Wapiti hunters. Who was better?

Because I read the story of the mouse in nz that I mentioned that caliber ;-)

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Originally Posted by Lucky

Mick Rosanowski would of been a hard man if he's anything like his son Alan.

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I designed and made 2-shot net guns for Mick and Alan in the late '70's early 80's and did a wee bit of flying in a 500 with Alan and Spence Putwain doing 'field testing'. All great guys! Possibly 'hard men' by today's standard but perfectly normal to us older shooters. Jack Lutterell was a thorough gentleman who didn't talk much about his early hunting years until you asked him. We both did a lot of trading as fellow cartridge collectors.

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Originally Posted by Remmodel7

Just remember the first wapiti hunters had to pay for the license to hunt which was cost prohibitive to a lot of people back then. They also had the luxury back then of big pure unhunted wapiti bulls. A 365ds bull was shot and left as it wasn't big enough. No saints back then either. I know it's hard to canister but I think it is a genuinely interesting debate

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I don't know what the Wapiti licenses cost but I found one of my grandfather's Otago Acclimatisation Society licenses dated 1927 to shoot one Red stag in the Matukituki. The price was 5 Pounds which was a lot of money back then.

I found an old magazine in a pile of books when I was hunting down South and there was a story in there from one of the old hunting mags that has been lost in time. The writings are from the 1930s or 40s from a duo on their annual trophy hunt. I can’t recall exactly where they were I’m sorry, but they spoke of open tops and plenty of animals. Each day, weather permitting, they were shooting multiple stags 14+points. I had a good laugh when they said that the stags they were shooting weren’t suitable for eating so they would pick out yearlings and give them a tune up for their meat.

I’d say it’s the technology that has had the biggest impact on hunting. Like some of the other members have stated—better scopes, versatile cartridges, helicopters, thermals, vehicles, even dogs with all the latest tracking devices…I reckon the greatest hunter will be the fella who still hunts like the old boys, but in this modern time. Who that is I’d have no idea lol.

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Originally Posted by Friwi

Look at the time it took to do a safari in Africa or India in those times. Just crossing the ocean must have been an adventure in itself ( titanic sunk in 1912).

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As well those who tried hard to see her at that deep in their own eyes. Implosion....what a terrible death

No comparrison in my opinion...

The Old dogs were the Best.

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Originally Posted by tetawa

Raymond Tinsley did the hard yards.

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Think Graeme Sinclair would agree. Committed . Left the Hutt Valley to move to Hokitika so he could be closer to his wapiti grounds.

the guys who managed a decent head in the 80s posibly had the hardest time animal numbers wise.... shikes it was lean going everywhere.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

the guys who managed a decent head in the 80s posibly had the hardest time animal numbers wise.... shikes it was lean going everywhere.

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you are not wrong Mickey Duck -when I was a Ranger in Waioeka Gorge in 80,s most fine spring evenings 6-8 helicopters heading up and down gorge - two freezers at Wairata in middle of gorge and one at Matawai not to mention the heli boys also had chiller trucks moving around - deer were scarce

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

you are not wrong Mickey Duck -when I was a Ranger in Waioeka Gorge in 80,s most fine spring evenings 6-8 helicopters heading up and down gorge - two freezers at Wairata in middle of gorge and one at Matawai not to mention the heli boys also had chiller trucks moving around - deer were scarce

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In some ways those days were a good time as it was a serious challenge to even see a deer let alone shoot it. Deer were highly valued and alot of effort was put in to get one by everyone that was chasing them. Today's attitude towards deer in some circles is a worry, a fair few young hunters nowadays treat them as a pest to be shot and left to rot.

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Originally Posted by gundoc

I don't know what the Wapiti licenses cost but I found one of my grandfather's Otago Acclimatisation Society licenses dated 1927 to shoot one Red stag in the Matukituki. The price was 5 Pounds which was a lot of money back then.

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My Dad showed me this on the weekend. His Grandfathers letter of employment as manager of Siberia station, 100 years and small change ago. Note the cowboy @ 30 shillings/week - a pound was 20 shillings, so 5 pounds was nearly a months wages.

A lot of people have believed that game animals were introduced here for the sport and enjoyment of the 'common man'. From the posts above this one it is pretty clear that only the well healed could enjoy 'sport' in the best trophy areas

I think there was definitely a bit of both. My great grandfather was a farm labourer for hire in the Rangwahia/Apiti area. He was actively involved in releasing the red deer in the area, and within a relatively short period of time, In hunting them too. Like all things you always have a benefit in having access too money and a licence fee would have ben seen as a restrictive management tool to prevent early over harvest. Also those early guys would have seen much value in being locals and able to offer a guiding and hospitality service/ earn some income, from tourist hunters.
No matter what the original intent was should not take away form the culture that quickly developed of a sport for everyman.

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Originally Posted by Ross Nolan

My Dad showed me this on the weekend. His Grandfathers letter of employment as manager of Siberia station, 100 years and small change ago. Note the cowboy @ 30 shillings/week - a pound was 20 shillings, so 5 pounds was nearly a months wages.

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I think the first wapiti fees were 10 pounds