DEER STALKING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 15

DEER STALKING

THE SPORT IN NEW ZEALAND.

• An interesting address upon deer-stalk-ing . was ■ delivered at yesterday's Eotary Club luncheon by Itotarian George Cooper. ■. '. . .

The speaker-said '-that'as far as could be traced, the first deer imported to New Zealand were two hinds and a stag, landed at Nelson in-'February, 1861. These were, sent as a gift, from Lord Petre (Essex). The founders of the Wairarapa herd came from Prince Albert's herd at Windsor Park in 1862. The Otago herd were of the true Scottish'type, seven head from Lord Dalhousie's ■'forest in Forfarshire having been liberated at Morven Hills in 1870. To-day New Zealand stood almost in the premier position of tlie ■world, as a deer stalker's paradise. Tile herds were constantly undergoing a state of change or migration, and it was an almost in variable rule that the newest ground carried the best heads. Although some of the. older forests iii the Dominion were going back, new grounds were coming- on such as those in Westland and the Lakes Districts. In the British -; Isles deer-stalking was regarded as essentially a woalthy man's sport, and the jWelfareof a herd was sometimes of little importance to' the newly-rich lessee, ■who did his best to shoot off all the good heads. It was beyond doubt that the herds in Scotland had deteriorated during the past two centuries. In many parts'of New Zealand the deer had increased so quickly that they were rapidly, overtaking the food supply, and for the good of the herds they should be heavily culled. Sportsmen should ■be asked to shoot such animals as threatened to spoil the herds. • The actual stalking, said Mr. .Cooper, ■was- a most fascinating pastime, and might be likened to an open-air game of chess—the sportsman pitting his stamina and his knowledge of the animals' habits against the deer's keen ej-esight, wonderful sense of smell; and sagacity. He went on to refer.to habits of the quarry, typical incidents of the chase, breeding,. etc. .New Zealand, he proceeded, had prpduceri ./'wonderfully fine - -herds, and he. thought the collection sent to the British. Empire Exhibition would cause a sensation in sporting circles at Home, and attract sportsmen from allover the world to the Dominion to try their luck. For years'he had marvelled at the absurdly low license fees charged in New Zealand. Most of our tourist visitors were wealthy, and would think notlung.of paying £20 or £50 more. Even with this fee and the passage money and expenses added they would be getting by far the'best deor-iUlking a^Uio least coal in the World.