August 2010

Monthly Publication of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (Waikato Branch) Inc.

WAIKATO DEERSTALKER is published by: NZ Deerstalkers Assn.(Waikato Branch) Inc. PO Box 4065 Hamilton. Posted or emailed to members every month (except January). Opinions expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily endorsed by the Branch, its Executive Committee or the National Association.
Coming Events
August 2010
13th – 15th Club hunt to Galatea.
26th Social Night, 7.30 pm, Dey St Clubrooms.
September 2010
6th Committee Meeting, 7.30 pm, Dey St Clubrooms.

A note from the editor:

Hi all, the months seem to be really flying by now. Here we are already in August with only a couple months to wait till the spring starts warming the valleys and making the grass stick its head up.
Last month I was lucky enough to be invited to Woodhill on a ballot and although I didn’t squeeze off a shot the other two guys both did and we bought home a deer and a pig. For Carl it was his first deer which made it that bit better. Hopefully there will be a story all about it in a following newsletter.
On another positive note, our branch was well represented in the NZDA competition at a national level, with plenty of silverware coming back to the region. Once again the Waikato team proved our strength against the rest of the country.

from the 61st National Conference held at Oamaru, July, 2009.

National Antler, Horn and Tusk (AHT)

A11 Dillon shield – Drawn Pig Tusks
1st= Tim Flower Waikato Raglan 28
A16 Z Veronese Cup – Best Antlered Species Taken by a Junior
1st Marc Clinch Waikato Sika Mount Cameron 163
3rd Blake Clinch Waikato Fallow Woodhill 194 ¾
A17 E Veronese Cup – Best Horned Species taken by a Junior
3rd Blake Clinch Waikato Chamois Whataroa 25 ¾

A19 Norman Douglas Trophy - Best Branch Entry – consisting of one set of Antlers,
Horns and Tusks.
3rd Waikato Drawn Tusk 28 288.23
Fallow 194 ¾ 296.35
Chamois 25 ¾ 310.77 Total 895.35
(Note: All Junior Entries)

Sometimes you return empty handed but the memories created with good mates while in the hills will not be forgotten. The following hints will hopefully help make your hunting trips better and help make them more productive.

Hundreds of Hints from our Waikato Deerstalker Monthly Newsletters:

September 2009

Use the Google Earth controls to fly along the valleys and over the mountain ranges of the area you intend to hunt. Play with the arrows and you can get brilliant views as if you are moving slowly along in a chopper or doing a low level flyover in a plane. Use the on screen control arrows to also swing around or zoom in and down or pull back for a higher over view.

With Google earth's recent photography you can pick up small clearings, slips and tracks and in some areas the tracks are overlaid in white on the ground view below.

You can print off the area you select or just mark the clearings or slips on your topo map.

August 2009

Down sleeping bags are great but not if they get wet. Dacron is cheaper and retains loft better if it gets wet but is heavier and doesn't compress as much as a down bag.
One option is to have a lighter bag of each to get the best of both worlds. Two light sleeping bags, one of down and one of dacron can be as warm as one winter bag, but check the fill weight in each to compare them with winter bags.

MAF is currently taking submissions on the Animal Welfare (Dogs) Draft Code of Welfare. If this code is accepted as it stands it will outlaw the docking of dogs tails (however it will still be ok to debark or neuter them!).

Submissions close on the 1st of November, you can email your submissions direct to animalwelfare@maf.govt.nz. The draft code of welfare can be downloaded from the link above.

Branches and members are no doubt aware that the Minister of Conservation has appointed a panel to consider and advise him on how to manage deer, chamois, tahr and pigs in a way that improves the conservation or native habitats but also recognises the importance of the four species to recreational hunters. This panel is now referred to as the GAME ANIMAL PANEL

A presentation to the panel workshop by Bill Chisholm was presented on NZDA's behalf. The discussion document Managing Numbers of deer, chamois, tahr and pigs September 2007 and an online questionnaire are also both available on www.gameanimalpanel.org.nz and will also be available on the NZDA website.

We need as many hunters as possible to complete the forms. A further option is to write your own submission based on the questionnaire available from the secretary and any other questions that you may have. If you wish to take up this option, post 6 copies of your submission to:- The Secretary,