DEER-STALKING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13637, 5 July 1906, Page 8

DEER-STALKING.

TO THE yiilTOK. Sm.—ln your issue of June 2 you published a, letter from Mr Bertram Armjtage to the' Otago Acclimatisation Society, in which be otters the fruits of bis (leer-stalk-ing experiences for the edification of that body. As one of tho guides of the Hawea district I would, with your permission, offer a few comments (hereon.

Tho absurdity of his deductions regarding tlio deer forest is only equalled by his ignorance of its possibilities. During tho two seasons lie was here he confined his cxerlions to tho easy district. It would take a trained athleto two months to go over tho country which carries good heads, and I would ask you, Sir, what could anyono know about tho forest as a wholo who spent tho greater part of his three weeks' season in camp?

i By what criterion does Mr Armytagc judgo tho capabilities or conscientiousness of our present ranger? Tho latter is known all over the country hero as a man who knows his work and does it faithfully and impartially. Tlicro are only six first-class guides here. Mr Armytago was fortunate in securing the services of one last, year and this year. Ho lias probably not oven seen any of the other five. And still he has tho temerity to insinuate a nasty innuendo against tho whole class.

I'maintain lliafc there are hotter heads in the forest now than have ever been taken out of it. Tho real extent o? the ground which hold? the good heads is known to a few only of tho guides; tho part known to visiting sportsmen covers a, comparatively small area.

Mr Armytage sneers at "artificial sport" .T)d at the tracks so wisely provided hy the Government. His ignorance hero is so gross that we guides feel constrained to pity the hardihood with which lie airs his views. He infers that the tracks aro for stalking the deer, whereas their main objeet is to provide a way of transport for provisions, etc., only. What does ho know of the country at the head of the Makarora, the Xandsbcrough, the Clark, or the Wills? Did ho ever hear of them? I know there are stags up there so old that tho heads are going back; there aio splendid herds ami plenty of feed to support them.

His statement that the last four deer Bent up did not fulfil the purpose required, I contradict flatly. Two of the deer made for the herd the next day; tho other two joined the herd in a few months' time. Only recently they were sighted, and are doinc; splendidly. I can prove what I say. Deer-stalking in New Zealand, as any practical hunter knows, is an entirely different pursuit from what it is in any "other country. Mr Armytago recommends that the license fee b'n raised, and that tho proceeds be devotpr] to bringing an expert to the country. Now. Sir. with all due respect to any foreign expert, what could any stran"«r do in such a vast country but enntiive to 10-v himself? It takes years to trot n knowledge of such a hill-country, and I sjinuld think that the local men. in this respect at least, deserve credit for their sound know!cd"o of every nook and cranny in it. Some of them, including the ranger, have 20 years' experience as a warranty of their knowledge.

Tn conclusion. Sir, I would recommend Mr Armytage tn lie surer of liis matter in future before lie averts it as fact. His opinions certainly carry no weight here. Ti is the colonial instinct for sport that, iakes ns guides out here; the monetary consideration, is only secondarv. Gentlemen of Mr Armytatro's calibre find it difficult, to understand that we 30 nut as snides only, and not as dry mirs»s.—T am. etc., James Booklet. Hawca Flat, Ju.lv 2.