SOUTH WESTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1928, Page 1

SOUTH WESTLAND

(From Our Own Correspondent). STALKING SEASON. MAKARORA. April 3. Several of the stalking parties from Westland have returned. 'Weather conditions were better than usually experienced ill this time ol the year. Up to the time of writing few heads have been taken out. Mr K. Dalryniple secured a lair 13pointer 10 x 43 from the Landsborougb. Mr Forrester and friend secured a 13-pointer and an excellent 11-pointer oil the llaast Pass block. .Messrs Brown Bros, and Jones (Belfast) wounded an excellent animal, but it being dusk it was impossible to follow it ii]i. Two heavy royals were also wounded. It is doubtful, however, if these heads even if secured could have been taken out, so precipitous was the country and dense the vegetation. Ibis is only the second party to stalk the Okurii block. Less than a third of the block is still untouched. Deer are much more numerous here than two years ago. There is abundance of feed.

.Mr Wilson's party have secured eight fair heads to date, the host a Jo-pointer which fell to the rifle of Mr Kurkluirt in the Hnrke Valley. A report came to hand that Colonel Strutt was in possession of one good head secured in the J,nudsborough \ alley. All- lvitto, jnnr. shot :t very nice head ol Kl-points. A monster brown trout was recently seen in the clear waters of the Vppor o kill’ll, some 22 miles inland, the (list known to have penetrated so far inland. A olh rainbow was caught on the rod l>v Mr Wilson (Dunedin) in the upper reaches of the Makarora ltiver. a little over a mile from the Haast Pass. Sportsmen complain bitterly of local runholders making deliberate trips shooting out deer in. front oi them. These sportsmen eonte so many miles at a heavy cost to stalk in these regions. In many eases the revenue from stalking licenses exceed the annual rental paid for grazing use oi the inns. Complaints have previously come to hand during previous seasons and the Society have been asked to put a stop to it. _______