54 WILD PIGS KILLED

Taranaki Daily News, 22 January 1935, Page 9

54 WILD PIGS KILLED

THRILLING SPORT HAD

RIFLE DISCARDED FOR KNIFE.

DUEL BETWEEN MAN AND BEAST.

Leaving New Plymouth on Monday or. a pig-hunting excursion in the Pehu district, Messrs. K. Meuli and N. Knofflock returned on Saturday with a bag of 54 snouts to their credit. Of the total only three were shot, the remainder being killed with a knife or slasher after being bailed up by three well-trained and experienced dogs. On the first day out 25 pigs were killed. The scene of action was about 20 miles up Uruti Road, 'the camp being reached on Monday evening by pack horse. Setting out at 3.45 a.m. on Tuesday, Messrs* Knofflock and Meuli traversed the properties of Messrs. V. Larsen and R. Larsen, finally arriving at the Maikaikatea Valley, which is said to be an old Maori clearing. A busy day was spent. On such excursions the rifle is carried only as a means of protection in an emergency. To go pig shooting is a fine sport but to hunt the pig on foot with a knife or finely sharpened slasher is held to make sport a thrilling duel between man and animal. The pair are more or less on even terms and, while there is certainly an element of risk, there is great satisfaction for the huntsman in coming to close quarters with his prey. The success of such an excursion depends entirely on the dogs employed Well-trained good fighting dogs assure success and safety. The method employed by Messrs. Knofflock and Meuli is simple but was nevertheless effective. The three dogs' are sent out after the pigThey catch and hold if possible or force it into some comer or thicket of bush. The huntsman then approaching from behind grabs the pig’s off-side leg and pulls the animal over, the dogs pulling on the animal’s ears facilitating in the operation. With the agility of a wrestler, the hunter swings himself into the best possible position and thrusts the knife home. Utmost care is taken of the dogs and it is only when they are endangered that the rifle is resorted to. Man’s best friend in such duels is the neighbouring trees.

LONG, LIVELY FIGHT.

A lively fight lasting over two hours was participated in by the men on their second excursion when they secured eight snouts. Making their way up Doman’s Valley they sighted a fine two-year-old boar. The dogs were put out and the chase commenced. Time after time it appeared that the dogs, working with all the skill that was theirs, had trapped the animal. However, each time it made its escape as the hunters approached to enter into the contest. Th t end came rather dramatically. Turning bn Mr. Meuli, the boar forced him to scale a nearby fuchsia tree. As the pig rushed by Mr. Meuli wielding his slasher with skill laid open the animal’s back. Despite its severe injury, such was the strength of the animal that it ran threequarters of a mile before being trapped on a ridge. It still showed fight and, approaching from above, the huntsman had to take every precaution before he could secure his kill. The boar was not very large but was apparently an experienced and furious fighter. Visiting Mr. V. Larsen’s property ori Thursday, the pair killed seven pigs and the following day, after crossing from the Maikaikatea Valley to Blackberry Point on Mr. A. Larsen’s property, ten more were secured, bringing the total for four days’ hunting to 50. As the pair made' their way into Uruti on Saturday four more fell a prey to their skill. ■'

INCREASING MENACE.

The increasing menace of wild pigs in the back country has long been a bone of contention with backblock land owners, who in many cases affirm that the pigs have increased considerably since the Is a snout bounty was removed some two or three years ago. Some years ago Mr. V. Larsen receive! a. 5 per cent, return from his lambing season. He thereupon spent severe, months in the bush exterminating pigs with the result that his return for the following year reached 95 per cent. However, an increase in pigs has been noticeable during more recent years and last lambing season Mr. Larsen lost more than 150 lambs, while Mr. R. Larsen experienced a loss of more than 100 lambs The pigs attack the newly-born, weak lambs in the early morning and sometimes as many as 15 have been killed.. Commenting on the number of pigs seen, Mr. Meuli said there could be no doubt that there had been a considerable increase during the last few yeais. The peculiar fact was that the white ana black and white animals were in perfect condition and were suitable for mea.. They had not secured one pair of worthwhile tusks on the trip. “Hunting parties would be more than welcome,” said Mr. Knofflock. As long as people behaved themselves and did not go skylarking with guns in the bush the farmers would always welcome them. Apart from providing townspeople with a thrilling sport such outings would prove helpful to the unfortunate farme r , whose operations were seriously menaced.