HUNTING THE WAPITI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19958, 29 May 1928, Page 6

HUNTING THE WAPITI.

OTAGO SOUNDS DISTRICT. PARTIES OUT THIS SEASON. ESTABLISHMENT OF HERDS. STERN STALKING CONDITIONS. The wapiti deer provides the finest trophy and the hardest hunting in New Zealand. The home of the herd is the mountainous country of the west coast of Otago, a territory which is so rough that many corners of it have never been explored. The original 18 wapiti, the gift of the late Theodore Roosevelt, were set free at George Sound in 1905, and in this favourable region they have multiplied exceedingly. Only a limited number of shooting licences are issued, applicants being required to ballot for the sole shooting rights over extensive blocks, but in the opinion of the few sportsmen who have penetrated the region, there is no danger of the wapiti being exterminated. One sportsman who spent two months in hunting a block 28 by 30 miles in area for the reward of one head, has related that to reach a clearing in which three wapiti had been seen, ho and his mate had to cross two ridges each 2000 ft. high, and this in country where rain is almost incessant and where sudden storms turn mountain creeks into raging torrents in a few hours. This class of hunting demands great endurance and imposes privations and hardships which, with the ever-pvesent possibility of complete disappointment, exact the highest standards of the sporting code. Spartan Conditions. The best authority oi: this territory is Guide L. MurrelL whose* duty it has been this season to make arrangements for several of the parties which fared forth for wapiti. "This, the largest member of the deer tribe," he remarked in the course of a talk about his experiences, "has the lure of a magnificent trophy, but it it not easily seemed. The hunter must face continuous hard work by mountain, forest, and river that is not without its spice of danger and thrills which will last a lifetime. The climbing alone often requires the most resolute heart and the hunter must forget all ideas of common comfort. In "flying camps" he must be prepared to spend days waiting for storms to pass and ho must live like a Spartan. This year, said the guide, Messrs. Barker Brothers, who had drawn the Caswell Sound block, and Messrs. Nitz Brothers, whose territory was that of George Sound, arrived at Lake Manapouri on March 21 and on the following day crossed to Doubtful Sound by Murroll's tourist track, where they outfitted for two months. Sound the Capes by launch. From this sound it was necessary for Ihem to proceed by launch rouca the stretches of open sea to reach thendestinations. On account of the stormy nature of the open coast it is necessary to wait for a fair day, and on this occasion the launch, a 33ft. auxiliary with a 20 h.p. engine, had to remain for two davs at the head of Thompson Sound for its chance. Then it ran the 15 miles to Caswell Sound in one hour 20 minutes landing Messrs. Barker Brothers, who established a camp and fixed on a stalking programme. The same day, with the wind blowing steadily from the southwest, the launch made the further 15 miles to George Sound, covering the distance in one hour 10 minutes There the second party of hunters established cam]) in a surveyor's hut. Guide Murreii tnen walked across through the bush to Lake Hankinson ana there met Messrs. Thomas, Holmes and Ormiston, Auckland sportsmen who had cone in by Lake Te Anau. This party eventually got three heads after arduous hunting in the Lake Sutherland district. They experienced flood conditions and during tour and a-half day« on the stalking ground, their only food was wapiti meat (which might have been missing) biscuits and water. So difficult was the country and so scattered were the herds that sometimes it was the work of half-a-day to reach the deer after they nad been sighted. Source of Stillwater. From Lake Hankinson Guide Murrell returned to George Sound and then walked across country to Caswell Sound to act as guide with Messrs. Barker. They penetrated to the source of the Stillwater, establishing three camps on the way. The country was thoroughly searched and one head was secured. Returning to George Sound the guide learned that as he had predicted Messrs. Nitz had been unsuccessful. No signs of deer had been seen. Guide MurrelL states that wapiti migrate as food supplies are exhausted and that m the George Sound block the food has been exhausted and will not carry any deer for years to come. Wapiti, he says, ■imply eat their way through the country, a habit which will make the chase more difficult and add to the hazards of sportsmen. „ „ The guide and the George Sound party returned by launch to Caswell Sound and put up at the Barker camp, pending departure. Floods were experienced and four days had to be spent " indoors. There was still, time, however, for another stalk and two heads were secured. Via Deep Cove and Doubtful Sound the sportsmen returned to Manapouri from the wild and beautiful wilderness. The dimensions of one of the heads secured are: Length, 59J, inches; width, 45 inches; points, 15; beam, eight inches, end burr, 14 inches; weight, 341b. There is no doubt that wapiti hunting, when the herd is of safficient size to justify the issue of licences in the ordinary way, will add to the attractions of New Zealand to oversea sportsmen who will relish its difficulties and be glad of the chance of penetrating comparatively unknown country, the scenic charms of which are on the grand scale. In the j.ame district the moose has been introiduced and appears to be thriving.