New Zealand - Oregon Hunt Swap

[pdx2mtn2hunt]

I should add that I'm not saying one is better than the other kind of elk. Just that Oregon is one of the few opportunities for Roosevelt elk on public land.

 

[Kiwi]

Thanks for the info Pdx. I spend a bit of time on the OR coast, coos bay and Elliot state forest. A very nice area and similar to the west coast of NZ. I am use to hunting the forest, I do a bit of "bush stalking" where you sneak through the trees and shoot deer at close range. Difficult but rewarding.

Also did a drive from Corvallis our East via bend and burns and on to idaho. A great road trip.

 

[pdx2mtn2hunt]

Thanks for the info Pdx. I spend a bit of time on the OR coast, coos bay and Elliot state forest. A very nice area and similar to the west coast of NZ. I am use to hunting the forest, I do a bit of "bush stalking" where you sneak through the trees and shoot deer at close range. Difficult but rewarding.

Also did a drive from Corvallis our East via bend and burns and on to idaho. A great road trip.

All excellent parts of our state. Oregon (and washington) has such a variety of environments it's amazing. I live here and still am impressed how I can go from temperate rainforest to desert so fast. The siskiyou's are a great example if that. As for bush hunting you are correct. Putting a stalk on through intense foliage and brush is unlike anything in the open country. I can't put into words how intense it can be.

 

[Kiwi]

Last weekend bow deer hunt

Here are a few iphone photos of took of my red deer hunting trip.

Its a fairly typical hunt I do in the summer months when the stags have hard antlers and spend a lot of time on the tops. This particular spot has rule that prevents helicopter hunting so the deer are out in the open more than normal.

Ferry from Wellington (North Island) to Picton (South Island).


I drove south and stayed in Kiakorua for the night.


Slight delay with a New Zealand traffic jam


Looking down at the road end after a 6 hour bush bash to the tops - about 1000 vertical meters according to the map. No trail, but a slight deer track to follow in parts.


Open tops


Great sunrises


Spotted this 8 point stag, but messed up the bow stalk. Would have been an easy rifle shot at 200 yards.


Beautiful weather


Spent many hours after sun rise and before sun set looking for big stags. Plenty of small stags seen including these young stags.



More deer


Plenty of fresh water 


The walk out was a lot easier than the walk in. There was a mist so cooled everything down nicely.

 

[1_pointer]

You guys have some amazing country in that part of the world. Thanks for sharing!

 

[LCH]

That looks incredible. I hope to do New Zealand someday..

 

[sneakypete]

Kiwi, my advice is to start giving Oregon your money for about five years. Oregon you'll have to buy a license and points every year. The license is close to &150.00 plus the $ for points for each spieces, if I'm correct.

 

[Josh Kuntz]

Kiwi, I just returned from a non-hunting trip to the south island of New Zealand. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen....and I grew up in western MT and now live in ID, so that is saying something. I REALLY want to go back to NZ for a hunting trip. Already set up a savings account to start funding the future trip.

Anyhow, I see that you are coming to ID this year. If you want to connect, please feel free to shoot me a message with your hunting dates. I usually have a very flexible schedule in September and October and try to get in tons of hunting. Would be happy to show you around or at least chat about a few things if you need some info on Idaho.

Cheers

 

[Kiwi]

Kiwi, I just returned from a non-hunting trip to the south island of New Zealand. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen....and I grew up in western MT and now live in ID, so that is saying something. I REALLY want to go back to NZ for a hunting trip. Already set up a savings account to start funding the future trip.

Anyhow, I see that you are coming to ID this year. If you want to connect, please feel free to shoot me a message with your hunting dates. I usually have a very flexible schedule in September and October and try to get in tons of hunting. Would be happy to show you around or at least chat about a few things if you need some info on Idaho.

Cheers

Hi Josh, glad you enjoyed your trip to the South Island. I'll send you a message with my plans for Idaho. Would be great to catch up if I have time.

 

[pdx2mtn2hunt]

Great job documenting your trip. That landscape is incredible. You should look into that Idaho hunt too. They have over the counter tags. As far as the 5 years to an Oregon elk tag, yes and no. If you are wanting to hunt one of the "trophy" units, especially during the rut, then you may be waiting longer than 5 years, but not on many. These are the units in the eastern 1/3 of the state and "special" hunts. Ukiah is a very popular unit that typically takes 3 years according to several hunters i know that frequent that unit. That being said, there is an open season tag for the west side and select eastern units. These tags are not in the prime rut, but considering it's a guaranteed opportunity for a tag after you miss your draw, I'm not complaining. You seem to enjoy backcountry hunting, and the terrain you are hunting looks me similar our terrain. So I think you would do just fine late season. Not to rant, but if I wanted a monster bull, and I didn't already live in a western state, I wouldn't be looking at Oregon as my primary option. States like AZ, NM, UT, MT, put up bigger points every year. Also, they may have better/less expensive opportunities for trophy bulls. If you have already done those, or want to try a unique elk hunt, hunt the coastal range of Oregon.

 

[Kiwi]

Thanks for your post pdx. I'm hunting idaho this year for deer and WY for elk. I'm not worried about getting a big bull in OR just keen to hunt the state as I spent 18 months there going to OSU. More of trip for old times sake. I hunted WY last year and got a bull and pronghorn that I was very happy with. I'm collecting points in WY and CO for my kids and I, so probably won't buy points in OR as an easy draw unit is fine by me. As long as I'm in the wilderness bow hunting I'm happy

 

[Kiwi]

Kyle, got your PM but don't seem to be able to reply. Keen to discuss a hunt swap but I think you need to register before I can reply? Or just email me at [email protected]

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

Those are some bad ass pics !! beautiful is a word to describe it but dosent seem to do it justice , looking forward to when you get to Oregon and hearing how you do. i cant afford a trip anywhere for the next few years, went through a divorce a few years back. but the man cave here in Banks is open for a crash pad if you roosevelt hunt im just outside portland in the NW corner at the base of the Coast range, theres plenty of us Oregonians to help you out in some way or another

 

[Kiwi]

Well I finally purchased my Oregon hunting license and now just have to figure out how to buy preference points. I can find the paper application but can't see the online option.

Plan to collect points for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear and hope point creep doesn't hit me too bad over the next 3 - 5 years.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

To buy preference points you have to submit a tag application. The Point Saver hunt numbers are 199 for buck deer, 299 for elk. You have until Nov 1 to apply for points only.

 

[Kiwi]

Thanks Brittany. I'll give it another try today.

 

[Kiwi]

I managed to navigate my way through the Oregon fish and game website and I'm now the proud owner of points for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear! Had a quick look at the draw odds and that was a bit of a worry haha. Looks like I might be bow hunting!

 

[Crossbowguy]

Good Luck Kiwi with your western hunts!

 

[IK-NWhunter]

Are you still planning on heading to OR, if so what's your timeline? How many deer and elk points do you have now? I'm an Oregon resident and have been hunting mule deer & elk here for a few years now. I move around for work frequently though and could easily be a non-resident next year but I'd be happy to share my knowledge with you. Most of the general elk/deer hunts here can be really frustrating. Lots of competition, poor age classes of for both deer and elk, and very low success rates in almost all of the general units with decent amounts of public land. Also the timber is so thick in the cascade range you can forget about glassing and can't usually see a deer or elk even 50 yards away. The coastal range has enough timber harvest going on that you can hunt clearcuts pretty effectively. The controlled hunts in eastern Oregon are where it's at though! Just depends on how many points you have...

My wife and I are planning a trip to New Zealand & Australia this November. I don't know what I'd do with the meat if I went hunting there as we're planning on spending 2 weeks in Australia after New Zealand. I am keen on the fly-fishing opportunities you have there though.

 

[Kiwi]

Hi IK-NWhunter, I don't have any fixed year to hunt OR but it wont be this year (unless I draw a OR goat or sheep tag!) as I'm planning to hunt CO deer this Sept. Depending on work and family I would like to hunt OR next year or the following. I just purchased my elk and deer points so now have two. If you'd like to discuss a possible hunt swap please message me. Thanks.