DEER-STALKERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15210, 22 January 1910, Page 5

DEER-STALKERS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lt is seldom worth while taking any notice of petty, personal attacks, but there are reflections upon others besides myself in “ Senex V’ letter m your issue of to-day, and his effusion is altogether so misleading as to necessitate a reply. . The statement that the deputation to the Hon D. Buddo asked that the control of the North Otago red deer herd should ho handed over to themselves is so utterly absurd and so contrary to fact, as your readers may see for themselves by looking up tho report of the interview in Tuesday's “Times,” that it may bo dismissed without further comment. As to whether the deputation represents the majority of Canterbury deerstalkers who visit North Otago, “ Senex ” is not in a position to know, because he is evidently not associated with our many friends who make the trip. However, it is immaterial whether we represent other ideas than our own. Tho question is whether we are right or not. We have seen under the mismanagement of the Otago Acclimatisation Society the splendid herd of fallow deer at Tapanui practically ruined through over-stocking and want of culling. Now there is a demand from local stalkers for reduction of numbers, the introduction of new blood, and the closing of the ground for at least two seasons, but so far there is no sign that this demand will be acceded to.

The Otago Acclimatisation Society have been receiving over £2OO a year in revenue from their herd, blit this, like the revenue from the red deer lias gone to the maintenance of trout fishing. In North Otago about one-third of the red deer forest, holding nearly one-half of the deer is useless for stalking on account of the deterioration of the deer through orer-stocking and shortness of feed, and it is here that malformation of stags’ heads has increased to an alarming extent; that these inferior deer are spreading on to tho good grounds; and that the old stalking grounds are decreasing far more rapidly than tho new grounds are increasing. The Otago Society has so far not attacked the position as the practical men at Home as well as ourselves have urged, and the Waitaki Society will do nothing. One-half of the latter Society’s ground is done for stalking, though less than ten years ago it provided for as many stalkers as the whole of their ground now does. Our own favourite ground, Tho Dingle (within the Otago Society’s district), though it now takes as many as eleven stalkers, is becoming overstocked with deer, and in a year or two, if nothing is done, may bo added to l the abandoned countrv.

In the face of these facts, and T challenge “ Senex ” to dispute them, does it matter two straws whether we represent the Canterbury doer stalkers or not? So far as North Otago is concerned, the first step is to get the herd under one management, so that there can be uniform action, the two societies having only a nominal boundary between them, which the deer do not respect. The Bocond is that the doer stalkers shnll have a say in tho management of their sport and in the expenditure of the funds they provide. I recommend “ Senex ” to read again the report of the interview with the Hon Mr Buddo.

“Senex’s” memory does not servo him correctly. Dr Morton Anderson did not write upon the subject of shooting malforms until after others had brought the matter before the ,public.

It took ns ten months’ hard battling to get the Otago Acclimatisation Society to test their ground for the presence of malforins, because our information was scouted: and it took us eighteen months to convince them that there was such a tiling as a malform, and that, the deformed heads were not merely the result of accident. Though the deer are increasing annually by thousands, it lias taken us three years to get less than 1000 shot. The value of mere experience in acclimatisation matters as a qualification for the management of a deer herd is discounted by the fact that the Otago Society, including present prominent membors of it, liave had charge of their herd for forty years, and yet it has been left to outsiders like my friends and myself to show how utterly unsatisfactory their management has been. To blame me for tho failure of the Canterbury Society’s ranger to capture deer calves at Longslip last year is pretty rich, and tho statement, supposed to be based upon that of “ tho few inhabitants,” that practically no hinds breed there, is totally inaccurate. Mr Moorliouse, of tho Tourist Department, kindly gave the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society full information as to the method of capturing deer calves and where to find them, based m>on his experience in the Wairarapa. But the conditions in Otago are totally different. The ranger spent a week or two searching for calving hinde, as directed, and then sent word to the Society that he could not find them. The Societv thereupon recalled him. Before this advice reached him, however, he found that the hinds were calving in the river-bed and other low ground where there was cover, instead of on tho hills, as in the Wairarapa. The ranger had lost so much valuable time, as the main calving lasts only about a fortnight, and receiving his recall, he returned to Christchurch. He had captured three calves, two of which, however, were stags, and tho Society only wanted hinds. When one of the prominent members of tho Society heard the ranger’s report he was for sending him back again. But of course it was then too late, as to he taken and reared successfully, the calves must bo found as soon as possible after they are horn and before they have run with their mothers. Unfortunately for the ranger; the man in charge of Longslip at the time was new to the district, and could, therefore, give no information as to where the hinds calved.

Now, this is quite a different story from what “Senex” would infer, and I again challenge him to question the truth of it. If there is no argument against our ideas about managing the deer herds, I do not see what good is going to be accomplished by abuse and misrepresentation. I am sorry I have trespassed so much upon your valuable space, but perhaps the facts that I have given may be of some interest to your readers.—l am, etc.,

E. HABDCASTLE, Christchurch, January 21.