Any do-it-yourself Tahr & Chamois stories?

[PaulT]

Expresshunt has given you some very sage advice.

If you do plan to do this hunt DIY then do your homework.
It, an undertaking such as this, should not be taken lightly.

The reality can be some terrible weather patterns at any time of the year and depending on which side of the range you decide to hunt, you should at least have better than the basic understanding of Alpine hunting, hunting at altitude, streamcraft, first aid and i'm no doubt forgetting many more.

The terrain, and weather, on the West Coast ballot blocks can be brutal, particularly during the peak rut period.
It comes and goes in systems that you sometimes avoid and other times you don't. Roll with the punches.

Don't climb beyond your ability, don't skimp on your equipment, get super fit, learn stream-craft/river crossing, hire a sat phone/mountain radio for your hunt.

If you do your homework and get properly prepared and get super fit you stand at least of a very good chance at minimum of a truly unique and proper alpine adventure hunt.

Fresh Tahr back-steak grilling direct on a struggling camp-fire in some remote West Coast block in Autumn or Winter is truly indulgent and worthy of the effort, as are the older Trophy bulls.

 

[dory]

Expresshunt has given you some very sage advice.

If you do plan to do this hunt DIY then do your homework.
It, an undertaking such as this, should not be taken lightly.

The reality can be some terrible weather patterns at any time of the year and depending on which side of the range you decide to hunt, you should at least have better than the basic understanding of Alpine hunting, hunting at altitude, streamcraft, first aid and i'm no doubt forgetting many more.

The terrain, and weather, on the West Coast ballot blocks can be brutal, particularly during the peak rut period.
It comes and goes in systems that you sometimes avoid and other times you don't. Roll with the punches.

Don't climb beyond your ability, don't skimp on your equipment, get super fit, learn stream-craft/river crossing, hire a sat phone/mountain radio for your hunt.

If you do your homework and get properly prepared and get super fit you stand at least of a very good chance at minimum of a truly unique and proper alpine adventure hunt.

Fresh Tahr back-steak grilling direct on a struggling camp-fire in some remote West Coast block in Autumn or Winter is truly indulgent and worthy of the effort, as are the older Trophy bulls.

Some of the best advise yet !
Saves me putting my 2 cents worth in .
Not bad advice allround really , especially coming from an Aussie .

 

[ArmyGrunt]

@PaulT, your words are quite inspirational! This site is such a bad influence on me...each new story, and many of the deals make me slobber all down the front of my shirt!

 

[PaulT]

@PaulT, your words are quite inspirational! This site is such a bad influence on me...each new story, and many of the deals make me slobber all down the front of my shirt!

AG, one of the (many) beauties of New Zealand is that the existing laws allow anyone with a sense of free will and adventure to do their homework, prep and training and go forth and enjoy the bounty provided by their spectacular wilderness and hunting resources.

In terms of financial cost it can be extremely minimal when compared to say a fully guided hunt but then the result of the out-come of that hunt rests squarely on the shoulder of the hunter, which is the way, many argue, it should be, too.

Sound easy ?
The price is right ?

Yeh, no shit,
no such thing as a free lunch !

I've seen 6" of snow in the middle of Summer.
I endured a helicopter ride out of the Tahr blocks one year where we (both the Pilot and I) where saying our final prayers !
I've been "bluffed"(unable to climb up any further and unable to climb back down the way I came) for the best part of a day after pushing myself beyond my climbing abilities chasing a big bull.
I've heard many distressing calls on the mountain radio from other parties calling for an emergency lift out for one of their crew that has frost-bite, or has broken a leg in a fall etc.
I have spent the entire duration of some trips doing nothing but weighing the corners of my tent down from the gale force winds in an effort to try stop being blown in to the next river system.
(I have MANY more horror stories but do not want to over-emphasise the negatives, just listing some of the realities)

These are just a fraction of the negatives (obviously not all trips are encumbered with these issues,but they ARE real and potential).

So long as you have done your homework, have good equipment, have a realistic and sensible approach, you too can enjoy some tremendous opportunities provided AND, as I did, you will survive the ordeal and be a much BETTER hunter coming out the other side.

Over a period of maybe ten years I hunted the West Coast Tahr blocks (as well as some on the East side) every year and I am still here to talk about it and look back on it with fond memories (the pain and discomfort has long subsided).
I actually think I recognize some of the country in the O.P as one year I hunted the Murchison River which is close to where the O.P's pics where taken.

This is a hunt I strongly recommend for those with an advanced grade of independent alpine hunting capability.

There are more than a few Kiwis on this site able to provide more reliable and recent info than I am.

Get fit, get some good info and get some good gear and go Man !!!!!!

 

[thi9elsp]

@50by50 Some have alluded to it, but how much alpine hunting do you and your 3 buddies have? I have none, so I hunted with my brother (30 years guiding, USFWS agent, etc) for Elk in Wyoming wilderness 10k+ elevation at Thanksgiving. Saw some hunters heading in with guides while we were on our way out. Tim's buddy had to go recover one of the hunter's body when he didn't listen to his guide and tried to follow the elk on a very precarious trail.

When I hunted Tahr on the south island I hired a guide who used a helicopter service. We expected to get our Tahr in 1 1/2 days. We did, but then we got stuck in our tents for 2 1/2 days due to a major storm - gale force winds, rain, swollen creeks, etc. A woman drowned about 50 miles from us when she slipped off a trail into one of the high running rivers. I was glad the guide had a satellite phone, stayed in contact with his boss twice daily as well as the helicopter pilot.

Here's a link to my hunt report: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/new-zealand-1st-stag-tahr-hunt.22367/#post-187743

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Wow. Great story, and a true warning to heed. I'll check that report in a bit

 

[stug]

The East coast is a lot more forgiving than the west. I've never had the problems you guys have had, but then being a local I can go or not go depending on the weather.

 

[Buckdog]

AG, one of the (many) beauties of New Zealand is that the existing laws allow anyone with a sense of free will and adventure to do their homework, prep and training and go forth and enjoy the bounty provided by their spectacular wilderness and hunting resources.

In terms of financial cost it can be extremely minimal when compared to say a fully guided hunt but then the result of the out-come of that hunt rests squarely on the shoulder of the hunter, which is the way, many argue, it should be, too.

Sound easy ?
The price is right ?

Yeh, no shit,
no such thing as a free lunch !

I've seen 6" of snow in the middle of Summer.
I endured a helicopter ride out of the Tahr blocks one year where we (both the Pilot and I) where saying our final prayers !
I've been "bluffed"(unable to climb up any further and unable to climb back down the way I came) for the best part of a day after pushing myself beyond my climbing abilities chasing a big bull.
I've heard many distressing calls on the mountain radio from other parties calling for an emergency lift out for one of their crew that has frost-bite, or has broken a leg in a fall etc.
I have spent the entire duration of some trips doing nothing but weighing the corners of my tent down from the gale force winds in an effort to try stop being blown in to the next river system.
(I have MANY more horror stories but do not want to over-emphasise the negatives, just listing some of the realities)

These are just a fraction of the negatives (obviously not all trips are encumbered with these issues,but they ARE real and potential).

So long as you have done your homework, have good equipment, have a realistic and sensible approach, you too can enjoy some tremendous opportunities provided AND, as I did, you will survive the ordeal and be a much BETTER hunter coming out the other side.

Over a period of maybe ten years I hunted the West Coast Tahr blocks (as well as some on the East side) every year and I am still here to talk about it and look back on it with fond memories (the pain and discomfort has long subsided).
I actually think I recognize some of the country in the O.P as one year I hunted the Murchison River which is close to where the O.P's pics where taken.

This is a hunt I strongly recommend for those with an advanced grade of independent alpine hunting capability.

There are more than a few Kiwis on this site able to provide more reliable and recent info than I am.

Get fit, get some good info and get some good gear and go Man !!!!!!

Paul T you have hit the nail on the head exactly sir! When I was young I did many many self guided hunts in mtn and alpine. It is an awesome experience but you better be super fit, knowledgeable or mtn alpine condt., weather changes instantly, things can go from ho hum to really dangerous fast and I had plenty close calls, but like freddy kruger I always came back. As someone said be very careful of who you are hunting with they need to be 150% as tough ready and knowledable as you or its a disaster. I was fortunate 2 best mates were good to go. Once took a loud mouth who talked a super story and damn near killed us both as he turned into a worthless know it all rookie I had to baby sit. got him off mtn and out of my face as fast as I good and went about my business. Better to be on your own with a rented sat phone than have a PIA partner dragging around your neck. So that's my 2 cents worth. by the way what is your mtn/wilderness hunting experience????

 

[50by50]

@50by50 Some have alluded to it, but how much alpine hunting do you and your 3 buddies have? I have none, so I hunted with my brother (30 years guiding, USFWS agent, etc) for Elk in Wyoming wilderness 10k+ elevation at Thanksgiving. Saw some hunters heading in with guides while we were on our way out. Tim's buddy had to go recover one of the hunter's body when he didn't listen to his guide and tried to follow the elk on a very precarious trail.

When I hunted Tahr on the south island I hired a guide who used a helicopter service. We expected to get our Tahr in 1 1/2 days. We did, but then we got stuck in our tents for 2 1/2 days due to a major storm - gale force winds, rain, swollen creeks, etc. A woman drowned about 50 miles from us when she slipped off a trail into one of the high running rivers. I was glad the guide had a satellite phone, stayed in contact with his boss twice daily as well as the helicopter pilot.

Here's a link to my hunt report: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/new-zealand-1st-stag-tahr-hunt.22367/#post-187743

Excited to read your story! I'm just now catching up on what I missed as I rolled around, moaned and cussed the last 7 days trying to pass a kidney stone.

I live in the Rocky Mountains and do a lot of high alpine hunting. I head into the thorofare of Wyoming every year to hunt elk (likely the type of country you were talking about- we're 35 miles from any road).

So I think that makes me dangerous. It's types like me that think they know what they're doing that get into trouble I bet. So- thank you for the warnings and from what I'm hearing this is more dangerous and deserving of more respect than anything I've done before.

 

[thi9elsp]

@50by50 The first elk hunt was up in Crandall drainage looks like unit 51 now, but I think it was split up more back than - around 2000 or 2001. Don't remember the exact unit number, but it was high preference points and limited draw. We hunted out of Brown Bear camp. The second hunt was with Triangle X west of Two Ocean pass towards Gravel Peak - 6 hour horseback ride in. My brother keeps telling me to book with Lynn Madsen and hunt the Thoroughfare. A pretty special place thinking of Roosevelt and the distance from any road in any direction! But, that 8 - 10 hour horseback ride to get in feels ugh...

I love the mule deer in your avatar. Care to share the general area / honey hole you found that beauty in?

PM me if you want more insight on the outfitter I used in New Zealand and my other thoughts / suggestions

 

[ArmyGrunt]

@ th9elsp, Thanks for the Triple X mention. I just looked them up, and I'll be inquiring further. I think my kids would love it.

 

[thi9elsp]

@ArmyGrunt Triangle X is fantastic. Here's a nugget of where non-hunters and hunters can intersect well. I had one night at the dude ranch before we ride into the remote camp. Having dinner at a table of 8 or 10. They are all there for the dude ranch, none of them hunters. No issues, they were excited to tell me about their rides and I was excited to talk about going into the wilderness. Some of the people had been coming since they were in grade school and were now in their 60's and 70's. Pretty cool.

When I hunted in 2012 Harold was still going into camp. And, he actually brought the mules out to me and the guide to pack my elk back to camp. Saw grizzly on the way in from the trail head, one guy was walking to the out house and had a grizzly watching him at 4:30 am. Saw wolf tracks. Out of 7 guys we all had our elk by day 3. I passed up two young bulls - both 6x6, but probably only 3 to 4 years old. Mine scored about 348 6x7, estimated 8 1/2 years old - 400 lbs of cut meat. Ann has the ivory jewelry from it. There was a 5x5 that would be well over 325 taken that same hunt. I did the first rifle.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

That's awesome. I wonder if they'd sit on my kids while I got lost in the woods a day or so...fun for all of us!

 

[mykc]

The West Coast is a great place to hunt.
Make sure you hire a mountain radio from www.mountainradio.co.nz, you get two weather forecasts a day and can get messages to the helicopter company if you need to get picked up early. It'll be a great adventure.
Mike.

 

[50by50]

The West Coast is a great place to hunt.
Make sure you hire a mountain radio from www.mountainradio.co.nz, you get two weather forecasts a day and can get messages to the helicopter company if you need to get picked up early. It'll be a great adventure.
Mike.

Awesome Advice. Thanks Mike!

 

[Tim Blackwell]

The west coast is a wild place indeed. A mate and I choppered in with James Scott in November 2015, my second tahr hunt. Here's a couple of photos to illustrate how the weather can change there...note this is the same camp 24 hours apart. It's no place for second rate equipment and not to be taken lightly.






We spent two days stuck in that tent before the chopper could extract us. Still, I'll do it again ASAP, it's a magical place!

 

[lil 2 sleepy]

Bringing this thread from the dead. Anyone have opinions on Tahr and or Chamios in the summer months? There is a pretty reputable outfitter that has a heck of a deal on summer 4 day hunts. I was thinking about maybe a January hunt.
I assume the hides aren’t perfect, but maybe ok?

 

[stug]

The summer chamois skins are nice, not as nice as the winter skin, but a nice reddy colour. The summer tahr skins are very plain. At least the horns don't shrink in summer though.
If you really wanted the winter skin a taxidermist will probably have one, at a price.

 

[JPbowhunter]

Bringing this thread from the dead. Anyone have opinions on Tahr and or Chamios in the summer months? There is a pretty reputable outfitter that has a heck of a deal on summer 4 day hunts. I was thinking about maybe a January hunt.
I assume the hides aren’t perfect, but maybe ok?

We're doing a DIY hunt this Jan, haven't decided if I'll keep a skin yet, moving away from mounting. The blonde summer chamois are still quite striking i find, maybe not as good as winter. Tahr to me have more value in the mane than the horns so they're definitely not as good in summer. Best of luck

 

[50by50]

Hey guys- I ended up going this past June. It was AWESOME! We hunted both the west coast and the east coast and took some great trophies.

Can't wait to get back. Unless New Zealand lets their wildlife minister shoot all the tahr with helicopters.