Well what a horrible winter! Wet, wet and more wet and a bit of liquid sunshine thrown in. I think most people are over it, I know I am. Even though it has been wet I have managed a couple of trips into the Kaimanawas. My first trip was a 5-day trip in with my new dog, Arnold a Hungarian Vizsla. Cold but great weather and saw a few deer. Later on in the week James arrived and spent a couple of days with us. Great learning trip for me and Arnold to see what he does in the bush and around camp etc etc.
Second trip was with Heli Sika which was put on by DOC in partnership with the Sika Foundation to create a new landing site in the Upper Tiaraki block. It went well, had a bit of a look around as well but had to come out early as the weather tuned to crap very rough trip in the chopper. If you are doing any of the Sika Foundation flights and you get this spot your on to a winner.
Third trip into Clements Rd into the front country was not a good choice as the snow damage is like walking through a wall of dead branches. It was still a good day as all hunting days are good ones.
Well I have been a bit quiet on the committee front as I missed the last meeting due to a new grandson arriving that day, number 3 for me, now getting older by the day it seems. One day soon the young ones will catch up on the hills, yeah right, I might be getting older but I’m not dead yet.
Things have slowed in the clubrooms due to all of our work commitments and bits and pieces, but hopefully it will resume as the weather fines up.
We had a very good Thursday club night as we had Maurice O’Conner the Wakeria Drug dog handler at the clubrooms, awesome night not as many people attended as I thought there would be but their loss as it was such a great night. We had the pleasure of 2 dogs, one a narcotics dog and the other a cigarette and cell phone dog. Great to watch them work and hear some hard-case stories on how stupid people are when it comes to drugs and contraband.
The Sika Show was a great event as I spent a couple of days as staff working behind a camera taking pictures of people, rifles and product etc. Helping out where I could with the Sika Foundation and the NZDA National Stand as well.
The only problem I had walking around for 2 days was there is a lot of nice bling that just screams buy me. I was good on the Saturday but Sunday the card got a hammering, not as bad as last year but very close.
On the bling front, I had my very worn Winchester Model 70 featherweight of 25 years re-barreled with a trueflite stainless barrel. Bead blasted then along with all the steel parts Cerakoted black. A new recoil pad a limb saver was added, the stock stripped, re-stained and re-oiled, new rings, new sling and a new DPT suppressor and fitted and it looks like a million bucks. Should go another 25 years. I might be a bit slow by then though.
I have had a bit of work coming from NZDA national but mostly answering queries by email, but we have a big two day meeting at the end of the month in Wellington at head office so no doubt the work will ramp up as we get more involved as there are a couple of newbies (me being one of them).
Looking forward to next month as we are cutting another landing site and a couple of sika hunts are on the cards. Don’t forget to put your names down for the Sika Foundation Fly ins, you don’t have to be a member but if you join that would be great. Go to the Facebook page to sign up.
I hope everyone is getting out there, even though it is wet and work is not getting in the way here’s looking forward to some fine weather and hot barrels.
Well that’s all from me. It has been busy but not too bad, work sucks as it has gone nuts but no excuse to stop getting out there. David.