WAPITI HERD.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18363, 22 April 1925, Page 8

WAPITI HERD.

A SUCCESSFUL STALK.

SOME FINE HE~ADS SECURED

(special to "the fbess.')

IXVERCARGILL, April 21

Three North Island sportsmen. Colonel H. E. Hart and Messrs V. E. Donald and R. A. Renall. returned on Monday from the third successful wapiti stalk that ha s been undertaken in the wild unexplored country of the West Coast. Colonel Hart's party stalked in the Caswell Sound block, and the remaining members of the expedition, Messrs J. Cooper and R. and L. Murrell. stalked in the George Sound block. The Caswell Sound party succeeded, after a three days' journey overland, under unusually bad weather conditions, in locating portions of tho wapiti herd, and the first kill was made by Mr Douald, who shot a 12pointer. 40 inches in width and 51 inches in length. Later Mr Renall secured a 13-pointor, 40 inches in width auduO inches in length. Next day both Colonel Mart and Mr Donald secured a bull wapiti. Mr Donald shot a head of 6 points, but Colonel Hart secured as magnificent head of 14 points, measuring 49 inches in width and 51 inches in length. The party were overtaken by very bad weather,' which caused unexpected delay and prevented the stalk being continued. The George Sound party wore unsuccessful, and failed to locate any wapiti, bulls, so on April 14th, Deep Cove, the starting point, was reached by the two parties, 25 days after the expedition* had started out into the wilds. Supplies for onlv 20 days had been carried, as the trip was expected to last 14 days, and for a week tho party lived on half - rations, including wapiti meat, which they say makes better eating than venison. In an interview. Colonel Hart said that the weather had proved uuusually trying, and he felt it was fortunate that the expedition did so well. Before tho party left Deep Cove, a terrifio storm arose, and more snow fell than has been the case for 40 years. Twentyfive per cent, of the bush was smashed down by the weight of snow, and on the Pass the ground was covered to a depth of from one to three feet. The expedition found that the wapiti herd had migrated from last year's grounds and now could only be got at after a three days' march through the bush. During the time his party were away from the bass camp on the'shores of Lake Marchant, torrential rain fell, the riyers rose and on the return journey tho stalkers were forced to ford thoni with the water waist high. In some instances it became necessary to fell trees in order to make a crossing. ]>uriiifr the stalk for four nights the party were forced to make camp without a fire, and clothing could not be dried. Members of the expedition also report that the season on the Coast for blue mountain ducks and native fowl has been a particularly good one, and great numbers were seen on the Stillwater river.