RUMOURS

Don't you just love them. We do. We sometimes need something to laugh about and we have heard them all, several times.

PLEASE don't spread them, find out Fact from Fiction. If you do hear something about Sambar that an expert says "must be correct" because he heard, don't just believe it and pass it on, give one of our contact numbers a ring and ask a committee member about it. They will give you the facts if at all possible. However some of the rumours that go around each year are so old that I doubt anyone alive knows what happened.

Try giving them a call, you might be surprised what you actually find out.

Harakeke 2003 Monitor Report

Colin Harold and Dave Garner were again Monitors for Harakeke and District, spending numerous hours on the phone and in the field offering what advice we could. Those hunters that took the time to ring and survey their block before the season seem to be the ones that saw the animals. Some rode around the forest on mountain bikes and saw animals heading down tracks in front of them. As Monitors we tried to be out at the forest by midday to meet with the hunters, as they usually head back to their vehicles for a bite to eat after a morning hunt. But all to often we find that the "Hunter" has been, driven around and gone home by the time we get there.

Some good animals were seen by some of the hunters. One stopped for an early cuppa with his mate, looked over the knob to see a large sambar ambling off, they followed and headed out to the coast putting another one up at close range. On another block a hunter and young son saw a large stag, end on "As big as a horse" he said. but did not take the shot incase he just wounded it. Well done. At the other end of the forest a hunter got onto two or three animals. It was like a cattle yard, he said, where they were living. You could see fresh sign as you drove around the forest. When the sambar cross the roads, most times they jump across, landing in the grassy middle, then on the grass edge on the other side and quite often is missed by those walking the roads.

The one ballotee that impressed us the most was all the way from Waikanae. We meet him coming back to his car at lunch time, tired and a bit down. Walked all morning and have not seen any sign, was his reply after our greetings. Colin stood and talked, trying to give him some advise and encouragement while I walked around to find some sign. Had gone lOOm from the car and found fresh prints, called them over to see the tracks, which moved on and meet up with another two deer, wow, excitement. Our friend had a bite to eat and headed back to the area we had seen the sign driving down the block. We met up again later that day and he said he had worked that area and had seen a lot of sign; now that he knew what to look for. Back to Waikanae that night returning early next morning, hunting his block in earnest, we meet again later Sunday. He had seen plenty of sign and was going to work through his block again.

That evening there was a knock on Colins door. There stood the hunter from Waikanae with blood on his hands. He was taking some venison home after a well deserved weekend stalking.

This Gentleman arrived as a shooter and went home a good stalker. Good hunting Aaron.

Dave Garner

Tawhirihoe Scientific Reserve.

This block should be renamed as a Recreational Reserve. The volume of public on trail bikes and 4x4's 'playing' in the S.R. makes it unsuitable for hunting. I did appreciate the effort and opportunity of SDMF to allow me to hunt Sambar.

We have noted this for the coming year. Thanks