First snows bring hunting opportunity

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 639, 4 June 1996, Page 2

First snows bring hunting opportunity

The recent heavy snow falls to low levels in the central North Island have brought new hunting opportunity for those hunters prepared to brave the cold conditions, says the Department of Conservation. As the autumn sika deer rut or mating period, known by hunters as the "roar", draws to a close, stags that have spent the last six to eight weeks mating and fighting off rivals must now try to regain body condition for the coming winter months. The first few heavy snow storms bring considerable amounts of summer growth down from the forest canopy and this is an important source of food for deer at this time, especially rutted out stags. DoC reminds hunters that their autumn hunting permits have now expired and details of all hunting undertaken on land administered by the Department of Conservation should be recorded on the diary portion of their permits and returned. New permits for the inter-period can be obtained by filing in the renewal section.