Experiencing Stewart Island
Winter 29/7/2019
I was sighting my bow in the backyard at home when Dad suddenly appeared and asked if I wanted to go hunting on Stewart Island. ( MAN DID I! ) Next thing I knew, we had half an hour to get ready for our adventure!
First, we drove down to Invercargill and then we took the ferry across to Oban. We raided the Four Square for any last-minute provisions. After packing our bags, we were ready for the mission to walk and hunt the North West Circuit. We walked along the road to the track start and began our four-hour, very muddy trudge to Port William hut. The hut was crowded. After finally finding a bunk, we fired up our MSR cooker and backcountry was on the menu.
I ventured out to the toilet, when four little heads appeared with bright eyes beaming in the torchlight. Luckily I had the camera I started recording and moved closer until I was about
“a hand touch away”. Suddenly someone opened the hut door with a thud, startling the deer. I turned around inquisitively, turning back again but all that was to be seen was the flicker of several white tails, descending into the dense forest.
The next morning was clear and crisp, the cold sending a shiver down my spine, We packed up and pushed on leaving the toasty warm hut behind us. Finally, after several hours of walking, we arrived at Bungaree Hut and had it all to ourselves unfortunately there was no dry firewood in the damp hut.
My father and I then decided to set up for a shot on a ridge with a good view over a clearing. We couldn’t wait for the “golden hour”, the time for all the dear to appear. Ten minutes too, we don’t dare to move, our eyes and ears listening to every stick snapping by bird or deer. The “golden hour” came and went but nothing appeared. Just as we were packing up, two small gray bodies ghosted out from the dark thick bush below. My heart was pounding, luckily my father’s quick instinct kicked in. A loud echoing ‘BANG’ followed by another. Unfortunately, the gun was not shooting on target, high due to having removed the silencer ( lesson learned! ) Lucky one bullet found its mark, sending it to the ground. That night the menu was white-tail stew.
( best venison EVER! )
After a cold night, waking up to an unwelcoming frost wasn’t very inviting. Our next hike was to Christmas Village Hut. The 6-hour hilly walk was very tiring and muddy in the damp bush, with the beaches making a welcoming break. The hut wasn’t so attractive as there to be no dry firewood to be found. My father and I went for a dawn hunt but had no luck so we dared each other to venture into the forbidding cold depths of the ocean. Below we retrieved four big paua in just our togs.
( ICE-COLD ) We again had a delicious venison stew with backcountry mash.
Another cold early morning, “Paua for breakfast”! We packed up our sleeping bags and headed off with a steep beginning. After about 4 ½ hours we came across a campsite and walked onto a beach. Suddenly I spotted a buck wandering along the beach 50 or so yards away. I got ready for a shot with my bow and my father whistled, stopping the buck in its tracks and then I aligned my pin on its shoulder, I squeezed off the trigger and my arrow departed. Unfortunately, this was when we found out that I had knocked my sight so instead of shooting this mighty buck, my arrow dropped short of him. After we found a target and sighted my bow in and carried on. After spotting a hind and a yearling we made it to Yankee River hut after a pretty wet couple of hours walking. The hut was placed near a river and there was no firewood as to be expected, my father and I went for a scout/hunt but no luck again.
The next morning we got up and did a scout again then kept moving. We saw lots of deer sign and spooked a few but we couldn’t see them, I guess that’s why they’re nicknamed ‘THE GRAY GHOSTS’. Finally, after tackling the steep 5-hour trek, we made it to Long Harry Hut where we unpacked. then decided to keep going, we packed up and skipped Long Harry Hut then walked on for another tiring 6 hours to East Ruggedy Hut. There we spotted a spiker but couldn’t get in range, I had a sore arm from carrying my bow after so many hours, here we spent the night. Dinner was packet mash and gravy.
The next morning was fresh and we quickly got a move on, “Next stop Big Hellfire Hut”. One of the steepest climbs was going to be today. After the steep climb to Big Hellfire Hut, we got there on dark and stumbled on some kiwis.
We got up, had breakfast and it was still dark when we set off and came across more kiwis. It seems to be a hotspot for kiwis. The start was very challenging and slippery. It sure felt good to knock that big bugger off, it just started to rain when we arrived at Mason Bay Hut. After some porridge, we decided to keep moving to Freshwater Hut in the rain. Again we came across some kiwis and two hinds that were on the track. We made it to Freshwater Hut by dark, but didn’t have much dinner, We ate every last scrap of food.
(It was a long 11 hour day)
With aching legs, we dragged each other out of bed and began the last push, after a backstabbing 7 hours with nothing to eat except a fruit burst. Our stomachs felt hollow Finally, we made it to North Arm Hut, but by the time we got there, “we could smell burgers” so after the last 5 hours of torture we made it to the foursquare. ( it sure felt good to drop our bags. )
Together we woofed down six pies and a whole bottle of ginger beer in 10 minutes. After booking a room at the backpacks and having a rest we had dinner at the bar ‘THE FOOD TASTED SO GOOD’ although it was probably because we had rationed our food. “We ordered most of the menu” a gourmet burger each and a big plate of seafood chowders to share, let alone the entree. we were stuffed! That night was the best sleep ever!
The next day we had such sore stomachs from eating too much. We packed up all our gear and made our way to the ferry. While I didn’t come away from this trip with an animal to my name the experience has increased my passion for bowhunting. After saying goodbye to Stewart Island we hopped aboard looking forward to coming back next year.
By Hector McNeilly
