NORTH OTAGO DEER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 58

NORTH OTAGO DEER.

{Fbom Otjb. Owk Cobsjbsfostojht.) OHRIBTCHUROH, March 2. "in reference to the statement made by jMr R. Qhisholm, chairman of the council fif the Otago Acclimatisation Society, rewarding stag 6 with malformed heads among whe deer in the North Otago herd, Mr E. ilardcastle, of Christchurcb, writes in the

Christchurch Press that h* Is of opinion that the men who are now endeavouring to cull them out are not likely to see anything like the whole number of them, for the reason that many will be away in the distant summer haunts of the stags, where it would be practically impossible to find them. Mr Chisholm's statements in regard to the Hunter and Dingle are somewhat misleading, as it is well known to stalkers that as yet there are very few malforms in the Hunter, and it was only last year that six were seen in the Dingle, and four of these were shot. It was through anxiety tp see these two fine stalking grounds kept clear of malforms that stalkers were desirous of having them shot out on the country lying to the south-east of the Lower Dingle and .east of Lake Hawea. It is here, and not in the Hunter and Dingle, that the malforms exist, and where Mr J. H. King, of Pembroke, Lake Wanaka, and Mr H. F. Wallace, have reported them to be so numerous. , Mr Hardcastle is of opinion that too many men have been sent out to shoot the malforms. Including Mr Turnbull, a member of the Council of the Otago Society, and Mr Leathern, the well-known English stalker, there are five men on the ground, whereas two good men who thoroughly know the country would have been quite sufficient to make the test of culling the herd. According to a private letter received by Mr Hardcastle, there ia strong feeling' at Lake Hawea in regard to the way the society has set about this work. One of the men. put on to shoot malforms was engaged by the Waitaki Society. Mr H&rdoastle also thinks that the most difficult problem to face is the faot that the malformed 1 heads being hereditary the noxious strain must now be in many of the- hinds. Any stook-breeder knows the diffioultv of getting rid of hereditary defects, even by severe culling. The report of Mr Turnbull will, however, be looked to with considerable interest, as it will be the result of the . observations of stalkers who will later on be shooting- over the same ground.