BULL MOOSE SHOT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 94, 4 April 1934, Page 8

BULL MOOSE SHOT

Second Dominion Head ARDUOUS BUSH STALKING The second bull moose head to be secured in New Zealand was brought back to Invercargill on Monday by Mr E. J. Herrick, of Hastings, who has just spent three weeks on a stalking expedition into the country, much of which has never been explored, at the bead of Dusky Sound. In April, 1929, this well-known sportsman won the distinction of shooting the first bull moose in the same block, the head on that occasion weighing 951 b. In the present case the head weighs 801 b, but from the point of view of palmation, the stalker considers it a much superior specimen to the earlier head. The antlers have a spread of 36in., and carry 13 points. Considerable difficulty was experienced in bringing the head out of the dense bush country, but by dint of determined efforts on the part of Mr Herrick and Mr J. Mair, his guide, this was accomplished. This i s the fourth moose hipiting trip undertaken by Mr Herrick. Some three weeks ago, after a delay at Stewart Island waiting for favourable weather, he and Mr Mair were conveyed by Mr W, Thomson in his launch Pegasus to Dusky Sound. A large tent for the base camp, smaller tents for the flying camps and a bulky store of provisions had also to be transported. Rice and bacon were the staple standby, while red deer were drawn upon considerably for the commissariat, although the heads generally proved of very poor type.

VERY DIFFICULT TASK. With such a huge area of practically unknown ground to work the sportsmen were faced with a very difficult task in trying to track down the moose, for the latter never congregate in herds, but travel either alone or in pairs. Mr Herrick considers the moose to be infinitely more intelligent and alert than the deer, and its sense of sight, hearing, and smell are very acute, while the density of the bush assists them very much. One could be within 10 yards of a beast, and yet be unable to shoot him on account of thick undergrowth. The first day was spent in exploring a. track up the hush on the east side of the Seafork River, but nothing showed up. The following morning, taking a dinghy left by Mr Thomson, they crossed the riven. Two hours were employed in felling a couple of large birch trees to construct a temporary bridge. Re-crossing the river with packs up they followed the east track again for some six miles, where a flying camp was established. En route Mr Herrick spied a moose through the trees, but it was away before he could raise his ride. However, the tracks were clearly those of moose. On the stalkers’ way to Loch Marie the animals could be heard from the flats, but were never sighted.

AFTER MANY ADVENTURES. After many adventures in the eastern Seafork Valley the party reconditioned at the base camp and they made off up a western valley to the edge of the bush. They next explored another valley. This time the stalkers were accompanied by Mr Thomson, who had returned from a visit to Preservation Inlet. After hunting around they heard a noise in the bush and surmised that they had disturbed a moose. This proved to be the case. - When they heard the animal approaching they squatted down. “Snorting and grunting he came mure or less toward us,” sard Mr Herrick, “and was obviously trying to 'wind us. 1 took aim and dropped him. The moose was in fair condition and we skinned him then and there, and with head and skin began our trek to our base.” Mr Herrick said that the task proved a formidable one. Each member of the party on no fewer than three occasions had to be lowered by rope over precipitous faces, and they feared they would have to leave the head behind them. “Mair was undaunted,” said Mr Herrick, “and would not give in, carrying the head alone, a really fine feat of endurance.”