DEER-STALKING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3398, 30 April 1919, Page 38

DEER-STALKING.

RAKAIA GORGE AND NORTH OTAGO RESULTS.

The heavy snowstorm last winter had a. detrimental effect upon tho horn growth »f the stags in the Rakaia Gorge herd, jlevar since the herd was opened to stalkers nave the heads been so deficient in growth. of the stalkers have now returned ys the Christohuroh Press), having had a weather, though there -were three falls Of snow oil the high country since April 1. A party from Master ton, Messrs V. E. JDonald. 11. Bennett, and R. Kibblewhite, Who had the blocks from Manuka Point to ftotara Point, obtained eight heads between iHiem, and saw a lafge number of stags Ivith small heads, some of -which no doubt will improve with age, but others are apparently not likely to make shootable iVophies. Mr Bennett shot two ten-pointers, bne a long and nawow head, well shaped, but missing the bay tines. Mr Donald's bag was a-16-pointer and two 13's. The 16txjinter is a large irregular shaped head, ono porn having a largo nock formation of tha .Wapiti type. This stag had evidently -wintered on the West Coast side of tho main tyango. Mr Kibblewhite obtained two ll's Jtod a 10-poiriter. Messrs Nita Bros., also Masterton, saw nothing but one 11-

pointer worth shooting on their blocks. Mr George Andrew (Marlborough) scoured a royal near Gfenthorne. Mr George Gerard's best head is reported to be a splendid royal, and Mr W. Logan got an exceptionally fine 10-pointer. Messrs Archer and; Harrison filled their licenses at the head of the R-akaia, ranging from royals to 14pointers. Mr George Sutherland shot a 13-pointer, and Messrs Urquhart and Jessop a royal. Mr J. Forbes has returned from his dearstalking trip to South Westland, and has brought back with him a magnificent 14point head, 46 inches in length, 43 inches in outside spread, and 36 inches in inside measurement, and as§ inch beam. The head has a splendid set of lower tines, and the only faulf is that there are five points on on 9 top and three oh the other. There -were 28 stalkers in the Hunter Valley, but the heads obtained were mostly very light, the deer having had a very hard winter and late spring. One of the best heads reported was a royal, shot by Mr W. M'Bride, in Cameron's Creek, having a length of 41 inches apd a spread of 36 inches.