HUNTS REPORT
As you all know the branch has restarted the HUNTS training programme and the first course has just been completed. Twelve participants have received their certificates.
The tutors were Glen Hartstone, Gavin Bennett and Gary Shaw, planning the programme to comply with the HUNTS course requirements. Starting in January, 5 evenings were held, a range day and a weekend hunt. Most sessions because of the interest went overtime but planning did not always work out as expected.
Gary is qualified to set up and operate a rifle range and he set one up at Glen and Debbie's place. Supervising range day turned out to be drizzling all day, after all, it was February! All shot in their rifles and then went back to the 130 metre mark and shot at whitetail silhouettes and then balloons moving around in the target area. It was great to see the look of success on the participants faces. A trap was also operated for some shotgun shooting and the day ended with a BBQ, featuring boeravos, sausages and venison steaks. Hence the group jelled together very well.
Then the big hic-up on the arranged weekend on private property was a “no go” as the owner had now planned to be away. So Glen swung into plan B but then the heavy rain predicted for Friday arrived.
Bill O'Leary the National Hunt Coordinator had offered to help with the river crossing training so it was too late to postpone the weekend. Glen used all his influence, knowledge and phone skills and a Glen Massey dry stock farmer agreed to let us on to shoot a goat each. So at 10 o'clock we all met at the clubrooms and Bill gave us 2 ½ hours on river crossings. It only seemed like half an hour and we all participated and learnt so much and left with more confidence.
After car-pooling it was off to the farm and onto the airfield on high ground half way up his properties. We could see the west coast and the rolling hilltops. To the east we could see Hamilton and the drizzling rain came and went all afternoon. The farm was easy to divide into 5 safe areas with well defined boundaries to hunt. My party wa sfirst to return as Glen had given me the closest area. Johann and daughter Simone Coetzee shot a goat each and Simone insisted on carrying it all back after doing the required butchering on her and her father's goat. Also in our group Riaan Erasmus's 240 metre shot was the longest on the day. Brennan Jones and Mark Shaw shot two at long distances and then Glen called two billies up and they were successfully bagged. Dennis Tribe and William Durning with Gary thought they saw a deer on the edge of the bush (quite possible) so Dennis left the goats alone. Later William shot his goat. Brent Seeney was unable to make the hunt and his friend Reagan Morgan missed out because of his hand injury but was happy to be out there doing it. Carl Martin and paddy shot theirs in the furthest block away. Liz Ferguson in Bill's group shot her first goat and carried it back all the way. Matthew Sarjeant shot a big billy. Bill and Matt dragged it all the way up the hill by it's horns.
Photo: Brennan Jones and Mark Shaw on their successful hunt. G.H.
It was really impressive how all the trainees had a go at butchering and most carried the goat meat all the way back. A big thanks to Glen, Gavin, and Gary for the tutoring. Gary travelled from pukekohe for each meeting. A big thanks to Bill, the National Coordinator from Nelson, for attending and for his training on the river crossings (priceless).
The final evening was a BBQ at our clubrooms where all the family could share stories and a wonderful meal which included goat and wild pork sausages and venison steaks. All were congratulated and received more sausages to take home.
Special thanks to Glen and Debbie for who allowed us to use their property and their home for hosting Bill.
The tutors are prepared to take another course early spring so register your interest now. Now is also the time for those branch members who expressed their interest in helping by taking a trainee deer stalking.
Keith Matthews, Hunts Programme Coordinator.