MORE ABOUT DEER.

Southland Times, Issue 22076, 25 July 1933, Page 9

MORE ABOUT DEER.

To the Editor.

Sir,—Having read letters in your columns about damage done by deer I’m in favour of backing up “Hunter in his defence for the deer even if it is against odds. I’ve wandered through bush where deer have been ever since I was a boy and perhaps long, before; and the damage I have seen isn t worth making a song about. “Colt” starts talking about a pinus insignus plantation where odd trees have been killed. It is the same in the bush to a cer-

tain extent, but I’ve only seen a few Celery Pines killed. The deer like them to get the velvet off, the bark being kind of sticky and it is just as necessary for them to do those things as. it is for human beings to get their hair cut. As for the deer being bigger pests than hares or rabbits as stated by “Colt,” well, I guess he is all wrong because I’ve seen acres of swedes ruined by hares and some farms eaten out with rabbits, and perhaps if “Colt” tries hard enough he’ll get enough .303’s to smoke ’em out like the Rabbit Boards did to the rabbits with their fumigators. —I am, etc., “SAVAGE.” To the Editor. Sir,—We have in last Thursday’s Times (20th) another blazed trail story by “.303” and he surely is using Mark VII stuff. lam grateful to him for setting me right about “Celery Pines.” Phyllocladus Alpinus he names them; but any bushman refers to them as Celery Pine. Anyhow, a tree with a name like that deserves to be barked. “.303” speaks of pines of millable size freshly barked. I would not be a bit surprised seeing the example he has set the deer, with his axe blazing trails. Last January I spent three weeks at and around Lake Hauroko and from above Oblong Mountain to the Hump I never saw a tree barked except the “Celery Pines.” And there is a forest of R. Pines there that would make a s' wmiller weep (with envy), yet they have escaped the barking process. This in the direct line of the deer drift too. If they eat the young birches so readily, why did the track into Hauroko have to be cleared last year? It was overgrown with young birches from 12 inches to 12 feet high. I was over it 12 months before it was cleared and I never saw one young tree eaten off. Yet the deer were there in hundreds. “.303” might do well to let the deer have the snow grass, even if they do eat it down short. I do not know how easy it is to follow a blazed trail as 1 never made one, or used a compass either. If “.303” would leave the “blazed trails” for a while and go right into the forest on to fresh ground he would widen his knowledge quite some. I intend shortly to have something to say on forest growth which may let the deer out a little. In the meantime I would suggest to “.303” that he keep away from that Athenaeum for a while. A few more words like those he used for the “Celery Pine” and he will have the printing press go out of action.—l am, etc., “HUNTER.” P.S.: A .303 “is” usually accurate but in this case I am afraid a new barrel is badly needed. To the Editor. Sir, —I have closely followed the pros and cons of the “deer argument” appearing in your columns at various dates and after reading Mr Trail’s report I have arrived at the conclusion that there is much ado about nothing, the alleged damage being but a matter of values and as the under scrub has no value except as deer fodder its removal is no loss. Several years ago 1 made one visit to Manapouri and Hope Arm and must confess that the only damage I noticed was done with the axe in the vicinity of the. camp—this is excusable as firewood is a necessity; but I also noticed that at several spots by the lake kowhais had been sawn for posts and removed. Now kowhai leaves are one of the chief foods of the native pigeon and they should not be destroyed. Perhaps as “.303” has more knowledge . of this locality he may know something about it and pass the information on to the State Forestry Department. After all, Mr Editor, we are a very disinterested crowd. Mr Tapper wants protection for stalking, the Native Birds Protection Society is after the cash, Mr. Trail wants venison for his fishermen, “Hunter” wants hunting, “.303” wants a job as official deer slayer and I want FAIR PLAY.