GOAT SHOOTING NEAR STEWART ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 29 (Supplement)

GOAT SHOOTING NEAR STEWART ISLAND.

Wild goats are fairly plentiful at Earnest Island, on the west coast of Stewart Island. A party of eight of us

\ ieited the locality to have a good time and combine all available sport with the pleasure of exploring the many picturesque spots for which Stewart Island ie renowned. Halfmoon Bay was reached by steamer from the Bluff after a pleasant two hours' run. Our luggage and camp equipment, etc., were transferred to a cutter, which conveyed us to Te Ringa Ringa. where the first night's camp was pitched. The following morning caw us early astir shifting our traps to the whaleboat and dingey, which were used for the trip to the head of Paterson'e Inlet. Favoured with a fair easterly breeze, we had a delightful run to Oyster Cove, where it had been decided to pitch tent and anchor the boats. Next morning we climbed to the top of Mount Rakeahua, 2217 ft. high. The view was 6imply magnificent. During our stay of two dayß at Oyster Cove we succeeded in getting splendid bags of wild ducks. We paddled several miles up the Rakeahua River, and were well repaid by the beautiful soenery met with. Breaking camp, we pushed on for Freshwater River, where a wooden hut was found, forming a fine base for our starting point for the tramp to the goat country. Shouldering packs and rifles, wo started out on the track for Mason's Bay, a distance of about 20 miles. The going was decidedly heavy owing to the swampy nature of the ground, and we took nearly seven hours to reach a place called Kifbride.

Earnest Island is separated from the mainland by a channel about 100 yards in width, through which the tide runs very rapidly. We were fortunate enough to fall in with the Thompson brothers, who ha\ o a cattle run at Mason's, and from them we borrowed a small and very leaky punt in which we made the passage to Earnest Island, which comprises about 300 acre 1*?1 *? of the roughest land it is possible to imagine, chiefly covered with mutton bird scrub from six to eight feet in height. So dense was the scrub that the party had to crawl on their hands and knees and make use of the tracks formed by

the go.it^,. In pursuit of these animals our clothes wero bimplj torn in shreds. Reaching a t-mall opening, wo caught first night of our "' quarry "" feeding on one of tho few grassy slopes on the island. Ta,kmg advantage of wind end cover, we sta-lkod to within 100 yard 6, when the goats .showing signs of uneasiness, we opened lire, the first volley from the four iiil-cs accounting for three fine animals. Onco alarmed, the goats made off at a. great pace, but by separating we were enabled to head them off, and before i fituill} losing the mob we had accounted I for 19. The chase proved extremely ex- [ citing, for the going was rough and dan- ! gerous, and in places a blip would mean a sheer drop of hundreds of feet into tho *ja. The task of collecting the bag proved very arduous, and by the time it was completed we were all fairly exhausted. That evening we had a dainty dish of roast kid, which everyone \otcd first class. We thoroughly enjoyed the ei>ort while in the inland, but found it rather strenuous. To be successful it is necessary to do some careful stalking, as the slightest noise made in pushing one's way through the thick ecrub causes the goat* to cock up their oars and scamper away. There is, however, some good 6port to be obtained, as tho goats are plentiful and the skins and horns make fine trophies. Should anyone wish to make this trip to Earnest Island they are recommended to provide themselves with the lightest but toughest of wearing material. All necessary information for a trip of this kind can be readily obtained at Half moon Bay, Stewart Island