LAND AND WATER

Otago Witness, Issue 2513, 14 May 1902, Page 54

LAND AND WATER

A party of two guns iv the (Ji=bnrne district, on the Ist inst., secured 150 ducks in five hours. Officers of the Tourist Department last week captured a number of Paradise ducks at Lake Tekapo. They are to be distributed in suitable localities over the North Island. An International Fisheries Exhibition is to be held at Vienna in September next. A purse containing 5s 6d was left at the Magistrate's Court office on Wednesday. Six red deer liave been liberated in the upper valley of the Pomahaka. At present the lower reaches of the Otaio River which have (says tho Timaru Herald) a good drop of water in them, are teeming with young trout, which -should do well this winter. A farmer ne«r by says that he has never seen the river so well stocked as it is just now. Unfortunately the Otaio runs almost dry in summer, and the destruction of fish is then considerable. "Jcck Scott" has to acknowledge, with thanks, the following communication from ] one of his contributors: — "I know the angling column, is closed for this season, but at the Eaine time I feel that I must let you know a little about my trip up the Hawea Lake, at the close of the season. The last week of the fit-hing season I drove up the Hawea Lake as far as the mouth of Timaru Creek, and had a little fishing, but met with poor success, as there was little or no wind, and the water was as clear as crystal, co that when the big trout came after the minnow, or ily, they would see me and turn back. From Timaru Creek I rode up about ten mil€ 3, and the number of trout I saw theTe was simply beyond any one's imagination. As far as the eye could leach, the water ! seemed to be alive with large trout from i about 101b to 301b in weight; go many, in \ fact, were there, that ona had scarcely room jto swim for the others. With, favourable weather it would* be an angler's paradise ; but I was too late in the season, a3 it was frosty at night and bright sunshine through the day. If all goes well, I will try and be there soon after Christmas next year. I took the gun with me, and spent some I very enjoyable days hare-nhooting on the '■ Hawea Flat, and I had very good sport, and I the settlers showed such kind hospitality that I was sorry to come away and leave them. Tho season just passed *haa been the poorest for angling thai I have known, owing to the unsuitable weather, and thin was the simple reason why I did not write to you more often. The poor baskets were not worth writing about. I'm sorry to say that the night poacher?, with the spear, are destroying the i Clutha for angling." DKER-STALKIKG IN CTAGO. RECORD HEADS FOR THE SEASON. Now that the stalking season is coming to a close and the majority of sportsmen have ', returned from the deer country, a few note 3 i regarding the best trophies will be of inter- j «st to many. The finest specimen — a j "royal" — was secured by Mr Harold Hodgkinson, of Longslip, and was shot in a valley overlooking the Hunter River. This specimen measures 46in along the beam and 41in widest span. Those who have seen this trophy declare it to be without doubt tho finest model of a royal stag's head ever shot in New Zealand. Mr Harold Hodgkinsoii also bagged another very heavy " royal " (45in along the beam and 36in span) ; also a 14 and a 13-pointer, both good heads. Mr Con Hodgkinson's bag comes next with a magnificent 14-pointer, 44±in long and 37£ in span. The circumference of the burrs of this head is just under lOin. Hia other three heads — a 13pointer and two " royals " — are also splendid specimens. Mr W. G. Muiiro, of Kurow, waa fortunate in securing a splendid 13pointer, measuring 41in long and 352 in widest span. Altogether this head is a very handsome specimen, all the tines being long and showing plenty of ivory at the points. Mr E. Hardcastle, of Christchurch, bagged four stags, the best being a massive 13-pointer, 41£ in long and 34in widest span. The beam of this hoad is fairly heavy, but most of the growth shows in the tops, which are very long, the brow, bay, and tray tinea being in consequence rather stunted. The next head of note is a 13pointer shot by Mr R. Dick, of Oamam, and xb a. good deal above the average. Mr E. Hodgkinson also secured three good " royals. Mr Leatham, a visitor from England, secured seven heads high up on the Hunter River. Six of these were very good, one of 10 points being a remarkably fine head. He also scoured a 13-pointer with antlers 43in in length and 37in in widest span. Taken as a whole, the number of good heads seen this season is very pleasing, as compared with the growth of antlers last year. By those hardy sportsmen who do aat jaiasL* laJLal tousk xaik. jmhml »allx

splendid stags were secured. - The. imported deer were seen and were in fine condition. The stag sent from Scotland to the Dunedin Acclimatisation Society by Colonai Cradock has 10 points, and, although in good condition, is very fine in build as compared with even the spikers born in the locality. The extra heavy stags are, as may be expected in bush country, very hard to get, the stalker having to be on. his ground at daylight to catch them before they return to the dense timber for the day; and the most difficult places to approach — that is to say, the rough gullies above the timber line — seem to be the favourite haunts of old stags. Out of the 35 heads sent to Mr Harold Hodgkinson for preservation, 17 were " royals " and over, which must be regarded as a very fine average.