Hunting in New Zealand – the animals

I have kept the photographs below separate from the main hunting post as they are sure to offend some people. The main New Zealand Hunting post has images which are about the hunting lifestyle and do not contain any shot animal photographs and should not offend most people.
Most of the hunting images were originally taken on slide film before digital was around. These slides were stored on the South Islands West Coast, infamous for its wet weather, so unfortunately the dampness has ruined a lot of the photographs by the time I digitally scanned them.

Andy

Phillip Pascoe holds a stag head with a nice set of antlers, he shot a few hours before. The stag was roared up in very thick bush to a few metres away and shot. Phil and I hunted for many years together since our teens. He passed away suddenly one day in his late 30's from an undiagnosed medical condition. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand — Phillip Pascoe holds a stag head with a nice set of antlers, he shot a few hours before. The stag was roared up in very thick bush to a few metres away and shot. Phil and I hunted for many years together since our teens. He sadly passed away suddenly one day in his late 30’s from an undiagnosed medical condition. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand

14 year old Durham Woollaston shoots his first Chamois on Mt French in the Hohonu Ranges, Westland, New Zealand

A wild pig shot in the twilight just before dark. Ahaura River flats, Westland, New Zealand. Andy Leighton

A chamois shot in the Perth River valley. Westland, New Zealand. Andy Leighton, Malcolm Thomas, Garry Turnbull

Two deer shot in the late evening, we didnt get back to the vehicle until after a couple of hours carrying on our backs. Garry Turnbull, Andy Leighton — Two deer shot in the late evening, we didn’t get back to the vehicle until after a couple of hours carrying on our backs. Andy Leighton, Garry Turnbull

A wild boar shot on the Ahaura River. Rifles Garry Turnbulls .270 and my .243 in the picture. Westland, New Zealand — A wild boar shot on the Ahaura River. Rifles Garry Turnbull’s .270 and my .243 in the picture. Westland, New Zealand

Deer is cleaned out ready for carrying out on my back. Andy Leighton

A chamois shot on Mt Technical in the Lewis Pass, only an hours hike from the highway. My trusty BSA .243 with a 3x-9x vari-power scope. Westland, New Zealand

The way most deer are carried out, this is an easy carry along a track. The deer is made into a pack by pushing the back legs through a cut in the front legs. 'Blue' leading the way back along the track. Ogilvies Tram, Marsden, Westland, New Zealand. Andy Leighton — The way most deer are carried out, this is an easy carry along a track. The deer is made into a pack by pushing the back legs through a cut in the front legs. ‘Blue’ leading the way back along the track. Ogilvies Tram, Marsden, Westland, New Zealand. Andy Leighton

This stag was initially roared up to within a few metres away in the dark, then the spotlight was turned on and the deer shot. Unfortunately the spotlight has severly overexposed the stags head for the photo. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand. Andy Leighton — This stag was initially roared up to within a few metres away in the dark, then the spotlight was turned on and the deer shot. Unfortunately the spotlight has severely overexposed the stags head for the photo. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand. Andy Leighton

My dog 'Blue' with a hind I shot while spotlighting, it took around 3 hours to carry the deer out to the road seen here. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand — My dog ‘Blue’ with a hind I shot while spotlighting, it took around 3 hours to carry the deer out to the road seen here. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand

After shooting its time for the hard carry back to the vehicle. Ahaura River flats, Westland, New Zealand. Garry Turnbull

A chamois shot in the last rays of the sun on Mt French, Hohonu Ranges. Garry Turnbull

The local game depot in Kumara. Moose and Karen Wafer receive a deer that Phil Pascoe and myself have brought in to be weighed and paid for by the kilogram. Kumara, Westland, New Zealand — The local game depot in Kumara, Moose and Karen Wafer receive a deer that Phil Pascoe and I have brought in to be weighed and paid for by the kilogram. Kumara, Westland, New Zealand

Possums were first introduced into New Zealand in 1837 to establish a fur trade. There are estimates now of a population of around 30 million, they cause widespread destruction of native plant species throughout New Zealand. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand

Skinning possums along a cyanide bait line. Often this work is done in very remote areas and under all weather conditions, working here in the misty rain with a few dozen pelts beside the tree. Westland, New Zealand. Andy Leighton

These possums skins have been previously dried by tacking onto a specially nailed 'possum board' and later have their tales split and are then ready to be sold to the local fur buyer. At the time dried possum skins ranged in price from $3 to $18 depending on the quality of the fur. The bag of wholemeal flour in the picture was used to make a flavoured lure to attract the possum to the cyanide paste placed in the centre. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand — These possums skins have been previously dried by tacking onto a specially nailed ‘possum board’ and later have their tales split and are then ready to be sold to the local fur buyer. At the time dried possum skins ranged in price from $3 to $18 depending on the quality of the fur. The bag of wholemeal flour in the picture was used to make a scented lure to attract the possum to the cyanide paste placed in the centre. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand

A flat battery just as we get this stag to the vehicle, we have to get it to the game depot before the heat of the day and the blow flies get to it. Marsden, Westland, New Zealand. Phil Pascoe

Deer and Rifle on the back of the ute in the early morning. Cockeye Creek Road, Marsden. 'Blue' — Deer and Rifle on the back of the Ute in the early morning. Cockeye Creek Road, Marsden. ‘Blue’

This stag was shot up on Darkies Terrace using a spotlight at around midnight. It took Phil Pascoe and myself around 6 hours to drag out through bush and down a creekbed. This photo was taken when we arrived back at the vehicle, just as the sun was rising. — This stag was shot up on Darkies Terrace using a spotlight at around midnight. It took Phil Pascoe and I around 6 hours to drag out through bush and down a creek bed. This photo was taken when we arrived back at the vehicle, just as the sun was rising.

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