ON THE STALK

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 26 (Supplement)

ON THE STALK

The man who first thought of bringing deer to Now Zealand was a benefactor to the human race, and he should be knighted at the very least. In Otago and Wairarapa, by reason of the freer conditions— for there the deer are not confined in parks or placed on moors where they haven't much chance — there is some of the finest red deer stalking in the world, and the Blue Mountains, near Tapanui, offer some splendid fallow deer shooting. In Auckland we have no red deer, but the fallow deer shooting is superb. The deer roam the vast hills and forests of the Ma-ungakawa ranges in the Waikato country in any number, and on the beautiful island of Motutapu. in the Hauraki Gulf, quite close tj> Auckland, there is a herd of a thousand head. Motutapu is private property, but the owner (Mr James Roul) is a most genial sport, noted for his hospitality far and near, and he very frequently grants the prnilege of shooting over his island. At Kawau Island, also in the Gulf, there are fallow deer for the stalking. Cambridge, by rail 101 milos first return 23s 4d. and Okoroire, 131 miles, first return 28e 4d. both by daily train, are the best centres, and both have excellent hotels, charging 6s to 8s per day. Mr Le Roy, of Queen Street, Auckland, will, at a moment' 6 notice, provide all camping-out requisites.

At the first poop of dawn, starting out from the camp and working up to the bier ridge beyond which lies the Bay of Plenty, the air is keen with the nip of frost, but the climb is warming; up, up,

along narrow tracks, half bullock-walks and half water-course, and then skirting round a steep spur, and over there, at the head of the gully, is a burned clearing where the grass is tender. Ten to one there is a herd in there and the wind is right, — 6O pipes out and silence, all creep round the low side of the spur, not a branch must rustle, not a twig must crack, and, lower and lower yet. down into the fern; what does it matter if the vegetation is dripping -with water, down on your hands and knees and crawl as gently as a snake up behind that burned tree, and then, inch by inch, with the stump sheltering you well, bring your eyes up above the level of the spur and do it as gently as you know how. There, across on the gentle rise above the gully stand 6 a splendid stag with two hinds. Now, sight for 500 yards, draw jour rifle up gently, and aim for just behind the fore leg. Bang ! He's down. No ; up again, and going for the big bush spur ; another shot, quick, and you have him, — a beautiful kill, and a 15-pointer with a 25i-inch spread over all.

Sometimes you may have to follow for miles and miles and then lose your stag, but that's all in the game. Numbere of 18-pointers have been shot in the Cambridge and Okoroire district with horns from 25 inches to 30 inches in length and 23 inches to 30i inches in spread over all. The superior food and climatic conditions have resulted in the development of splendid heads, and it must bo remembered the fallow deer is no more a fool than the red; he is just as keen in sight, hearin sr. and scent, and just as careful and -killed stalking, with just the same knowledge of bushcraft. is needed.