Stock repolish.

[ancestor]

The Mountain bit is below. On access to hunting.All of our National parks and most of the bush land is Dept of conservation estate whom administer it all. Unless there is a special reason area to ban Hunters it is all open to hunters by permit, which can be accessed on line and there is no charge. The only change to this is Fiordland during the Wapiti ( Elk) bugling season when it is all cut up into hunting blocks which are drawn by ballot each year. there is great demand from both NZ and overseas hunters for this and it can be the most difficult and dangerous country( subject to blizzards and heavy rains up to 13 meters per year.) to the inexperienced. the Dept maintains huts in a number of forests and are open to hunters, trampers and the like for a token charge. These huts are basic comfortable and with a stove and cut wood and usually 6 to 8 bunks with usually a helicopter landing clearing near by and also often a stream cold enough to chill out meat properly packed and sealed in waterproof plastic bags. Rimfire rifles and shotguns are banned on conservation land without a special permit. I believe in a rifle with stopping power up there as the odds of catching an even heavily wounded animal there is not certain. I have had to put in a stopping shot on several occasions where a small caliber has gone right thru. I always carried my 375 Mag, or a 300 win mag. Today I have the 8mm. There are places in the North Island where much of the terrain is easier and I have hunted Sika, Red and Fallow deer up there. Sika and Fallow I hunted with a 275 (7x57) Mauser using a 175 grain bullet which had plenty of lead showing. Sectional density mod velocity and a good mushroom is the way I think. except the 375 where the reflected hydraulic shock wave just shredded internal organs. There are no bag limits on Deer, Chamois and Tahr but on the last 2 you aren't going to break the bank. Unless you join the super rich and just shoot from a chopper. If you wish me to continue this type of essay I will continue bit by bit otherwise I'll not trouble you . Regards Ancestor

[Mike in tx]

Please keep sending up the stories. It is lovely country.

[versifier]

Wow. Glad I asked. Wasn't kidding when I asked. What about the game? What kind of deer, etc?

[ancestor]

Hi Versifier , Mike, I have already mentioned most of the deer the only might have missed. are Whitetail on Stewart I's just south of this Island. I have watched them eating seaweed on the beach from a boat. I had a 300 Win Mag sitting on a deck chair but seemed like murder some how so never took a shot. There are a few Rusa deer in the central North Is but hard to get at through land ownership and although a large deer are shy and elusive,The only other which comes to mind were some Sambar but I have not heard of any of these deer being shot for a number of years. There are Plenty wild pigs and a few Australian Rock Wallabies but these are mostly eradicated now.One point of note is the Wapiti herd breeding stock was gifted to NZ by one Teddy Roosevelt, one of your presidents.I will try to post a few pics to round off Westland where I live The first being one I have only had posted to me a young lady Student , with a Chamois she shot two points here Typical Alpine hunting for Tahr as well and she uses a 300 win Mag rifle, ie reach out and hit hard,
. The other also not one of mine a magnificent bull Tahr. ancestor on a typical forest track crossing .

[versifier]

Thirty (hell, even twenty) years ago that lady alone would have been enough so I'd buy a plane ticket out of curiosity. The hormones are still willing but the body can't run up and down mountains no more. Oh well.

Why the prohibition on rimfires and shotguns? (For many of us small game is an important part of our hunting: varmints, squirrels, turkeys, upland birds, rabbits, waterfowl, etc.)

I'm glad to hear the elk are thriving. I read about them in a history book a long time ago. (We could sure use another Teddy today, but that's a whole 'nother topic.) Does anyone hunt large game with handguns?

I think I'm going to start a new thread about "This is where I hunt....". I live in one tiny corner of the US and while I've seen a good bit of it and Hawaii, I've never really been much of a traveler. I suspect others might want to post some photos for you, too. We have members from all over the world, though most are from North America. But there is a LOT of North America to wander around hunting in and all of the different climates and terrains and critters.

[ancestor]

Hi Versifier Agree age is a hell of a thing, to answer your question. Rimfires and shot guns are allowed for pro hunters From the dept of conservation and with a special permit for Canada Goose and some river hunting for ducks. generally I think too many animals were bring wounded by young enthusiasts with granddad's single shot rimfire or Shottie Some shots of NI's and Volcanic Plateau. All our animals here and a lot of birds are introduced and as we have no large predators ( Only rats, stoats , weasels, ferrets and feral cats and a few feral dogs)All game birds with the exception of wild ducks and some swamp species, game animals have been introduced for sporting purposes by European settlers. Having these animals and Canada Geese are in most cases as far as the conservationists and some institutions are concerned all Introduced species are to be eradicated. the Australian possum is the biggest case in point. 8 tons of 1080 poison has been dropped in the forests just lately this of course kills every thing. Officially Dept of Conservation position is to control numbers of sporting animals and Canada geese which do become over populated. The department has a Damned of you do and Dammed if you don't position and most of their field officers and rangers are good and helpful people. Hand guns are only permitted for pistol club use and are strictly controlled. as are military style automatic weapons. Every gun owner has to be licensed and a list of firearms kept
Licences renewed every 10 years.Upland birds and waterfowl are Controlled by Fish And game and are licensed at a cost and only shotguns are allowed. Rabbits Hares Feral goats possums etc are not controlled and maybe shot with anything. Rabbits are a pest in the south and annual drives are in place where thousands are shot. Similarly opossums in the central region of the North Island. We took part one year and I think the total was over 10,000 possums. The world looks down on fur clothing these days believe me Merino wool and Possum fur mix in sox and jerseys, vests etc are about as light and warm as one can get.