Offsite issue 4

ISSUE 4 DEC/JAN 2017/18

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD!

WILN EY

OF A PAIR AKLASSES ON SU G

PG 7

RICHARD ABBOTT

NEED FOR SPEED PG 14

V

INSIDE V

FREE-DIVING MOTORSPORTS SUMMER HUNTING TIPS SCUBA AIR FILL SAFETY

INSIDE

FISHING HUNTING

HAPPY 'HORI' OUTDOORS PG10

RHEEM BIG SIX IS BACK!

Y E A H

N A H

Ford Transit. Now available in Automatic.

With a new automatic gearbox, it’s no wonder the Ford Transit is Europe’s best-selling medium commercial van. Visit your local Ford dealer to discover more. From $53,990+ORC.

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD!

Great Barrier

SNAPPER SUMMER'S HERE! SNOOPING A WELCOME TO EDITION FOUR OF RHEEM OFF-SITE

CHECK THOSE DIVE BOTTLES

As we go to press in early November, the wind is blowing incessantly and has been doing so for weeks, so it’s hard to get too excited about summer. But by the time you read this with the Christmas break just around the corner, the weather should have settled down.

For some of us the traditional Kiwi summer holiday is the only time we get to spend on the leisure pursuits we love.

With better weather bringing warmer air and water temperatures, on-and in-water activities, unsurprisingly, become a lot more popular, but so do other pastimes like riding motor cycles – see our feature on Rich Abbott page 14.

Jimmy Corric relates a very successful morning’s ‘ snapper snooping’ at Great Barrier Island, while Dave Moran advises readers to check their scuba bottles – see our story on page 18.

On page 10 Rheem off-site meets keen hunter and fisher Craig ‘Hori’ Horan, a Hamilton plumber and gas-fitter who is the subject of our Tradie Profile this issue.

Barry Sharplin sings the praises of hunting during the warmer months. It presents some challenges, he explains on page 20, but also brings rewards.

And a reminder: Rheem off-site wants your stories and pictures. Drop us a line or give us a call – or dob in a mate you think might have a story to tell. We’ll do the rest.

We’d love to share your stories with other tradies through this publication. Contact details below.

SUMMER HUNTING TIPS

JOHN EICHELSHEIM, EDITOR

CONTENTS 03 04 O7 08 10 14 18 20

EDITOR’S NOTE SNAPPER SNOOPING AT BARRIER WIN WITH OAKLEY RHEEM BIG SIX TRADIE PROFILE: CRAIG HORAN NEED FOR SPEED: RICH ABBOTT

Off-Site is published bi-monthly by NZ Fishing Media Ltd. Offices are located at 177B Marua Road, Ellerslie, Auckland, Ph (09) 579 4060.

MANAGING DIRECTOR Grant Blair MANAGING EDITOR Grant Dixon OFF-SITE EDITOR John Eichelsheim DESIGNER Debra Tunnicliffe OPERATIONS MANAGER Sarah Ng EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES John Eichelsheim 021 775 789 johne@xnet.co.nz ADVERTISING MANAGER & ENQUIRIES Scott Taylor 021 862 579 sales@nzfishingnews.co.nz Advertising within this publication is subject to NZ Fishing Media Ltd’s standard advertising terms and conditions, a copy of which is available online at www.fishing.net.nz or by calling (09) 579 4060 Cover photo: courtesy Richard Abbott

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OFF-SITE FEATURE FR EE DIVING

BY JIMMY CORRIC

There it was, that small weather window at the right time of the year in the right spot – and not only that, by some amazing twist of fate it was on a Saturday!

S

o the call was made to Seth, one of my best mates, but given that we are a couple of blokes with careers, kids and lives, getting time away on the right day with the right conditions was less likely than winning lotto. I was stoked that he could be there!

We have been diving together for 10 years, which has included many hours of discussion about locations, weather, time of year, tactics and strategies, so it was really exciting to see the sorts of ideal conditions we had talked about line up – on a Saturday!

Plans were made for a 5:30am departure for Great Barrier Island and an early morning snapper snoop. We were not targeting a feed, we were after big fish!

Tactics were discussed, gear was prepared and the final weather checks were made the night before. 4:30am came around, the alarm went off and we were out of bed. It was ‘game on’!

During the 45-minute trip to the ramp, plans were made, the wind was analysed and sheltered spots were located. The boat was in the water on schedule and we were off.

On the way over to the island the weather was slightly better than anticipated, so the call was made to go to the seaward side of Barrier. I had a spot where I had spooked a big fish a few years before. It had always haunted me and I needed to go back there to exorcise that 20-pound demon. I knew it was good country and that there were good fish there.

Once we got to the spot we suited up and jumped in. Everything was falling into place: good territory, good sea conditions and right time of year, but there’s nothing like a mid-winter dive to make you appreciate your 7mm wet suit! Mine kept me warm and toasty.

As I was snooping along, I just had the feeling the country was good.

The sun was just right, in fact everything was right – all that was missing was a 20-pounder.

I swam up to a weedy rock in about 10 metres of water. It came up to three or four metres and then dropped away. I dived down to six or

SNAPPER Jimmy looks pretty stoked with the morning’s dive. Seth’s fish on the left weighed 22 pounds and Jimmy’s 18 pounds. Their average for the morning was 20 pounds (9.1kg).

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SNOOPING rrier a B t a e Gr

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LEFT Jimmy Corric with his 18-pound kelpie snapper.

BELOW The boat-float with a brace of Barrier snapper speared on the seaward side of Great Barrier.

AS I SPUN AROUND I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE SOME SEA MONSTER DRAGGING ME BACK DOWN INTO THE DEPTHS…

seven metres from the edge, got in low in the kelp and very quietly snuck over the edge… There were three or four good 40-50cm long fish, and just as I lifted my gaze, there he was, the biggest fish by a long shot swimming straight to me!

The big snap was on the edge of visibility but swimming in at my depth, straight at me and straight at my eye level. I kept still, with my gun ready and waited for what seemed an eternity until he got close. Finally within range, he gently glided to one side, giving me a perfect side-on shot, so I shot and stoned him –not even a flick of the fin!

I gently pulled him in so as not to disturb the area any more than necessary and it was not until I got him in my hands that I knew he was a good fish. Not 20-pounds but close enough to make you wonder.

I stuffed him in my boat-float and continued.

In the half-hour or so I saw a heap of 40-50cm fish but nothing worth pulling the trigger on. Given the good territory, I thought I’d use some berley, so I dropped my gun and

started building a small mountain of kina. As I was dropping a few more onto my berley stack, suddenly out of nowhere I felt myself being pulled backwards! As I spun around I was expecting to see some sea monster dragging me back down into the depths, but instead it was Seth excitedly waving a big snapper at me, spear still in it. I could see his smile in the water!

It turns out his sinuses were playing up so he had opted to gently work the shallows. He saw his fish drop into the kelp as he snooped off a rock at the same time as another good fish was swimming away. A quick breathe-up and a dive off the rock and he shot him where he hid.

Once I realised I was not going to be eaten by some monster of the deep, we surfaced and had a look at Seth’s fish. It was definitely over 20 pounds, dark in colour with a big lump on his nose. He was a cracker of a fish!

As we swam back to the boat I casually mentioned I had shot one too, but it was not as big. Once Seth’s fish was on board and we had revelled in its size, we pulled in the boatfloat and pulled mine out. It was at this point we established that we had both shot good fish. A quick weigh revealed my fish was 18-pounds and Seth’s 22 pounds. That gave us a 20-pound average – not a bad day’s work I reckon!

We had spent just one hour in the water, but given we had achieved our goals already, we had quick feed to recharge the batteries and headed home. It was a snapper snoop to remember.

! r e i r r a B Dive the 6 V 9OLLT VɈ :P[L

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The winning shot and caption will be published in our next issue of Off-Site.

Post your pic at: www.facebook.com/offsitenz

Go on send us your pic and see life differently!

WINNING PHOTO:

Rob Parkes reading his off-site magazine while zip-lining in Mamaku Forest.

THE BIG 6 IS BACK

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species, catch two saltwater sport ďŹ sh, and catch two freshwater ďŹ sh which are on the Fish and Game licence – trout or salmon. The clock starts when the ďŹ rst ďŹ sh is landed or the ďŹ rst animal shot, and then the challenger has 48 hours to complete the challenge. Nobody has managed to bag all six yet, but it will happen one day.

Most of the past six winners have had the added bonus of ticking their own â€˜ďŹ rst’ boxes: they caught their ďŹ rst trout, hapuka or kingďŹ sh – and most shot their ďŹ rst deer.

“

We really started something when we came up with Rheem Big Six concept.

�

The Big 6 Challenge has featured on Rheem Outdoors with Geoff for many years - and now it’s developed a life of its own.

The adventure pits a challenger against the best hunting and ďŹ shing New Zealand has to offer. “It’s a race against the clock, and the weather is also a major factor,â€? says host Geoff Thomas.

The challenge is to shoot two different game animals, both of which must be male and recognised game

“You don’t have to be an experienced hunter or ďŹ sherman to have the greatest adventure of your life,â€? Thomas says. “We get a lot of enquiries from the public wanting to have a go at the Rheem Big Six, but, of course, you have to be a registered plumber or gasďŹ tter and purchase a Rheem product during the promotional period to enter the draw.â€?

The challenger also gets to take along a mate, who also gets to enjoy the ďŹ shing and visiting dream spots.

The event takes place over three days, with the location dependent on the season and the weather.

Keep your eyes peeled to enter the seventh annual Rheem Big 6 Challenge – the hunt is on, early 2018.

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THE HONOUR ROLL 2011 REECE HESKETH (BAY OF ISLANDS) 4/6 (STAG, TROUT, HAPUKA, BLUENOSE)

2012 TONY WRIGHT (MATAMATA) 4/6 (WILD BOAR, BLUENOSE, 2 TROUT)

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2013 MURRAY BOND (CHRISTCHURCH) 4/6 (CHAMOIS, STAG, TROUT, BLUENOSE)

1 - Tony Wright caught two bluenose at White Island, but they only counted towards one point.

2 - Murray Bond, far left, had a great time in Kaikoura.

3 - Tony Cain, second from left, had fantastic trout fishing and he set a new record.

4 - Peter Illingworth, third from left, had a wild couple of days.

5 - The first challenger, Reece Hesketh, left, found a novel way of hanging up his bag.

2014 PETER ILLINGWORTH (AUCKLAND) 3/6 (STAG, SNAPPER, KAHAWAI)

2015 MIKE BAKER (KUMEU) 4/6 (BILLY GOAT, 2 TROUT, KAHAWAI)

2016 TONY CAIN (WELLINGTON) 5/6 (SNAPPER, KAHAWAI, 2 TROUT, BILLY GOAT)

6 - Mike Baker was exhausted after 40 hours of non-stop action.

TRADIE PROFILE C R AIG HOR AN

Master Plumber

HAPPIEST OUTDOORS

Hunting and fishing runs in the blood for Hamilton plumber and gas-fitter Craig ‘Hori’ Horan, who has been enjoying the outdoors all his life.

Rheem Off-site Editor John Eichelsheim caught up with Craig to find out what makes him tick.

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B

ased in Hamilton with his own business, CH Plumbing, Craig Horan started pig hunting and duck shooting with his dad at age four. He thinks he probably started fishing even earlier…

It’s an introduction he has also given his own boys, Mitchell and Jacob, now grown up and themselves doing gas-fitting and plumbing apprenticeships with local firms. Like Craig, the boys hunted and fished with their dad and his mates from a young age and both have caught the bug – Mitchell hunts every weekend and most days after work.

Craig served his plumbing apprenticeship at the AFFCO freezing works at Horotiu, not far from Hamilton. This was followed by several years as a sales representative for plumbing supply companies Plumbing World, PlumbPak Products and Micos Hamilton, before a twoyear stint back on the tools with Hamilton firm Denson Plumbing.

Thirteen years ago Craig decided to go out on his own, starting CH Plumbing, where Jacob is currently serving his apprenticeship under the watchful eye of his dad. Craig is a member of the Master Plumbers Association.

NORTH AND SOUTH ISLANDS Craig hunts all over New Zealand’s North and South Islands and fishes on both coasts and in rivers and lakes too. Hamilton is nice and central with good hunting and fishing within a few hour’s drive in any direction.

Fishing and diving out of Raglan and Kawhia on the west coast and Coromandel and the Far North on the east coast, Craig enjoys chasing snapper, kingfish and crays, tagging along on mates’ boats.

“I keep telling them when I’m too old to chase pigs in the bush I’ll buy one of their boats,” he jokes.

Craig loves the mountains of the South Island for their remoteness and amazing scenery, as well as the unique mix of hunting species, but also the North Island’s rugged bush country with its wonderful pig and deer hunting.

“I’ve enjoyed great pig and deer hunting in both islands, but for me the highlights in the South Island have been a tahr I shot up the Jolly River in South Canterbury and a chamois on Mount Victoria inland from Westport,” says Craig.

Craig began deer stalking when he was 15 years old and this remains a favourite pastime.

“Deer stalking combines patience, stealth, bush sense, marksmanship, the right tactics on the day and a fair bit of luck.

I never get tired of it,” says Craig.

Sika and fallow deer are his favourite quarry because they are so flighty and inquisitive, making them tricky to stalk, but he reckons all deer species have their challenges. It is Craig’s goal to bag a trophy specimen of every type of deer in New Zealand. He’s doing pretty well so far, having ticked off red, sika, sambar and fallow deer – wapiti, whitetail and rusa deer are still on his list.

Of course Craig’s not averse to taking his dogs and nabbing a pig or three, which is where his love of hunting began, or chasing more exotic species like tahr: “a real challenge to hunt and hugely satisfying when you succeed.”

LEFT Craig 'Hori' Horan is a passionate hunter.

ABOVE TOP TO BOTTOM A nice West Coast mountain chamois; A successful pig hunt; Craig enjoys nothing more than introducing youngsters to hunting and the outdoors.

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DEER STALKING COMBINES PATIENCE, STEALTH, BUSH SENSE, MARKSMANSHIP, THE RIGHT TACTICS ON THE DAY AND A FAIR BIT OF LUCK. I NEVER GET TIRED OF IT.

GETTING INVOLVED

TOP Craig looks pretty satisfied with his Southern Alps tahr.

ABOVE Craig with a big Far North snapper.

OPPOSITE Like their dad, Craig's sons started hunting early.

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As a keen hunter and fisher, Craig was always more than ready to get involved in the things he loves. He’s been an active member of several hunting and fishing clubs over the years, holding positions on various committees and even serving a spell as vice-president of the Tokoroa Pig Hunting Club. This was the first and largest pig hunting club in New Zealand at the time.

Craig was a pig release officer for eight years as part of a disease monitoring programme undertaken by the club in partnership with The Animal Heath Board (currently known as OSPRI ) and other government agencies to determine whether or not tuberculosis (TB), a highly infectious disease dangerous to both humans and domestic stock, was present in the wild pig population of Tokoroa Forest.

The club obtained a licence to release pigs into the wild, which is normally illegal. Craig would buy wild pigs, have them vet-tested for TB, and then tag and release healthy TB-free animals into the forest during hunting off season.

When these tagged animals were caught in subsequent hunting seasons, hunters would return the heads to Craig and his team. Craig would then take them back

to the vet who would conduct new tests for TB infection. If any of the heads tested positive for TB it would mean the disease was present in wild pigs in the forest.

In eight years not a single tagged pig’s head tested positive, evidence that pigs in Tokoroa Forest were not carrying TB. The evidence the release programme gathered over eight years prevented government departments blanket poisoning the region with 1080, preserving the hunting.

Craig also helped set up the Game Animal Council of New Zealand, a statutory body instigated by the New Zealand Government in 2013 to advise and make recommendations to the Minister of Conservation on hunting issues, provide information and education to the sector, promote safety initiatives, conduct game animal research and undertake management functions for designated herds of special interest.

SHARING THE PASSION While Craig loves his trade, he’s always happy to put the tools away for a bit and head out into the bush chasing pigs or deer, or to hitch up the boat and head to the coast for a day’s fishing and diving with his mates. He enjoys nothing more than helping youngsters – boys and girls – get their first pig or deer and says he gets a real buzz seeing these kids outside in the hunting environment, watching them grow and in many cases become hunters themselves: “Many of those younger ones have their own dogs now…”

WE WANT YOU! THE AIM OF RHEEM OFF-SITE IS TO FEATURE SOME OF THE INTERESTING OUTDOOR STORIES TRADIES HAVE TO TELL. YOUR STORIES! Send us your best hunting, fishing, diving and outdoors images as well - we have a pair of top quaility Oakley sunglasses to be given away each month for the best image.

Tradies, Rheem off-site is YOUR magazine. Please share your experiences and adventures with us. You don't have to be a puiltzer prize-winning writer - that is our job!

Look forward to hearing from you.

JOHN EICHELSHEIM

EDITOR RHEEM OFF-SITE

TALK TO US SO WE CAN SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH OTHERS.

EMAIL JOHNEICHELSHEIM@GMAIL.COM PHONE 021 775 789

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OFF-SITE FEATURE SPEED MERCHANT

RICHARD ABBOTT

FEEDING THE SPEED HABIT Pukekohe’s P ukekoh he’s R Rich ich Abbott Abbottt d does oes m most ost tthings hings iin nh his is llife ife a att p pace. ace.

Grant G rant D Dixon ixon meets meets a b builder uilder w who ho h has as a n need eed ffor or sspeed… peed…

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W

hether it was buying his first home, establishing his own business, or enjoying a range of motorsports, Richard’s motto has always been ‘the quicker the better’.

Growing up on a Hunua deer farm, Rich served his building apprenticeship under Ken Tebbutt at Villa Homes, qualifying just before the GFC (Global Financial Crisis) hit.

At 19, Rich had his own home in Auckland’s Wattle Downs, and despite the difficult financial times, struck out on his own, establishing Building Lifestyles, a company that specialised in renovations. The company name was a portent of things to come.

“Owning my own company gave me a bit more freedom.

When you are working for someone else you are responsible to them for your time. Being my own boss gave me the flexibility to pursue my interests,” Rich says.

Growing up, Rich confessed to owning ‘boy racer’ vehicles, but that was the extent of his petrolhead instincts “other than a hankering for fast cars I couldn’t afford!”

But that soon changed.

“I bought a second-hand Honda CRF 450 moto-cross bike in 2006 and began casual trail rides with my mates – nothing serious at first,” says Rich.

Two years later the Honda was upgraded to a KTM 350 and he dipped his toes into the competitive scene with the Pukekohe Motorcycle Club, thoroughly enjoying the fasterpaced action.

LEFT Rich cutting it up on his home track near Pukekohe.

ABOVE Rich currently competes on a Kawasaki KXF 450.

BELOW Rich's latest toy is a 2008 Audi RS4.

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MOTOCROSS IS MY WINTER SPORT, WITH DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKING KEPT FOR THE SUMMER…

ABOVE Son Kayden and daughter Baylee are following in Dad's footsteps.

BELOW Rich latest interest is Targa rallying, where he competes in the Tour section.

“I did lots of club rounds and did okay, winning a couple as I improved, and then gave the Nationals a shot – but that was another level again!”

In the last couple of years he has ridden a Kawasaki KXF 450, on which he has enjoyed further success at club level.

Last year Rich played a bigger part in the club, serving on the committee and helping with things like track preparation.

At the back of his mind was putting something back into the sport, as well as paving the way for four-year-old son Kayden’s growing passion for two-wheel thrills and spills: “He rides a Yamaha Pee Wee 50cc and buzzes around the kids’ track.”

On their Pukekohe lifestyle property, which is also the base for Rich and wife Ana’s Sentinel Homes franchise, Rich has built his own moto-cross track, making the most of the hilly terrain.

In more recent times Rich’s attention turned to Targa rallying, first as a volunteer on timekeeping duties and then as a driver in the Targa Tour section, which is limited to a top speed of 160kph.

His first drive was in his work vehicle, a Ford Ranger utility, in which he did well, surprising some of the other competitors in their far more salubrious (and more powerful) Porsches and Aston Martins.

This year he went 'Full Monty' purchasing a 2008 Audi RS4, which is stock-standard other than a Miltech exhaust system.

“Targa rallying, especially the Tour section, is not expensive, although some competitors are running cars worth over $300,000.

“What I love about it is you get to go fast on closed roads, putting the cars through their paces in situations they were designed for,” explains Rich.

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For the Tour section, drivers have helmet protection but use only conventional seat belts, although Rich has learned a trick or two about strapping himself in for maximum support against the G forces.

He says he has ambitions to own a track car one day, to race on nearby Pukekohe Raceway and similar circuits, but that might be a little way off yet as there are big bucks involved.

In the immediate future, Rich is planning to do more cross-country riding, as opposed to moto-cross.

These are three or four hour rides “in a straight line, across unknown territory” and Rich has in his sights a tilt at the cross-country Nationals.

And there is also his mountain bike, on which he loves the thrill and challenges of going downhill fast. His favourite ride is known as the ‘440,’ a particularly quick ride near Kaiwaka.

“Motocross is my winter sport, with downhill mountain biking kept for the summer,” says Rich.

Rich’s love of speed is not always shared by his wife Ana, although she is "getting better," says Rich.

“Ana can’t watch and does not find it as relaxing as I do, although this is changing and I may even get her in the Audi for a spin at an upcoming track day. It has taken her a while to come to terms with Kayden’s efforts on the kids’ track, and she now accepts it is not as dangerous as she first thought.”

With their two-year-old daughter Baylee showing all the signs of following in her dad and brother’s footsteps, for Ana it might be a case of ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!’

OFF-SITE SAFTEY SCUBA CYLINDERS

How safe is your scuba cylinder?

The Air Purity notice has caused some confusion around divers having scuba cylinders tested and failed, writes Dave Moran.

T

he Air Purity notice was the result of WorkSafe New Zealand issuing a Hazard Alert on the December 23, 2016.

WorkSafe were once again (first notice issued Dec 11, 2009) bringing to the attention of the dive industry the international concerns regarding cylinders manufactured from aluminium alloy 635, which is known to be used in cylinders manufactured between 1972 and 1988.

This notice was in response to an incident in August 2016, in Sydney, New South Wales, when a Luxfer cylinder ruptured during filling, causing serious injury including a partial amputation of a leg.

Year of manufacture and specification information is stamped in the neck area of a dive cylinder. Typically marked as: MM YY or the DOT special permit (SP), or exemption (E) markings.

At the time of going to press, WorkSafe have not banned the filling or testing of these cylinders. Note in their notice re: suspected cylinders, they add: “but not limited to” these types of cylinders.

WorkSafe has reinforced good practice procedures for preventing failures. Also noted is that a cylinder’s working life should not exceed 15 years, which is recommended by some cylinder manufacturers.

Dive stores audited by IANZ (International Accreditation New Zealand) have continued to test and fill cylinders that pass IANZ testing procedures. But as many divers have discovered, if they try and have their cylinder filled at a non-IANZ store, their cylinder will not be filled. There is a very strong rumour that WorkSafe will soon issue a Notice advising all auditing agencies to advise their customers (dive stores) not to test or fill certain cylinders.

The cause for these ruptures is mainly due to sustained load cracking – see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Sustained_load_cracking These cracks develop over time as a result of the cylinder being subjected to high pressures for prolonged periods of time. Many divers have cylinders filled to 3000psi/200bar stored for many months without giving them a second thought.

It is highly recommended, even if your cylinders are not currently identified in the list above, to only store your cylinders with pressure of around 500psi/35bar or less.

Do not store your cylinder without any pressure (empty) as this can cause moisture to enter the cylinder.

The oxygen content in your cylinder can also drop below 21% over time due to internal cylinder corrosion.

Check your cylinders NOW!

CHECK YOUR CYLINDERS FOR FOLLOWING NUMBERS: DOT: SP6498; E6498; E7042; E8107; E8364; E8422.

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OFF-SITE FEATURE SUMMER HUNTING

BY BARRY SHARPLIN

GO BUSH

this Summer

I was asked to do a story on summer hunting, but the problem I am faced with as I write is: WHERE THE HECK IS SUMMER?

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I

hope it is just around the corner, because summer can be one of the most rewarding and memorable times of year to hunt.

If you have been lucky enough to get out hunting, the freezer should be full of spring meat, so summer hunting is for making memories with friends and family.

At this time of year the stags are growing velvet, so it’s a waste shooting a stag for its antlers, and the hinds should have young in tow. But summer weather is (hopefully) just too good to waste by staying at home.

KIDS AND NEWBIES I recommend using this time of year to get a newbie or the kids into hunting. And while you are at it you can explore new ground, or maybe check out some of those areas you’ve been meaning to look at but never got around to.

Kids love summer hunting and daylight savings can give you a few hours after school to get them out looking for a rabbit or two, turkeys or goats. And hey, hunting doesn’t always have to be with a gun: you could do your bit for the environment by going back to basics and setting snares or traps for possums. Teach the kids how to pluck or skin possums for fun or for a bit of extra pocket money over the summer holidays – even start a bounty on them for a bit of extra incentive.

This summer I will make the most of the long days and teach my kids how to tan possum skins.

Do you have a mate who’s been nagging you about tagging along on a hunt but you keep telling him “next time” as you are unsure what he’s like in the bush? Well, now’s the time to take him. Go and scope out some spots for the roar or explore a new area.

I was told years ago by a friend that every time you return to hunt the same, familiar spot that’s one more new place you will never see. Some of the places you never see could offer fantastic hunting.

RIFLE OR BOW Summer might not always be the most productive time to hunt with newbies, as the forest floor can crunch like cornflakes, but at least you have a better chance of seeing something in the bush than at home. Remember that all it takes is one animal to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to turn what began as you taking your gun for a stroll into a successful hunt.

If you are more the solo kind of hunter, or just want to try something fun and challenging, why not give bow-hunting a try? There is a lot of small game available virtually everywhere and that makes for plenty of practice.

Wallabies can be a lot of fun to hunt in summer. They can also be quite a challenge with the bow.

If you are a duck shooter, why not talk to some farmers and find a spot to hunt feral pigeons?

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Barry Sharplin, second from left, enjoys a bit of relaxation time with friends back at camp.

Young Mack and Angus McMillan with the fruits of an evening rabbit hunt. Bill McLeod, left and the writer.

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ER AND M M U S E ENJOY TH HERE BECAUSE T GET OUT S COMING!” I “WINTER

LEFT Lance Wilde, left, and the writer with a summer deer.

Note Barry’s replica flintlock rifle.

BELOW The writer, left, and Pat Forde with a couple of back country brown trout.

THE BACK COUNTRY EXPERIENCE Another great thing about summer hunting is the way it builds up the fitness levels up for the autumn and winter, so why not dust off some of those maps and look at the huts a day or two’s walk in? Just do it! Back country huts can be amazing in summer time, especially if you’re also a fisherman. Some of the streams offer amazing dry fly fishing and are nice and remote, so you’ll have them to yourself.

When I’m summer hunting for deer I tend to stay low and walk stream beds or flats in the early morning or evening. In summer I can normally see quite a way and I can often be a bit more quiet than is possible at other times of year when I need to move around more.

If you have the patience, find somewhere to hole up and watch for activity on slip faces: a nice east facing slip to capture the morning sun is perfect and hunting them can be very successful.

One thing to remember is that the flies are bad at this time of year, so if the hut doesn’t have a meat safe, it might pay to take one yourself. Also, be sure to cool your meat down before carrying it or laying it in a pack. The best way to do this is to hang the carcass in the shade opened up – there are plenty of videos online illustrating how to do this.

One of my best summer hunting-fishing trips was with a group of good friends. W we took the boat down to a lake

22 V 9OLLT VɈ :P[L

and we spent a week hunting and fishing and just enjoying the camping life. Food cooked over the fire, brown trout attacking streamers in the shallows and a deer that stood in the wrong place at the wrong time made for one of the most memorable hunting trips I have ever had.

Enjoy the summer and get out there because “winter is coming!”

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