THE DEERSTALKING SEASON

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10386, 4 May 1925, Page 4

THE DEERSTALKING SEASON

HERDS REPORTED PLENTIFUL.

RAKAIA GORGE CONDITIONS. Reports regarding the deer-stalking in the back country show that the herds were fairly plentiful in some localities. Mr 'A. Paynter found that in the Rakaia" Gorge the general condition of deer was good. Twenty-four hinds and 12 stage were seen. They were rather scarce, but there was "plenty of feed and he secured a very good head. No culling would be required for many years to come. In the Rakaia- Forest, Mr E. R. Rimmington saw 20 head. It was ideal deer country and there was an abundance of feed. There was not a great deal of deer about, but what there were were of ai good type. They were unfortunate in having musterers on the ground. He proposed that stalkers on the block should be allowed to shoot one week earlier. Mr A. Ball reported that the deerwere chiefly Bor 9 pointers He saw 40 deer in onei day going to the Kakaia moraine. They were specially numerous between Manuka Point and Totara Point. He recommends that the North Canterbury Society should co-operate with the Asflburton. Society in making an effort to wipe out as many deer as possible, as it was difficult to grow crops of any kind on the land. It i» reported by Mr L. B. Stevens that he saw 50 hinds and 30 stags in the district Most of the heads were small and badly malformed. Mr D. Deans, who also shot in the Rakaia district, found that the deer were small and weedy, and Major Hunter Blair reported 4 that the ground was disturbed, but very few deer were seen.