Thread: Spring lamb?

I have been put on to a spot where a few groups of feral merino are are reputed to lurk. Mid Canterbury area in pretty high country so before I trek in wondering if left to their own devices what time of year will feral ewes tend to lamb? Be nice to be able to find a nice lamb or two rather that a tough old mutton..

The merino are stunning eating and old mutton will be good don’t be putt off we have ara pawas at work same goes for them all edible il ask the question tomorrow about the lambing

There used to be quite a lot of wild Merinos out behind Woodstock at the Waimak Gorge and we hunted them there, dont know if they are still any left. The ones to shoot are the Rams with 3/4's of a turn of of horn. They are fabulous eating but not that big. Shoot those young rams and it doesn't hurt the population. Hard to kill with a body shot if woolly

Thanks for info, these ones are supposedly carrying pretty thick clips of wool so shot placement will be plurry important methinks. Will prob go for a looksee early Nov and see what turns up.

Originally Posted by Jake77

Thanks for info, these ones are supposedly carrying pretty thick clips of wool so shot placement will be plurry important methinks. Will prob go for a looksee early Nov and see what turns up.

Should be able to sneak close and shoot them in the ear hole / back of the head

In my experience wild sheep can have lambs all year round but mostly in July. I found lambs in December the best eating and ram lambs fine up until they started rooting. Pretty easy to get close to sheep for a headshot, otherwise the shoulders which are the best roasts are wasted. I found the ewes a bit variable in taste.

yeah I never turn my nose up with shreks - damn delicious - have had merinos of various ages and sex all pretty good - good trick with those daggy ones - cut from back leg hocks to base of tail -just one cut each side - around tail and ass - open up front legs- open up kneck and brisket to ass with just cuts - now hang it up by head and skin it backwoods - that way when you get to dags you are punching between skin and meat and the dags will simply fall with the skin - makes for clean easier job - surprisingly I have always found them in very good condition even over fat even though have never seen a drench gun - well worth the effort

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

yeah I never turn my nose up with shreks - damn delicious - have had merinos of various ages and sex all pretty good - good trick with those daggy ones - cut from back leg hocks to base of tail -just one cut each side - around tail and ass - open up front legs- open up kneck and brisket to ass with just cuts - now hang it up by head and skin it backwoods - that way when you get to dags you are punching between skin and meat and the dags will simply fall with the skin - makes for clean easier job - surprisingly I have always found them in very good condition even over fat even though have never seen a drench gun - well worth the effort

What he said.

I shot a couple years ago, and the fat in the belly area was incredible. I BBQ'd some chops and the flare up as the fat caught could have been seen from outer space.

They wont lamb at all unless there is a ram running with them
Unless it's by immaculate conception

I shot a few nice spring lambs down my way in November last year, I would imagine it would be similar there

I shot a perindale woolly...when I saw woolly,the wool length was about 10" it was shot at 150 yards with a 30/30, no fuss or bother. Ive shot many with the .270 again no fuss or bother. a yearling..hogget should be easy to spot...last years lamb.... any mutton is good mutton except for old ram.
forsure use a good stout projectile,but the jolly things arent armour plated..

I have seen untethered sheep many times, but the concern is how local police and farmers will feel when they saw a sheep on my roof rack? How can I prove that was wild?

Originally Posted by Black Rabbit

I have seen untethered sheep many times, but the concern is how local police and farmers will feel when they saw a sheep on my roof rack? How can I prove that was wild?

Untethered is not the correct word to use. 99.9% of domestic sheep in NZ are untethered.
A wild sheep will not have an earmark (notches of varying shape in the ear) or an eartag. Having a GPS and recording where you shot the sheep would be helpful in proving it was wild, but my understanding is if you kill a sheep (or any livestock) and it has an earmark or eartag, even if miles from the nearest farmland, you have to try and find the owner and give them the option of taking the carcass. If you cut the head off, make sure to leave the ears attached to the body, as proof it didn't have an earmark or eartag.
Wild sheep will normally have a lot of wool as they have never been shorn, but some domestic sheep may also have missed a shearing or two and have a lot of wool. If the wool is short it isn't wild, unless it is a young lamb or one of the shedding breeds.

Originally Posted by Cigar

Untethered is not the correct word to use. 99.9% of domestic sheep in NZ are untethered.
A wild sheep will not have an earmark (notches of varying shape in the ear) or an eartag. Having a GPS and recording where you shot the sheep would be helpful in proving it was wild, but my understanding is if you kill a sheep (or any livestock) and it has an earmark or eartag, even if miles from the nearest farmland, you have to try and find the owner and give them the option of taking the carcass. If you cut the head off, make sure to leave the ears attached to the body, as proof it didn't have an earmark or eartag.
Wild sheep will normally have a lot of wool as they have never been shorn, but some domestic sheep may also have missed a shearing or two and have a lot of wool. If the wool is short it isn't wild, unless it is a young lamb or one of the shedding breeds.

Thank you. But, still there are unclear or say gray areas in between wild and farmed, so for me I should leave it. I will happy enough if farmer can sell me one at the gates.

If close to a station ask the cocky - where we used to shoot merinos at Willow Flat the cocky was only to pleased at having them shot - he simple did not want them coming out of scrub and crossing with his romneys