AXIS STAG SHOT IN DUSKY SOUND AREA

Grey River Argus, 10 May 1948, Page 7

AXIS STAG SHOT IN DUSKY SOUND AREA

INVERCARGILL, May 5. Bringing with them the head of an Axis stag, thought to be the first ever shot in the area, Mr K. W. Dalrymple, game hunter, of Bulls, and "Mr H. Odey, of Tauranga. returned to the Bluff from a stalking expedition in the Dusky Sound area. Axis deer from India were liberated in that area by the Government Tourist Department in 1908, and, although there have been many stalking expeditions since then, this is the first occasion that, a kill has been reported. The stag fell to the rifle of Mr Dalrymple, and will be added to his famtous collection. Actually onKy the one shot was fired during the whole expedition. There were plenty of Axis deer tracks, fresh and old. but the stalkers did not see many deer. The first day they saw two, but lost them. The second day they did not see any. The third day Mr Dalrymple shot the stag, and the fourth day no deer was sighted. The stalkers also saw a couple of moose tracks, but they did not sight any moose. According to Mr Dalrymple, the tracks were quite frash. Havingstalked moose before, Mr Dalrymple did not seem surprised that they had not sighted any on this occasion. “He is a cunning old dog, the moose,” he said, “and if you can catch up on him you are pretty good.” Moose were liberated in the Dusky Sound area by the New Zealand Government in 1910 and, though they were believed to have been decreasing, it has been estimated that, there are still between 30 and 40 head in the area. .