Thread: Venison meat hunting in NZ in the past

Introduction... Perhaps this is a controversial subject for some hunters in NZ, in the past with hunting ethics.

Hunting ethics?.... A posting for geriatric old time meat hunters to comment on, perhaps.

Meat hunting in NZ. It was a fact of life, it was even a life style for some NZ hunters. A hard way to make a living

I have a collection of 35mm photos from the past so I'm putting them up here for forum members to enjoy etc.



Above is a naughty FN rifle from the past, at that particular time these were allowed. Yes Mr Policeman you have now got this rifle.
Why did I own one, because I could legally do so like hundreds of others.
I liked this design because I could put a 2 bullet spread as shown in the above photo. However it doesn't matter what rifle you want to use as long as it is suitable for your use?

Don’t sweat it. It’s part of our history and any old photos you post will be very welcome just for the historical content. Posting photos of our confiscated precious ones is a bit on the nose though

Look forward to seeing any further photo's posted, the guns don't really matter to me other than from an interest point of view .

Originally Posted by video hunter

Introduction... Perhaps this is a controversial subject for some hunters in NZ, in the past with hunting ethics.

Hunting ethics?.... A posting for geriatric old time meat hunters to comment on, perhaps.

Meat hunting in NZ. It was a fact of life, it was even a life style for some NZ hunters. A hard way to make a living

I have a collection of 35mm photos from the past so I'm putting them up here for forum members to enjoy etc.

Attachment 230116

Above is a naughty FN rifle from the past, at that particular time these were allowed. Yes Mr Policeman you have now got this rifle.
Why did I own one, because I could legally do so like hundreds of others.
I liked this design because I could put a 2 bullet spread as shown in the above photo. However it doesn't matter what rifle you want to use as long as it is suitable for your use?

sorry dont have photos but great days one could sell deer - now early days one could sell either whole carcass or pin bone hind quarters - so you could sell a deer whole or with the whole skin and with the hind quarters attached with back steaks cut along rib cage -it was good money - be neat to do that now - someone needs to do that - supply restaurants etc

It was bloody hard work.



When I left shepherding for meat hunting and casual work I was on $27 a week.
Here's a day's work meat hunting soon after. The 22 cents was for sinews. The 66 cents for the tail.

Roll out the vids, Video Hunter.

Originally Posted by Tahr

It was bloody hard work.

Attachment 230125

When I left shepherding for meat hunting and casual work I was on $27 a week.
Here's a day's work meat hunting soon after. The 22 cents was for sinews. The 66 cents for the tail.

Attachment 230126

as a young shepherd I made $20 a week and had to work sat morning as well - I paid for dog vet bills saddle costs etc - but one good deer sold was twice my earnings -man I hunted hard it was good money because I was on a down hill street as young shepherd - but I was was young very fit and skinny lol

Yep, can remember getting fuckall per week as an apprentice mechanic, could earn about a months wages for a Saturday or weekend hunting.

Originally Posted by Tahr

It was bloody hard work.

Attachment 230125

When I left shepherding for meat hunting and casual work I was on $27 a week.
Here's a day's work meat hunting soon after. The 22 cents was for sinews. The 66 cents for the tail.

Attachment 230126

And the price 10 years after Tahr's one. And they were still just as skinny
But I obviously got ripped off with the sinews

I see Tahr didnt have to pay withholding tax. Must of come later once numbers were coming down and there wasnt the same need to incentivise culling /control ?

Here's some of the last good days.

Loved it @ $8.10/kg for headshots 45-64kg range.

More deer about in places they shouldn't have got to now this market has been removed. Now we see more funding getting thrown at controlling deer... gotta wonder about all that.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Originally Posted by 6x45

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Food safety rules kinda killed it, but its on the way back. MPI has a system where if you pass a food safety test, you can supply butchers. I don't know costs, but I know a guy who does it in the middle of the North Island.

You have to find the butcher yourself though.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I see Tahr didnt have to pay withholding tax. Must of come later once numbers were coming down and there wasnt the same need to incentivise culling /control ?

The tax went on when labour come into power.

It was good money when it hit $ 1.00 a pound around 1970 but not for long .

i got caught with withholding tax selling possum skins , unless you gave your real name they were not interested in buying , i then had a brain storm , i have expenses , really expensive ammo , spotlights , battery, clothing , vehicle expenses , boots , all added up to a tidy sum and a good earner , well and truly covered my withholding tax

Originally Posted by HG Man

Food safety rules kinda killed it, but its on the way back. MPI has a system where if you pass a food safety test, you can supply butchers. I don't know costs, but I know a guy who does it in the middle of the North Island.

You have to find the butcher yourself though.

No food safety rules back then, the sign lays it all out, but there was never any way of checking where carcasses really came from