Well, I’ve finally embarked on my first-ever tahr hunting trip to the West Coast of South Westland, and to say I was excited would be a massive understatement! This was a solo adventure where I jumped in for a quick trip with James Scott to Horace Walker Hut and headed much further into the glacier saturated mountains behind it.
On the first day, he dropped me off at Horace Walker Hut, where I settled in and enjoyed the beautiful landscape. After some time with the binoculars from the hut, it was time for the first evening hunt. I spent a few days around Horace Walker, exploring the Douglas Lake area and even harvesting my first-ever trophy bull tar – landing right on the 12-inch mark! Not too shabby for my first ever tahr.
Staying in huts, however, left me feeling pretty disconnected from the landscape. I love the connection that using my own ultralight tent and equipment brings but knowing rain was coming mid-week (and on the West Coast, it’s never just a little bit of rain!), I stayed in the hut until it mostly cleared. Then, I grabbed my Illusions Solo one-person tent and the other gear that I have come to love and made my way around Douglas Lake. The breathtaking glacial scenery was incredible, and arriving at Harper Rock, I knew I had a special few days ahead exploring.
After spotting many Himalayan tar, I decided to do a big walk into the Landsborough Valley. I made my way down past Rubicon Creek to the Bubble Creek area, where I set up camp and truly felt connected to the landscape. There’s something special about being in an ultralight one-man tent that you can easily carry as you cross saddles and glaciers.
I really connected with the Landsborough Valley – what a beautiful area! After a few days of hunting, It was time to cross the Karangarua and head down into the beautiful Christmas Valley. The Karangarua River saddle caused me great anxiety. I think taking a wrong turn on the ledge popped me up onto the top shelf, and clinging on to the rock while my feet balanced on the edge of a tahr track was terrifying. To say I was scared was a complete understatement – I was petrified.
As I was on the ledge, I managed to walk out the top. I reminisced and thought back to a time when my dad and I had a scary moment in the tops of the Tower Ridge, where we got dropped off by helicopter and a storm came through. It nearly wiped us off the top, and we had icicles hanging off our faces because of the wind chill factor. It was one of those times when you think back and your heart races.
Crossing the Karangarua River saddle was one of those moments, and I was very glad to be off that shelf and into the Christmas Valley. I hunted my way down, carrying all my gear (and a couple of trophy tahr!) on my back, to here I’d be picked up by James Scott and the helicopter.
A key part of this trip was the ultralight gear I used. I can get out to the backcountry wilderness zones with no issue. Ten years ago, I carried massive pack weights and wondered why I couldn’t walk that far. I’ve learned a lot from the tramping community about ultralight gear, and it makes the whole experience so much better.
What a hunt! This was an amazing first hunt into the West Coast, and I’ll never forget the memories and beautiful scenery. I hope you get out to our backcountry and enjoy what New Zealand has to offer for anyone who’s a hiker, tramper, hunter, or walker.
