CHAMOIS HUNTING.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 10884, 10 August 1932, Page 2

CHAMOIS HUNTING.

SPORT IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. A party of six Springburn sportsmen spent the early part of last week by invitation near the headquarters of the Rangitata River chamois hunting, and enjoyed good sport and excellent weather. The party journeyed about six or eight miles beyond the present Erewhon homestead and camped in the old Strongschrubie homestead, a cob and tussock house reinforced by locally hewn timber and built over 60 years agp. Although the party went a little way up the Lawrence River, most of its time was spent (says the Christchurch Times) along the Clyde River and its tributary, the Sinclair. They found chamois fairly numerous in herds of about a dozen. In the spring time they recede further into the ranges. The ones shot, of which several skins were brought home, were in excellent condition. The herds, if any skins are required, have to be manoeuvred by rifle shots out of their rough, inaccessible haunts to areas which are more easy going for the packing out. Rifle bullets striking the rock on any desired side will slew the herd round, and it can then be checked again by a well-plac-ed sh.ot if the new direction is not desirable. In such a manner is the herd driven to a suitable place for procuring trophies, but even the best places are always over 5000 ft in altitude. The ’wonderful agility of the chamois in racing over rough country or leaping from rock to rock greatly interested the party. The winter in thq back country has been good, and many of the small rivers are dry. Where the party was camped keas were plentiful.