Thread: Pig hunter missing

According to the Herald a lone pig hunter has been missing since Monday in the Mangakino area. The report indicates that he is very experienced and was well equipped. I hope he is OK but this raises the question in my mind as to how many members of this forum are involved with Land Search and Rescue. Those involved in LSAR do bloody good work and deserve a lot more public recognition than they get!

Jet and I did a bit of work with LandSAR down in Canterbury. The boy never really realised the potential of his nose though and then I buggered off with the Army for five months so we haven't picked it up again. Hubby is looking at joining up here in Wellies as a few of his workmates are into it.

Local knowledge can be one of the best tools for SAR.

I remember doing my tracking course down in Tekapo in the winter - not exactly hard to find people with bloody big footprints in the snow leading us to them!

We always did a bit of SAR work...All chopper crews did I think in those days . ..before anyone ever heard of 'rescue helicopters' we were all "rescue helicopters" In those days you turned out when you were called and just did it. If you were in the area you would get a call on the radio check out such and such a hut..river whatever.

I remember a couple of times catching some bloody nice hinds checking out an area were we would never have been game to fly around in otherwise. It was a damned good day.

Hats off to the both of you!

Any word on that pig hunter Rushy?
I was involved in an LSAR in the Ruahines about 3 or for years ago and speaking too the family members they were really appreciative of the knowledge I had of the bush in the certain area.But sadly it turned out too be a recovery.

Read about this in todays NZH...

Hey Dundee. I haven't seen anything in the paper nor on TV so don't know. I would have thought that if he was still missing it would be all over the television like cream on a pavlova so hopefully he is out and OK. The original article did indicate that he was well experienc.Ed and well equipped.

Hats off by the way.

Waikato pig hunter missing since Monday - Story - NZ News - 3 News

off the other forum


Not good news I'm afraid.
I have just got back from a planned stay and search but was told on arrival 2.45pm his dogs and clothes have been recovered.
The tracking collar off one of the original found dogs was downloaded and showed the exact snail trail around and about inland from lake then to near lake edge, along a road then over and down to lake edge, then dog swam across lake.
Searchers went to lake edge and found the hunters clothes (including hi vis) on bank.
Probable scenario is that dogs had a pig in the water, so he stripped off to get in and help.

Not good at all my thoughts are with the hunter and his family, I just hope they can at least find the hunter still alive or his body so at least his family can say goodbye and have some closure . I was following that on the other forum in the hunting section till a mod thought it would be better to shift it out of public view

That doesn't sound good. I lived down that way for a dozen years and it can get damned cold so being without clothes would not bode well at this time of the year. My thoughts are with the family.

Latest news today is that the Dive Teams have not found anything in the water yet ,but this seem to be where they think he is as found all his gear next to the River and have located all of his dogs.

Originally Posted by duck-kila

Latest news today is that the Dive Teams have not found anything in the water yet ,but this seem to be where they think he is as found all his gear next to the River and have located all of his dogs.

Hey duck - kila thanks for the update. I have just read that his family has pretty much given up hope of finding him alive which is sad. How is Tok these days mate? I lived there for a dozen years in my youth, went to school there. Was born in Rotorua, lived the first six years of life in Te Whetu and then moved into Tok. I left when I joined the army at eighteen and haven't been back (to live) although my family stayed on four years. Family name is Rushworth.

Originally Posted by Rushy

Hey duck - kila thanks for the update. I have just read that his family has pretty much given up hope of finding him alive which is sad. How is Tok these days mate? I lived there for a dozen years in my youth, went to school there. Was born in Rotorua, lived the first six years of life in Te Whetu and then moved into Tok. I left when I joined the army at eighteen and haven't been back (to live) although my family stayed on four years. Family name is Rushworth.

No relation to Terry Rushworth who lived on St Andrews Drive?

Originally Posted by duck-kila

No relation to Terry Rushworth who lived on St Andrews Drive?

Number one St Andrew's as I remember. Yes Terry was my uncle (my father "Jack" was his elder brother.