HeliSika - Gold Creek. Yeah or nah?
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Hunting
Forum Name: General hunting topics
Forum Description: Anything hunting related here...
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=124901
Printed Date: 30 Jul 2026 at 12:58am
Topic: HeliSika - Gold Creek. Yeah or nah?
Posted By: smudge
Subject: HeliSika - Gold Creek. Yeah or nah?
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2017 at 8:37pm
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I've done a little shooting with 5 fallow through my freezer. A couple of hunting/fishing mates have asked me to join them on a HeliSika trip to Gold Creek. I only own a .303 which I have nailed a deer with at around 100m on iron sights. I'm not in their league when it comes to shooting and they will most likely be carrying 300 Win Mags although I reckon my mate will defer to his 7mm Rem Mag. I've shot fallow on 7mm08 (my favourite), the forementioned 7mmRM, 0.223, 0.222 & my own WW1 survivor I don't know zip about shooting sika but I understand they are a very sought after beastie. I now have a scope on my old rifle and can hit things at reasonable distances. My mates have plenty of fire power and I know I can cadge a modern rifle off them but it would be very cool to take my own rifle. Any advice for Sika in November? It's partly open tussock which sounds like a long distance shoot and to be honest I would be happy to walk the whole three days without a shot. I would of course be happier to bring something home. This is my rifle now with a stock I bought from Reloader Supplies (thanks Nirai), a budget scope and rings.  And this is what it can do at 55m with Winchester 180g rounds. I prefer 150g but 180g was all I could get at the time.  Is my rifle up to it? Any advice welcomed! ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Replies:
Posted By: matto1234
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2017 at 2:21pm
| Id look at a couple different brands of ammo as that grouping isnt that good and it might be capable of better. practice at 100m and then go for 200. And then stretch it out if you are comfortable. Sika are only little deer and i wouldnt go for long shots without being very confident in my opinion. |
Posted By: yeahbuoy!
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2017 at 2:53pm
| Concentrate on the bush and stalk it slow, like really slow. Sit and watch good areas if you have the wind right. They will stalk you so don't forget to look behind yourself as well as quite often they double back to catch your wind. They are awesome fun to hunt |
Posted By: kitno
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2017 at 3:27pm
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Any of those caliber's should knock a sika on its butt. I use a .243 ruger myself. I prefer to sit and watch over regenerating young beech forest. Look for sign and get a vantage point over it. As mentioned above, they will stalk you! Another option is to stalk the bush line where it meets the open tussock. A small wind chime hanging in a tree can be used as an attractant. They are a classic case of Curiosity Killed the Cat. P.S Helisika 
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Posted By: feeder
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2017 at 5:19pm
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Good luck, just tune up your three o a bit and you will be fine. Cheers ------------- The only bar to frequent is the Kawhia Bar |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2017 at 6:13pm
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Thanks for the replies. The first two shots were the closest. I know I screwed up the shot that was too high but will do some longer range and try some 150's. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: JohnnyR
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2017 at 9:12pm
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Your best chance at Gold Creek will be the bush edges. There are big open areas there so take binos and spend a lot of time looking. I've found that just before dark is the best time to locate them. If you can't get to them in time, go back first thing in the morning. They will probably still be in the same general area and move back into cover as the sun rises.
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Posted By: edge01
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2017 at 8:16pm
| more deer would have been shot in nz with a .303 than any other calibre. get your scope zeroed properly and fire some rounds. see how it groups and holds it zero. .303 is plenty of gun for sika. |
Posted By: Shanedog
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2017 at 10:43pm
| Double check your scope mounts are tight mate. Should be grouping better than that. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2017 at 12:04am
Yeah I still have some work to do. Most of it is me. I know a guy with a 100m range and a bench will blast through a few rounds. Most of the problem will be me, I haven't really fired it in a controlled environment for a couple of years. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Shanedog wrote:Posted By: Shanedog
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2017 at 9:04pm
| I like to use earmuffs when sighting in a cannon, it allows me to concentrate on shooting straight rather than waiting for that almighty boom. |
Posted By: letsgetem
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 5:33pm
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I don't know Gold Creek but if its got open country, a long range shot could be needed, say 200-300m. I suggest a closer grouping would be desirable. It appears its out to the right of centre, so needs to be adjusted back to the left.Im used to zeroing approx. 40mm high at 100m. - that means its about dead on at 200m, And 100mm low at 300m. That group looks like its slightly high at 55m, which should mean roughly about 30-40mm high at 100m, which looks ok to me. But I would check that by firing a group at 100m. By the way, I agree with the comment on using ear protection. It took just ONE shot for my hearing to be buggered, for good!
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Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2017 at 7:12pm
Good advice there LGEM & others. I fired of a few rounds at 100m on a bench with sand bags and stuff. I was getting 2 inch groups which I figure is ok for a rifle the age of mine. It was shooting right by one to two inches so I got that sorted and I'm pretty confident with my rifle now.My mates are taking a 300wWinMag and a 7mm RemMag so they will be fine for any long shots. I'll need to get close. I figure 200m is about my upper limit. We are going to the Oamaru hut now. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Tagit
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2017 at 12:06pm
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I used to camp on the Kaipo and hunt the benches on the main track side then do a big day trip over the top of the ridge and down Jap Creek when the wind was blowing that way. Come out on the Oamaru just before dark to work the bush edge and then follow the walking tracks back to camp with a torch. Only thing is that there are some pretty big bluffs on top of the ridge between the Kaipo and Jap Creek so if you get into them best to drop back down and try a different route. If you want to do an overnight fly camp I would follow the Kaipo river through to the saddle that drops over into the headwaters of the Taupo Tauranga river. We used to hunt that side out of Cascade and Wharepikau huts and fly camp from them up into that saddle area. Nice hunting but a decent carry from home.
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Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2017 at 6:24pm
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We already have a trip booked Tagit. Where are staying in Oamaru hut on the private block. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |