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

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!

@@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.

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!

@@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.

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!

Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed it!

@@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.

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.

@@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.

@@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.

@@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.

​@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!

Thanks mate!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

Thanks Richard, appreciate the feedback and glad you enjoyed the film. I aim to make these films more about our wild places than me shooting game animals. Anytime spend in the great outdoors is time well spent, regardless of how you do it. All the best mate!

Yeah I'm pretty lucky in that sense, know plenty of mates that are only allowed 1 max in lounge like yourself. Nonetheless, hope the hills are treating you well mate!

Good stuff mate! The further you go back into my films the worse the quality gets haha. This film is where I changed up a few things and got a 4k camera (ZX80). Keep charging mate!

@bendb_wildaboutnz I'm stuck in Antarctica for another few months so just binge watching nz hunting videos each night is my therapy.

Thanks mate! I always want these films to be about New Zealand's beautiful rivers, mountains and game animals than having me at the center of each film. Its great that people like yourself see that this film is so much more than an amazing public land stag! Hope the hills are treating you well!

The mountains certainly teach you a lot about how to live that's for sure! Experience definitely helps making better calls in the mountains but fatigue can cancel that out. That's why I work hard at staying as fit as I possibly can. Game animal management should primarily focus on ecological health i.e healthy carrying capacity of different areas. Ultimately, the commercial interest (WARO) and recreational hunters need to work together to achieve better ratios of breeding females and males. Nonetheless, appreciate the feedback!

Thanks mate, certainly nice when hard work pays off! Good to see you getting after it in the outdoors! All the best!

Most of the footage comes from Fiordland, Canterbury High Country and Marlborough.

Appreciate the feedback mate, certainly feels good having more success this year. All the best in the hills!

Thanks mate, he's certainly a proper old stag! Hugely rewarding after so many years of coming home empty handed. All the best the hills mate, keep charging!

Thanks heaps mate! I'm glad I didn't waste your time! Keep charging and all the best in the hills!

Thanks mate glad you enjoy it! Hopefully fellas younger than me just think about that advice as its certainly help me! I see a lot of poor choices being made by young fellas these days, to which, a lot of the mental issues are due to. Nonetheless, Hope the hills are treating you well!

Cheers bro!

Thanks mate and your right, you need to be in it to win it! Hope the hills are treating you well!

@@bendb_wildaboutnz cheers mate, never a bad day in the hills 😀

Glad you enjoyed the video mate! All the best!

Thanks mate, the heaviness in his antlers is the real winner for me! Hope the hills are treating you well!

Yeah mate, I reckon the harder you work the more luck you build up. Certainly nice when it all comes together! Its interesting because he has the best mineralization/ compact bone in a set antlers I've ever held which suggest the feed was top notch. Not sure if that would affect his teeth degrading quicker, potentially though? Thanks mate, great to see and rose getting into the hills regularly! All the best!

@@bendb_wildaboutnz Minerals are key for sure. I've watched a slip for years and the deer gravitate to an area of about 2 square metres and it's a large slip. I'm guessing there's a natural mineral lick there with something they need. Rose has got her act together....mostly lol. Heading for a few days on Friday. looking like a wet walk in. Hopefully catch you in there sometime.

Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed the film! Keep charging!

That's for the feedback mate, glad you enjoyed the film!

Love it mate, nothing better than looking up at those stags smiling at all the hard work and time you invested to get them! Glad your running the same loungeroom set up!! All the best!

100% agree, crazy how life goes as a hunter though. One mission you've having the worst time with weather and animals the next you secure an amazing 12 point stag. What I didn't talk about was the fact that a party of hunters had just hunter that area. Everywhere I went fresh boot prints were found! Luck is a funny thing!

I know aye, couldn't believe how even he is when I got up to him. No more than a 2" different in all tines. The real winner for me is the weight of antlers, excellent compact bone/mineralization laid down. Hope the hills are treating you well!

Thanks for your feedback, certainly try to be consistent! All the best!

Thanks mate! Hope the hills are treating you well!

@@bendb_wildaboutnz yep got 2 meat animals last week(venny) and 2 stags and a meat animal in roar, and plenty of encounters, might try squeeze in a tahr hunt soon if im lucky🏕

@@Sako75.7mm08 That's the go mate, sounds like your freezer will be full for a while! All the best for your potential Tahr hunt, the mountains in Tahr country are starting to look epic with all the snow!

Thanks mate! For me, I'm constantly reminding myself of the 100's of mission I've gone home empty handed. You can do everything right but without luck it can never happen. Also good to see you working in that health and fitness space. Nothing better than helping people become better versions of themselves! Keep up the awesome work mate!

Cheers brother! Hopefully you'll enjoy the film, certainly worked hard! Hope all is well with you brother!

Cheers bro, I have no doubt you've been punching out some epic missions as well (if your the same Rueben I meet a couple years ago?). All the best bro!

Cheers bro, I have no doubt you've used the same skills gained from the mountains to help solve urban jungle problems. Hope all is well bro!

Thanks mate, appreciate the feedback! Hard to beat a life in the Southern Alps! All the best!

Hey mate! I shot him right on last light and took a couple of rubbish photos. There will be another photo of the head in the next rod and rifle edition. I didn't take that many photos due to exhaustion and I also didn't want to give the spot away in the slightest with everything so competitive these days. When you read the article you'll see why this mission was a battle. The cast antler had 7 points and about 38-39" long. I actually filmed a clip with it but I didn't do it correctly as it showed exactly where I was. Been meaning to go back and get it but haven't had the time/motivation to get it. The spot blew up on social media only a couple day's after I shot him!! Then it was cleaned out! 100% mate, solo hunting would help everyone in some way or at the very least learn something valuable about yourself. Good to see you enjoying some quality time in the hills!!

Cheers mate, glad you enjoy it! Hope the roar treated you well!

Cheers bro! 100% aye gotta do the mahi to get the treats!

Someone has to bag and tag those who miscalculate, worth keeping at the back of the mind. Mum/wife/darling crying after unloading those who don't make it doesn't help, and the places the incautious end up in is often nasty, so someone else is put at risk. Looking before leaping, and knowing when to pull in the head makes sense. Getting wet because of underestimating an overnight storm is a lesson. Some storms there last days, when helicopters can't do the babysitting.

Cheers fellas, awesome to see you young fellas truly getting after life and punching out some solid mission. Good to know there are some solid next generation adventure hunters out there! keep charging fellas!

Thanks for the feedback Peter! I put a lot of thought into the structure of each film and stoked you enjoyed the film. Hard to beat time in the Southern Alps! All the best mate!

Thanks for the feedback mate, we are so lucky in NZ to such amazing backcountry and game animals only a stones throw from home. Yeah agree, the journey is far more important than the destination. Just yesterday I shot a ripper 38" long, heavy timber, old, super even 12 pointer public land stag. Funny how life goes as hunter. From massive miles and consecutive storms to a 2 day trip that produces a ripper stag, gotta love life in the hills! Hope the hills are treating you well mate!

@@bendb_wildaboutnz yep the hills always treat me well ..at age 62 I’m not as fit as I used to be but can still get anywhere I want to go . We really are lucky Well done with the stag mate - that’s the great thing about hunting is that you never know it certainly resonates with me sometimes you put massive effort in for little reward Then along comes a “ too easy one “ - you earn them all in the end hot barrels mate!

100% its such a humbling place, to which, I wish more people got to experience the life or death nature of being in the mountains. During a couple of those storms I knew with out a shelter its all over. I always laugh when I get back from a tough mission and read or watch people complaining about insignificant 1st world problems. That's a great attitude to have mate, hope the mountains give you plenty more soul enriching experiences and memories.

Couldn't agree more, it's no joke in the mountains! it's a classic case of, if you know you know because those that have never been pushed by mother nature will have no clue as to how brutal it can be. Awesome stuff mate, enjoy those hills!!