NEW ZEALAND DEER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 413, 3 November 1930, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND DEER

SOUTH ISLAND SHOOTING ENGLISHMAN’S EXPERIENCES LONDON, Sept. 19. Blackwood's Magazine for {September contains a brightly-written article by Lord l.atymer, who, v.ith Lady Laty iner, arrived in New Zealand last February, had a very good time fishing in Lake Taupo and the Tongariro River, and then migrated in March to the South Island to be in plenty of time for the stags. They made their base at Makarora. at the head of Lak Wanaka. They covered an immense tract of country during their stay ami they hope to go back to New Zealand at no very distant date, “if we can save enough from the wreck which the Socialists are so busily producing," t" try and find a “super" head. Lord Latymcr remarks: —“One of the questions we were often asked on our return to civilisation was, how does the Westland stalking compare with Scotch stalking? The answer is not easy to give, as tho two things differ so much. If comparison must be made, there is no doubt that the Scotch deer arc more difficult to approach. On the other hand, the preliminary difficulties, apart from the actual stalk, are much greater in Westland, which is a rougher and wilder country than any part of Scotland with which I am acquainted. Stalking above the bush is not dissi niilar from stalking on one of the L‘ est and wildest of the Scotch forests. The stalking on the various river fiats is a thing of its own, and comparable with nothing I have done before." Referring to the controversy which has lately raged in the Dominion on the question whether the deer are damaging the forest, the writer comments:—“l am told that certain person;- interested in forestry have calculated that there are two million deer in the South Island alone, and fear total destruction for the forests. How they arrive at their heroic total I know not, but, they may sleep quietly in their beds so far as the Landsborough country is co--corned. Here and there you will find well-marked deer tracks in the bush, mostly running up the hill, ami the young trees for 20 or 30 yards on either side have suffered some hurt. But these tracks are not easy to find, and you may traverse for miles along the hillside, if you can force your way through the dense thicket, without coming across one.

“Another much-debated point is why really first-class heads—George’s ‘super ’ heads—have lately become so scarce in ‘Westland- Some people aver that there are none left, owing to overcrowding, in-breeding, shortage of food supply, and so on- Others, with whom I am inclined to Agree, argue that ‘super' heads have always been few and far between, and point to the unusual cold of the last, two or three winters and springs as the main reason why no very good heads have been killed for a season or Iwo. Of overcrowding or shortage of food supply there are no visible signs whatever. As to inbreeding. there are no wire fences in Westland, and stags wander enormous distances in autumn when tho mating fit is on them. It seems an unlikely theory to me. ami I believe that any season in which the spring grass is not killed by unusual frosts will produce its quota of ‘super’ heads.’’