FAIR DEER-STALKERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 71, 6 March 1933, Page 5

FAIR DEER-STALKERS

AN EXCITING HOLIDAY. STORMS AND FLOODED RIVERS. Four young women have been up at the Lewis Pass for the last fortnight to prove that deer-stalking is not just a man’s game and, according to the story told by two of them who arrived back on Saturday, they had an exciting holiday, says a Christchurch newspaper. Actually, there was one man in the party, but he did not do all the shooting by any means. Two of the girls started off by walking to the pass right from Hanmer. The party arrived in the Magian Valley, about 10 miles up the pass, on February 14, and that evening the severe electrical storm occurred.

They only had time to put up one tent when the storm came on, and they had a terrible night. The thunder began early in the evening and kept on all night. It would thunder continuously for four or five minutes at a time and the girls began to wonder whether they would come through the night at all. Floods held them up for nearly a week after that, but eventually they were able to go on and they crossed over the pass to Manila Springs. There were many big slips on the hillsides—they heard them coming down on the night of the storm —and they had to use a rope when crossing one slip. The going was rough enough most of the time, but they liked the rugged country and the beautiful bush on the hills.

After reaching Maruia they had to come back in a hurry, for the rivers were rising end they did not want to be held up away from their food supplies. They hud to cross the Lewis river about 25 times, with considerable difficulty at some places. The water was getting higher all the time. ’

They did not have much trouble in bagging about 10 deer, and saw dozens more. They did not secure any good heads, for this would have meant going higher up into the hills and the weather was too wet for that. On one occasion, when they chased a stag into the bush, about 14 other deer camo running out. The girl who was in front called to a companion to shoot, but when she looked round she found the other was holding a camera instead of a .303 rifle. For a good part of the time they lived on venison and camp bread, and they are not at all anxious tc settle down to ordinary meat, again. In spite of the storm they had a great time and they are looking forward to more deerstalking.