have let slip myself and need to get back on top of it, although in my 70's I do nowhere near the length of trips you do, to be honest I never did. As the old saying goes, "you don't use it, you lose it"!

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Most of those close shots are ultra detailed cause I'm only 20-30m away. I really enjoying getting as close as I possible can to animals, taking a few shots then slipping out. Some say I should bow hunt but it doesn't interest me at all. Absolutely agree, key thing is to maintain as much movement in your daily life as possible, irrespective if you're on or off the hill. We all hunt for slightly different reasons but we can all agree its about enjoying time in the backcountry. Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated! All the best!

[@tonystewart7287]

Top effort 😎😎👍

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Thanks mate!

[@032254855]

just came across your channel man is awesome hunted a lot of south Canterbury makes me want to have a crack at the west coast and some of north Canterbury love the way you film and capture the hills and the animals

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Nice mate! I cut my teeth as a hunter predominately on the coast, built more character than shooting animals over there. Definitely explore those parts as the beauty about the South Island is we have such differing landscapes so close to each other. Thanks for the feedback!

[@willboulton2393]

Is that a 65 litre pack you're using?

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Nah its a 83L Osprey Aether. I used to use the 70L version but it was a little small for carrying all my gear on longer duration hunts.

[@willboulton2393]

@@bendb_wildaboutnz Thanks, I'm currently using a Tatonka 90 litre. Fits all my gear inside without tying stuff outside, but is far too big to use as a day pack on multi-day hunts. (Unless I carry a day pack). The Aether and Manitoba expedition are the options I'm looking at if I want to replace the big Tatonka. I hear what you say about Lake Sumner area. 30 years ago, when there was unrestricted access up the Hurunui and low deer numbers, I used to drive up past #3 hut and spotlight the flats, along with dozens of other blokes. Haven't been in there since but I believe there is now a locked gate and deer indicator dogs are banned!!! Surely DoC would make it easier for hunters to access the area to reduce deer numbers.

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

@@willboulton2393 The 70L Aether is a good 5 day or less pack that is lightweight and functional with its detachable day pack. The 85L is a comprise and good for 7 days or less. On 9-10 day missions I do have to strap things on the outside with 85L, hence would be good to have an extra 10L. Numbers up the Upper Hurunui aren't that bad its mainly up the Hope/Nelson Tops & Doubtful where hind numbers need some real management. The 1080 on the TR has done a good job in keeping deer numbers in check up the upper Hurunui. 4x4 access would be much better suited for management purposes up the Hope river than the Hurunui but I doubt either will ever get allowed.

[@willboulton2393]

@@bendb_wildaboutnz Thanks for the reply. I'm now off checking the Topomap and maybe have a trip into the Doubtful area. These days pretty much everything I shoot I donate to charity/Salvation Army. There are families out there doing it pretty tough.

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

​@willboulton2393 Nice mate always good to give back to society in some way! The further up the doubtful you go the more hinds you should see. Hopefully it goes well!

[@tomhu1745]

I'm getting into hunting in my early 60's. And find that I am averaging 1 animal everry 12 to 18 months on public land. So not a good strike rate. But when successful I find that with a full pack with camping gear and the meat the pack is so heavy I really don't want to walk more than 2 or maybe 3 hours out to the car. I don't know how to get around that?

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Hey mate, If you're not already I would join a hunting organization as they are a great source of information and can have connections to private land which would help with purely filling the freezer. In regards to public land hunting, my advice would be to use topo maps and google earth to identify bush edges, slips and flats that are 1-2 hours walk in. Then walk into those blocks, hunt first then go have a thorough look in the bush for sign. Search in a 1km radius from the bush edge, slips and flats that your hunting. That way you'll know for sure if there are any animals in the area. If yes, animals are present sit down wind of those areas of interest on first and last light 2-3 times. If no, go try somewhere else. Also, make sure those areas of interest are warm, deer hate being cold. Hopefully that helps in some way!

[@tomhu1745]

@@bendb_wildaboutnz Thanks for your reply. No I am not a member of the NZDA or anyother organization. I am just going out alone or with a friend and we camp and enjoy each other company like going tramping but take our rifles and binos. But thanks for your suggestions. All worth considering.

[@johnmead8437]

When the input from rec hunters is partially effective all the deer will be fat. The numbers in most places aren't good, they are infested & destructive. And some representative places need even lower numbers to preserve some susceptible native biodiversity, the green vote is more than the hunters. And the activism, obstruction, *and dis/misinformation their respective lobbies select to further their agendas has strong parallels, which aren't complimentary if facts matter. Strains credibility, & the anti hunting lobby doesn't need ammo. If hunters shoot every last animal they possibly can it is unlikely they would achieve effective deer/tahr control. Suspect that might not hold true for chamois in some places. It would be good to see meaningful habitat improvement in some areas that demonstrate positive hunting impacts & reduce opportunity for criticism. The expectation sites with acceptable pest numbers would be very difficult to "hunt" (most places have populations at levels avoiding animals is unlikely, they find you) exists, but some don't like the challenge. And they are still deer etc, & often don't like being shot at.

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Definitely need to keep working hard as recreational hunters to achieve some level of balance when it comes to ecological and game animal health. Look after the bush and the bush will look after you!

[@johnmead8437]

@@bendb_wildaboutnz There might be some credibility if the prominent part of the lobby were realistic. Instead, we hear "recover all meat", "don't shoot females", active opposition of shooting nanny tahr in spring (would they avoid killing rats that might have dependant young, a year-round protection?) Pest control is not killing animals. It is stopping & preventing them from causing whatever damage is the problem, whether over-browsing (which can be nil for some vulnerable species recovery), eradicating bovine TB endemism, or stopping the rosebuds getting eaten by possums. And putting animals out of sight & killing some is seldom sufficient for many objectives. Something the GAC & other hunting lobbies seem unable to grasp. When videos get appreciative comments for shooting 90% of the tahr seen on the trip, or all the possible (some will be smarter than the hunters) hinds & young ones, & any stags they feel like knocking over they see, it might prevent further increase in those areas where population limits have not already been met.

[@Sako75.7mm08]

Awesome mate cheers for the effort and footage👏, getting after it! bring on hard antler and hardout missions 🏕

[@bendb_wildaboutnz]

Thanks mate! 100%, look forward to some warmer and settled weather windows to chase those amazing game animals around the around the Southern Alps! Keep charging mate!