Thread: Wapiti hunters. Who was better?

No comparrison in my opinion...

The Old dogs were the Best.

Originally Posted by tetawa

Raymond Tinsley did the hard yards.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

I think the first wapiti fees were 10 pounds