Thread: Hunts courses

I doubt it somehow

From memory its about $80-$90 for the year.worth it.

cant put a price on experience right

Do the hunts course possummati. I did the hutt vally DA course a few years back. Its a great way to learn and also meet some keen new people as well as the guys in the club who really give a lot of time to teach safety and bushcraft on top of the hunting/shooting aspect. I learned a lot of new skills and relearned a lot i had forgotten from my younger days in scouts and cadets


Sent from the swamp

Originally Posted by chrome

Do the hunts course possummati. I did the hutt vally DA course a few years back. Its a great way to learn and also meet some keen new people as well as the guys in the club who really give a lot of time to teach safety and bushcraft on top of the hunting/shooting aspect. I learned a lot of new skills and relearned a lot i had forgotten from my younger days in scouts and cadets


Sent from the swamp

How much do they cost and is it a weekend or what. Cheers

I did the hunts course in Dunedin and it was well worth the experience. Learned a few important things and got to go out on a weekend hunt with experienced hunters as guides.

I think it works like this: every week we group up and learn something new, be it reading topo maps, navigation, clothing, river crossing, knife sharpening, and then at last there is the weekend hunt.

Membership for TVDA cost me $80 this year ,Hunts course starts next Monday 1Sept; $150
I'm on the old guy list but am doing the course ,maybe a place left if your keen .
Just a phone call or contact TVDA via their web site

HUNTS PROGRAMME 2014

Monday 1st September 1900 – 2130 Peter/F&G/Bowhunters
Introduction, Ethics and Ecology – Clubrooms
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- be welcomed to the course and introduced
- set individual objectives
- receive an overview of the HUNTS programme and schedule
- receive their course material and discuss contents
- be able to identify stakeholders in New Zealand outdoors and recognize their interests – DOC, Landowners, IWI, Forest owners MSC, SAR and other recreational users
- obtain knowledge of ethics in relation to other stakeholders, the environment and harvestable wildlife
- learn an awareness of the principles of conservation and management of wildlife
Participation by F& G Representative and Bowhunter
Photography-
- learn good practices in photographing trophy animal and general wildlife photography

Monday 15th September 1900 – 2130 Maarten
Navigation Theory
By the end of the evening the participants will have basic facts on:
- navigation in the outdoors in good visibility using a map and compass
- navigation in the outdoors in poor visibility and difficult terrain
- day trips into wilderness areas using off track tramping skills


Saturday 20th September 0800 – 1600
Firearms & Marksmanship - Clubrooms Maarten/Maureen/Peter/Evan
By the end of this day the participants will:
- complete NZMSC firearms safety course and view the “Arms and the License”
Video
- explained statistics on firearms and hunting incidents
- take home “On Target” video/DVD to view prior to hunting weekend
- be able to choose a firearm for a specific purpose
- understand and apply the principles of bullet trajectory
- sight in a rifle for hunting
- understand factors effecting rifle accuracy
- demonstrate a variety of field shooting techniques – position, sighting, breath control, trigger squeeze
- apply target identification and demonstrate bullet placement
- maintain a firearm in the field and at home
- Knife sharpening
- Reloading

Monday 22nd September 1900 – 2130 Peter/Mike/Evan/Maarten
Equipment and Food/Trip Planning – Clubrooms
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- know what clothing to take for the outdoors
- know what food to pack and the volume
- know what equipment is needed to survive in the bush
- know what gear is needed for safety and survival
- complete a trip plan for bush craft weekend
- discuss where to find information on hunting places
-awareness of DoC website for permits and information
- bring a pack with what you need for weekend trip

Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th – October 0800 – 1600 Maarten/Peter/Mike/Evan
Bush craft Weekend - Maratoto Valley
By the end of the bush craft weekend the participants will:
- know what outdoor clothing to wear
- use outdoor equipment
- prepare and cook food while on a hunting trip
- apply camp craft (tenting, fires, and hygiene)
- know how to deal with emergencies, loss of route, ill or injured persons, missing person, overdue party, fatality and SAR
- know the protocols about moving around helicopters/fix wing planes
- basic outdoor first aid
- mountain radios etc.
- butchering video
-Field dress an animal

Saturday 11Th October

Theory River Crossings – Clubrooms MSC – Maarten
- How to cross a river and understand river dynamics and hazards
- Forecasting and interpreting weather
Participate in a MSC River Crossing Training Session
Monday 13th October 1900 – 2130
Big Game Species/ Hunting Techniques
Clubrooms- Peter/ Club Members Panel
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- have learnt about at least two species of deer – their physical characteristics,
habitat and range, seasonal variations, availability
- see a representative head measured using the Douglas Score
- be able to identify footprints, droppings and other sign for representative game and other species
- know about basic hunting techniques for a specified game animal – Stalking, use of wind and air currents, positive identification, tracking wounded animals, use of senses (smell, sound etc)
- know the best areas to look for deer
- know how to positively identify your target
- listen to basic roaring techniques
- understand bullet placement to achieve clean dispatch



Monday 20 October 1900 – 2130
Trophy & Meat – Clubrooms-Peter/Mark
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- have seen a demonstration on field dressing
- have learnt appropriate meat recovery techniques in specified situations
- have gained knowledge of meat cuts and cooking methods
- told how to care for a trophy head and skin in the field
- Final arrangements


Saturday 25th October Monday 27th October – Club Members
Hunting Weekend – - 1 Adult Hunter/Participant
By the end of the hunting weekend the participants will:
- complete an overnight camping/hunting trip
-have tramped into camping site and helicopter out
- Select a camp site – proximity to a hunting area, wind direction, water and shelter, drainage
- Establish a fly camp – tent/fly erection, cooking, fire risk, toileting, environment care code
- apply hunting techniques by animal behaviour, season, time of day and weather conditions
- follow a set of fresh tracks
- demonstrate basic stalking techniques
- demonstrate correct (hilar kill zone) shot placement
- kill a big game animal
- be able to track and finish off a wounded animal
- remove and identify all offal and dispose of appropriately
- autopsy an animal for disease and estimate the age
- prepare a whole animal for packing out
- photograph animal/trophy
- remove the cape and head of an animal
- skin a whole animal
- sharpen a hunting knife
- butcher a big game animal and prepare meat for the freezer
- Hunt from a fly camp – navigation, use of binoculars, wind direction

Time to be arranged
Debriefing –Peter/Maarten
-A time for all to consider and reflect what they have learnt on the course and share their thoughts and feelings with the instructors and each other.
-Complete evaluation forms

October Club Night 29th 1930 – 2100
Course Celebration and presentation of certificate at Club Night
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- Share stories and photographs
- receive course certificates

***** These dates and times are subject to alteration if circumstances require
i.e. weather conditions, unavailability of instructors or unforeseen circumstances.

Wow, I haven't looked in to doing a course yet but I might have too when time permits. That sounds impressive.

Sounds like a pretty comprehensive course.

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Yea im pretty keen on that will have to ring up and see. Cheers

Cant find any info about it on the tvda website. Keen but will have to think about it as I'm not very confident in groups and clubs like that ( not that im unsociable) but would love to learn the stuff they have to offer

On their website you should find the latest newsletter. In that there will be a list of committee members and contact numbers, ring Peter Flynn, he's one of the Hunts co - ordinators and he can help.Starts monday so get in quick!

I think I might also pop along to see what's happening and to meet some local hunters too
Cheers,
Si