June 2021 - Issue 189 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

FISHING PAPER

Hutchwilco Boat Show Horse moki Capital Roar

Great yarn but sick start

Now I do understand a

Tide wrong for a sea anchor, I was being pushed wider faster than I wanted and the rain, it varied from soft, cold drizzle to pelting down on my face. Each time I headed a tad closer to shore, a kahawai would hook up and tow me out just a wee bit further. It wasn’t until the fog rolled in and I nearly lost sight of land, I decided, with three kahawai in the bag, to put some real energy to heading in close.

As I paddled, I decided to have one more crack at a snapper, having released a small one earlier, and then call it a day.

Would it be too much to ask for a 20 pounder?

Knowing full well it probably was. The way things were going I would be lucky to hook up on a

decent snapper at all. I held up where I thought I might just have a sporting chance, chucked a strayline out the back and tied my favourite Kaveman Tackle lure on the spin set and dropped it down.

Maybe 10 minutes later—a bend on my lure rod: nothing dramatic, more of a woman you have snagged yourself type of bend. Then a mission and a half just to get the rod from the holder. After feeling what may have been a couple of head nods, I decided to play it out.

For a good wee while I was gaining little to nothing while just concentrating on basic form, but eventually started making enough headway to be sure it was other end of the line. I can’t speak for other forms

time to celebrate has not yet come. Plenty of good

I tried. Three awkward

bouncing straight off the gills

able to slide it into the kayak. I slumped my body over it to ensure it wouldn’t head straight of the other side. I still had to get him in the

Channel 01 – Mt. Stokes

catch bag behind my seat; one last heave and it was

a new PB,’ text to my kayak

time to begin the long haul

to weigh in.

Twenty-one pounds – I couldn’t believe it.

Adventure Continues

The Jayco CrossHaul is a rugged, compact insulated cocoon. Load up with roof racks and yaks, pack in the rods and rifles, drop down the beds and sleep in nowhere. CrossHaul is one tough unit, tons of storage tricks and get out of jail suspension

Versatility

Coverage from Cape Farewell in the south to Cape Egmont in the north, and the east from Cape Palliser to Cape Campbell.  Most of the Marlborough Sounds, Golden Bay, Tasman Bay , Wellington and Cook Strait.  At times. This channel may be workable outside these perimeters.

Channel 04 – Drumduan.

Covers Tasman Bay and the western d’Urville area.

Permanently linked to both channels 60 and 65.  This means that any transmission made on channel 04 is heard simultaneously on both channels 60 and 65 and vice versa.

Channel 60 – Mt. Burnett

Covers Kahurangi Point in the west, all of Golden Bay and the western side of d’Urville Island.

Channel 60 is permanently linked to channel 04  (and subsequently to channel 65) so any transmission made on channel 04 is heard on channel 04, 60, and 65 as well.

Channel 63 – Mt. Kahikatea.

Covers Queen Charlotte Sound, Port Underwood, Cook Strait, south to Cape Campbell, Kapiti and Mana and also parts of Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds.  This channel is good for Wellington approaches but not good within Wellington Harbour.  (Mariners are advised to cancel Trip Reports at Barrets Reef buoy).

Channel 65 – Paradise Reserve

Covers Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds, Havelock, d’Urville, western Cook Strait, parts of Tasman Bay, Golden Bay and large sections of Queen Charlotte Sound.

Channel 66 – Mt. Stokes

Coverage area is similar to Channel 01.  This repeater is for commercial users only and is not operator monitored.

Channels 01 and 63 are linked for the marine forecasts only and one operator monitors both channels. Channels are monitored 0700 hrs to 2200 hrs all year round

Yolande Je ares—Dawnbreakers

Yolande Je ares' monster snapper was nothing to snu e about

An Oscar winner

Ash Gaskell

The team consisted of nine-year-old Oscar, dad, grandad, brother and sister. Not too soon, but after

about 30 minutes of trolling, we hooked up—then got busted off. Oscar got handed another rod with a new Rapala on it and set the lure a good distance behind the boat. Nothing seem interested in the new minutes, we were going to pull the line in when, BOOM! Oscar was on! His rod was more bent than a wet noodle and the

the story more interesting, Oscar broke his arm three weeks earlier from a scooter jump that ended in a less he was really up against it. Fortunately, grandad was able to assist, holding the

did all the winding but, midway, really wanted to

said to push through, “Come

So he knuckled down and the side of the boat. When Oscar saw colour he was ecstatic!

of Oscar’s broken arm but, apart from that, he nailed it all by himself. As you can see by the picture, he was so incredibly pumped—at 18kg it was bigger than his dad’s one he caught a while back.

• 2.5 tonne braked towing

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• 6 speed manual giving you total control

• anti braking system ABS

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PLUS all the safety features and mod cons you’d expect.

The whale migration season commenced in May, with multiple sightings along the east coast of the North and South Islands, one confirmed mortality with a humpback washing ashore, and a separate incident where a pot line was removed from a whale near Kaikoura. While such entanglements are rare, our rock lobster industry employs serious e ort to avoid and mitigate gear entanglements. Daryl Sykes reports on industrie's drive to

KEEP IT WHALE SAFE

internationally recognized and respected New Zealand researcher, has

Loose ropes and slack buoy lines are easily snagged by both small and large cetaceans

have demonstrable sea-going skills, operate to statutory health and safety standards, are based in locations where entanglements are possible, understand whale movement and behaviour from years of observation and experience, and would supplement the Department’s own resources in a more timely and costeffective manner if they were

Entanglement is a problem which must be addressed as rapidly as possible. With very small, slowly recovering populations of humpbacks, right whales and killer whales in the New Zealand region, any fatal entanglements have the potential to slow down recovery and, at the same time, become a political development of the rock lobster industry.

In the 33 years between

whale entanglements in New Zealand waters were attributable to pot/trap and (64%) involved humpback

right whales, one minke whale, one blue whale and one unknown baleen whale were documented as entangled.

been the principal author. Supplementary to the

of a real-time reporting tool, OceanSnap, a smartphone application that enables detailed observations of marine life to be reliably uploaded to an online database administered by the NZ RLIC.

OceanSnap has not been without its technical challenges and limitations, but the latest version has and, from June, will be communities and can be downloaded for Android and IOS smartphones. The app is free to obtain and use.

A less acknowledged initiative is our approach to the Department of Conservation (DOC) to have skilled commercial dis-entanglement teams.

Being able to remotely track the animals buys time for the DOC teams to assemble and travel, and obviates the need to keep vessels at sea searching for entangled whales whilst they do so.

Parameters associated with transmission can be altered remotely (while the whale is towing the buoy), such that battery life can be preserved through reducing transmission rate if a disentanglement operation is not imminent. Conversely, the transmission rate can be increased so that more positional data is provided when a disentanglement operation has been launched.

The technology enables

A GPS tracking buoy - one of three purchased by the NZ Rock Lobster Industry Council for use in New Zealand.

trained in dis-entanglement procedures.

To further advance our objective in this regard, the NZ RLIC has recently made a technology investment that and success rate of the DOC dis-entanglement team. The NZ RLIC has offered three satellite tracking buoys set up ready to deploy by the Kaikoura team as required.

responders to see the realtime locations of whales that have become entangled time data, in turn, permits remote monitoring until disentanglement efforts are undertaken.

Once a buoy is attached, so the disentanglement operation will occur under the most favourable

conditions. This ensures greater safety for the disentanglement crew, not to mention a better chance of a positive outcome for the whale.

stopped

With a larger population now moving along the coast, there is potential for a greater gear and migrating whales.

been successful in reducing whale entanglements and the rock lobster industry is continuously committed to mitigating possible impacts these whale tracker buoys are part of that strategy. The risk of entanglement is not limited to commercial single line buoyed pots and

to curious whales, orcas and even dolphins.

•

• Avoid excessive slack in pot ropes. Ropes should be adjusted to a length appropriate to the depth and strength of tide being worked, especially inshore. Excess slack in pot ropes can be coiled

• Slack line should be limited to enough rope to allow for recovery and to commence hauling safely (dog bone/shanking).

• Where possible avoid setting pots in clusters.

• Pots should be retained onboard, or returned to

long periods. Collect any gear.

• Regularly check pots practice. The DOC Disentanglement Teams have a greater chance of success if an entangled whale is quickly discovered.

• Report any entanglements as soon as possible. Rapid reporting ensures Entanglement Response Teams have the best possible chance of successfully disentangling a whale. Fishermen should monitor entanglement situations, with due regard for the safety of the vessel and the whale, until assistance teams arrive.

United States whale dis-entanglement team in action on the California coast

The horse moki whisperer

Lennon Mok

What else runs that hard on

my partner via my earphones as I held the rod, tightening the drag to suit.

I pumped and wound when I could, before it ran again. I gear but had reservations about landing it by myself.

closer it didn’t feel like a king no more. It was my

reason why I wake up early by myself. Going for a once

peeked his head out of the water. I had never in my life seen a blue moki that size.

The blue moki was

Wellington surfcasting competition coming at

given to a much bigger family than mine, so nothing was wasted.

size 3/0 hook, Penn Prevail II paired with Shimano Ultegra reel and 30lb braid line.

A day I will never forget.

A day I will be dreaming to beat.

Cou a’s Cut: Coutta

Fisheries New Zealand is seeking public feedback on recommendations from the Kaikōura Marine Guardians to reopen the Kaikōura coastline to pāua fishing.

Fisheries New Zealand’s Manger for inshore Fisheries South, Allen Frazer says shellfish and seaweed closures were introduced following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes which caused significant seabed uplift along the coast impacting the marine environment, including the popular pāua fishery.

“This is the first time we’ve closed a fishery as a result of an earthquake and since then we’ve undertaken rigorous monitoring and research to

track the recovery of pāua over time”, says Allen Frazer.

The research has provided a good baseline to measure the recovery of the fishery and where to focus our attention in the future.

“The scientific research has shown an overall increase in adult and juvenile pāua abundance since the fishery was closed, particularly where there was less uplift. Most noticeably is the buildup of large pāua in areas close to shore.”

The Kaikōura Marine Guardians, a statutory advisory committee representing interests from across the sectors, has recommended options to reopen the pāua fishery

later this year. The options include new management measures for the recreational fishery such as lowering the daily limit per person, the introduction of vehicle and vessel limits, and a larger minimum legal size for pāua. These measures are designed to ensure the rebuild of the fishery is not compromised.

“Pāua in the closed areas are now more easily accessible from the shoreline. This means, although pāua are doing well, any way forward will need to take a precautious and adaptive approach to preserve the health and recovery of this important fishery,” says Allen Frazer.

Fisheries New Zealand is also seeking feedback on reopening the northern part of the closed area, extending beyond the Kaikōura Marine Area to Cape Campbell/ Marfells Beach.

Consultation will run until Monday 5th July 2021. More information on the recommendations and how to have your say can be found online at https://www. mpi.govt.nz/consultations/ proposal-to-reopen-thekaikoura-marine-area-topaua-fishing.

This month is easy; it’s the results of the review into New Zealand Fish & Game, which was instigated by a sworn enemy of the organization from last term’s

of Conservation. As soon waving greenie in charge of conservation and, in turn, in charge of Fish & Game, every Kiwi who hunts or themselves at what the future was going to hold.

For those who have not read the review, even though it might well stuff up your day, I would strongly advise you have at least a quick

look. Okay, a few of the recommendations have some merit and you could be forgiven for thinking the two members of the review panel had the interests of Fish &Game at heart. The ones I’m talking about are to combine neighbouring regions. An example, Eastern and Hawkes and also cutting the number eight. You’ve got to admit,

bloody ridiculous.

To me though, that’s about where the good bits end.

Of those eight councillors, four are to be elected by case you’ve forgotten, they are the people who fully

appointments. The New Zealand Fish & Game Council will in turn be cut

with the Chairman of that Council, wait for it, being a

At the moment it is legislated a Fish & Game councillor cannot be paid or rewarded in any way for their service. I know what this is like. When I sat on

the Eastern Council for nine years, meeting days cost my guiding business a fair bit of money. Under the review recommendations that is about to change. A good thing you may be thinking. Yes, it would be if it was across the board but it’s not. Elected councillors will continue to work for free, while the government appointees will be renumerated. How bloody fair is that?

There is, of course, a lot more but space does not allow me to cover it. I must however point out this review puts our way of life in severe danger. I’m not being dramatic, that’s a appointees going to be? Will they be anti-hunting or anti-introduced species?

Remember, Eugenie Sage has publicly described trout as rats of the rivers. She wants them gone. Would

waving, lunatic greenies on every Fish & Game Council and one of their number right at the top as Chairman of the New Zealand Council? Nothing would bloody

The firearm licence quagmire

this extra work takes time and delays seem to be the new normal. Unless you are at the top of the cop shop and wear blue, expect it to take months. They say get in four months early but I wouldn’t trust this and would suggest you get your application in earlier. I have a good friend, who, after being told they would do his urgently as he is a New Zealand representative with competitions coming up, was still waiting and watching from the sidelines unable to compete.

They see this as our problem and the police expect us to make ourselves available when they want to do the interviews, at times and a place that suits them. You need to keep ahead of them and start early.

There are another long list of changes the police are wanting to do that will affect Dealers and Ammo sellers. Remember, anything that affects them rolls on to impact you next time you want to make a purchase.

The extra paperwork and requirements they expect us to do, not only for the one applying but also for referees, has increased greatly. Being a referee has

Warning, if you don’t get your replacement before your licence expires, you now don’t have a licence. You need to get someone to have in your possession or you can be charged as an unlicenced person in

Remember the charges are

The police are also looking at the way people secure travelling. Once again, THINK about what the hell you are doing. Don’t leave vehicle because that is just stupid and you deserve to not a cop, we have to do better than them, because they won’t look the other way for you.

always been an important part. Now it is even more so and the demand on the referee has increased, but backing our fellow shooting folk is what we do.

A big thing to note is all

heavier for licence holders than those that never had one, or so it seems each time they change the rules and they will be happy to make a few examples. Don’t give them the chance.

This is the biggest paua Reice Piggott gathered while on a hunting trip to Stewart Island, just under 200mm long.

Fortunately, my present vehicle has built-in low system makes use of these. All that is needed are two lengths of bungee cord and a small security chain and padlock. On road trips

away, I usually carry up to four rods. Yes, I like a few spares. On short trips to the shore I leave my reels on the two rods in use.

Once the rods are tied together and sitting on the roof racks, bind them in a criss-cross motion with the bungee cords. One end of

Somewhat surfccessful

sunk into our chairs with shirts off and soaked in the sunrise. We really didn’t expect to catch anything.

an hour here then to head to South Bay in Kaikoura to try our luck.

seconds after waking up. I looked across at Sam on the other bed and uttered the

As it turned out it wasn’t there fast asleep.

muttered a little louder.

And within seconds Sam responded.

Armed with prawns, we grabbed our rods and chairs from outside the caravan and walked down to the beach. After a smooth setup, we

About twenty minutes later, one of the rods was on. I was up in a heartbeat to set the hook while Sam beelined to the edge of the surf break, ready to wrangle whatever was on the end of the line.

marginal landing technique, nice wee rig. It wasn’t anything huge but we were

With our optimism through the roof, the smart move was to give it another hour. Another mate, Jona, arrived

So it was on the road to South Bay.

Three of us operating three chance.

Within minutes Jona landed a nice wee kahawai.

As the day wore on we started losing hope, but we

rigged up Sam’s rod with a whole kahawai as bait and sent it out. Nothing. The day wasn’t going to plan so we sucked in our pride and started to pack, leaving the last baits in the water. Sam headed up to the caravan to make us some noodles for lunch while I packed the last

each cord is permanently attached to the roof rack.

The other bungee cord ends have a plastic hook attached.

When both bungee cords are in place, simply hook the two loose ends together to create the necessary tension to hold them secure.

On long road trips, carrying a bundle of rods, I wind a small chain around the rods and front rack and padlock it

tight. This gives an assurance of safety and security. I’d hate the bungees to give way and send the rods through the windscreen of a following vehicle. When not in use I leave the bungees on the roof racks, hooked in place under tension, to stop them solution to a surfcasting problem.

of our gear.

Just as all hope was lost, Sam’s rod started slipping line so I was on the scene in seconds. Jona ran to grab Sam from the caravan and both came bolting back.

duties and after a good little game of tug of war, we had a baby seven giller at the edge of the surf. Stoke was high,

With absolutely no hesitation, Jona dived for it and dragged it out by the tail. We all had a smile and a part to play in landing this little beauty. After we snapped a quick photo, it was released, which was satisfying.

As were the perfectly cooked noodles.

Cheers Kaikoura.

Carrying rods with reels attached.

Bundle of rods securely chained in.

gimmicky

Daymon Nuhaj

Daymo, Sam and S'ven the giller

Girls on fire

wide has been phenomenal this summer and towards the end of the season, Lesya, Josh and I were lucky enough to be invited on a trip with one of our customers.

Tamzin Henderson

Steaming from Waikawa we were out to the marks

using slow jigs, the snapper were hitting straight away.

They were holding around 20m off the bottom so

Fish ID Gurnard

as soon as we wound up through the water column we were on.

It’s best to change up the slow jigs, rather than using the same colours all the time, but it was evident the dark colours were performing better on the day.

There were around 30 boats out between the Chetwodes and Sentinel Rock but it didn’t take long before we had several good snapper on board.

It was time to have a play with lighter gear (we all had 20lb line) so I tied a Black

biggest snapper of the day,

Lesya landed her two best snapper, showing the girls

We headed home with big with our families.

OUT THERE GEAR!

coastal waters around both islands, gurnard prefer

very common in shallow sandy bays where they feed mainly on small crabs and sometimes fall prey.

Targeting Gurnard.

large specimens reaching 60cm. They are fairly quick growing, reaching maturity around the age of two, but seldom live past ten.

Distribution.

Widespread throughout

Gurnard are a slow sifts for food along the bottom. They are capable of short bursts of speeds once in close to their prey, which for them. Drifting ledger baits along the bottom and

THOSE winter kingies with jigging gear from Henderson's

particularly along the sandy faces that slope into channels is a popular method. Fishing from sandy beaches into channels and guts is a common method from the shore. They will take a variety of baits,

Gurnard will take small jigs and softbaits cast out and erratically skittered

anglers don’t rate them as great sport, but on light 4-6kg tackle they put up an

Food Qualities.

fat and has a pinkish tinge to it. It cooks white and has

for all cooking methods, but best lightly fried or grilled.

• Lightweight aluminium with the strength of steel allows the rack to sit closer to the roof for less drag

• Modular system that lets you add partial or full rails to suit your load

• Add rollers…great for getting the fishing yak on and o !

• Heaps of fixing points

• Tidy concealed power cable channels …the list goes on!

TOUGH AS PROTECTION

• Under vehicle protection so you don’t bomb your sump in the wopwops

• Solid bull bars to fend o any predator and anchor any accessories

• Side rails and rear bar systems

• Winches and hooks …we’ll give you the works

Tamzin all smiles

Stag succumbs to cabin fever

A busy building project at the family farm was eating my free time so the Roar was reduced to a couple of weekends. I had three of my four kids working with me on the log cabin, and hunting morning and

morning was a quick hunt with him and his older sister

the house. It proved a bit uneventful; only spooking a stag that was unseen but not unscented (no mistaking that smell).

So back to more cabin work, whilst my youngest grandfather repairing a boundary fence.

Later that day they joined us at the cabin for a cuppa and told us about a stag

worth checking out,

We jumped in the truck and headed round to the general area, where I listened for said stag but heard nothing. I wasn’t too worried as I knew this remote part of the farm fairly well and had previously seen

stags in a clearing on the highest, furtherest part of the farm. It was a bit of a climb but we had good daylight left so we set off. We had barely

gone 30m up the bush ridge when we spooked a stag and glimpsed small antlers as it crashed off. I gave a roar and I heard it stop, so got Billy to stalk in front of me, but we never saw it.

I explained to the kids that although we spooked it, we could still carry on.

After an hour of climbing, the excitement of roar hunting had worn thin so we sat to catch our breaths. A moan from across the gully piqued the kids’ interest again, so we repositioned to get a look at the clearing. However, the stag was absent.

Hmm where is he?

still obscured from us but I knew roughly where he was.

“We’ve a bit more climbing and a little sidling ahead of

Only this time it wasn’t the stag .

The stalk commenced. Occasionally, the stag would moan again. We crept closer. An area of crown from where I thought the stag would be.

“Four of us trying to sneak through crown fern is going to be noisy and might scare

After a steep pinch to the ridge, we sat for a breather.

The stag was silent. No moans.

I explained to the kids that sometimes hunts don’t go to in the bush is..blah blah

eyed and nodding. I was expecting the scrubby head we had spooked earlier but a set of very impressive tops away.

I told Sam and Killarnee forward on my butt with Billy shoulder. We wriggled into position and waited.

The stag was lying on a small bench facing down hill, with just his tops visible. The breeze was in our favour so we waited him out.

The stag. Game on again. of me.

“Take two steps and look

He repeated this several times until his head jerked and he looked at me wide-

I thought I could get some photos of him on my phone so turned to Killarnee and motioned to her to get it. I felt the breeze touch the

at Billy to get ready, as the stag was going to stand up. I watched as his antlers spun

towards us and he stood behind some scrub with just his antlers poking out the side.

whispered.

The stag’s head spun round and he exploded off downhill.

I remember saying an

and letting out a series of grunts and moans. The stag skidded to a stop, looked up and I pulled the trigger. He dropped instantly and starting rolling down the steep face, getting faster and faster, until he was out of sight.

I turned to Billy and apologised, as I had literally grabbed the gun, shoving the

could shoot the stag. He had no issues and said he reckoned he couldn’t have made the shot, but I still wrestle with the thought that

maybe I should have let him have that chance. However,

second.

We headed down to check out the stag, hoping his fall hadn’t smashed his antlers. I knew it was a good head but

didn’t realise fully until we pulled his head up. WOW.

It was an incredible experience for me to share be relived every time we look up at those antlers in our cabin.

SIGN AND SHARE THE PETITION

Karl Barlow

Killarnee, Sam and Billy on the hunt

Getting ready for the cabin wall

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Pulsar thermal zeroing target

Stuart Graham

The kit comes with paper targets and heat patches that, once activated, give a strong thermal signal for at least

pad sticks to the bullseye and gives a very clear image the edges.

Once a group is determined, I use Blu Tac to indicate where the grouping is in relation to the thermal sight accordingly. Alternately, you could use another heat pad to highlight the grouping.

The kit contains ten targets and ten heat patches. An absolute must for those demanding the best from their thermal scopes.

Rod Before Job

John Fred Chester

Publisher: Hookedbooks. co.uk

Price: e-book less than $5; paperback approx. $20

Reviewed by Dave Dixon (although I feature in this book, be assured no money has changed hands in the

Available as e-book from Amazon.co.uk, or paperback from Lulu.com

John Chester is a vascular surgeon from Somerset, and adventure. In fact, into adventure even if not

Urged to write this book

John delivers 30 fast-paced chapters recounting 30 years around the world. Some stories the reader may be able to relate to, such as snapper in French Pass, cod in Norway, trout in the Falklands, or salmon in Russia; but then there’s all the exotic and unusual bits Thailand, mahseer in India, piranha in the Amazon, and

While John is happy

don’t expect this book to be an egotistical ramble through reader can expect to bounce from terrifying encounters with teeth-laden monsters, to lyrical expressions of awe and admiration for species many of us have never heard of. All portrayed in a way only an angler can, and laced with entertaining accounts of mishap and mischief described with hilarious dry wit. can download this to your phone and experience the planet, through the eyes of an amazing bloke who tries to catch them.

"He has traveled to every location on the planet with great catches to show from it."

"Amazing adventuresfishing mixed withhumour!"superb

The Pulsar thermal zeroing target, a must have accessory

the heat pad to the bullseye of the Pulsar target

Mucking about

A pair of knickers for every day of my four-day camp, because when I was a kid, never know when you might have an accident and end up in hospitaI, you have to wear

I have spares too because, as I’ve aged, I’ve learnt

In my silver-haired-years, running fast, laughing hard, or coughing can often be hazardous and I never, ever, trust a sneeze.

I’ve packed hot day clothes and cold day clothes. Jackets, two, just in case the forecast is proven wrong. Food, I’ve enough tucker to stay camped away for a small, medium and large calibres. I also have every sundry item you can imagine and some you can’t. I am ready for every outdoors eventuality but I don’t have socks. I forgot my bloody

It’s not a drama, not really. It’s not like I’m going to get trench foot or chilblains or play host to a fungal outbreak. If I keep my feet clean and my socks dry I’ll

Night two, dark-time and I pup has been in the hut. She of piddle so enormous that said pup must be nought but a dry husk, devoid of any I stomp directly into the piddle puddle and at once my sock and my foot are saturated with urine.

By bed-time the socks are washed and rinsed and wrung and hung. They hang on the back of a chair and absorb some of the

don’t pretend nor try to fool

They’re not. They dangle damp and misshapen and cold. Ice cold, to match the frost-crusted surfaces all about, it’s frigid both outdoors and in.

dawn of a beautiful day, I have the company of two good dogs and a place to roam in pursuit of porkers. Roam I will and enjoy I do. Life ain’t always like a box of chocolates. Sometimes you do know what you’re gonna get. Or think you do. After observing a mature boar through my binoculars, I reckon I have a fair chance

of securing him with the assistance of my pig dogs. He’s no whopper, he won’t be auditioning for the role of Razorback any time soon but he’ll do us.

There is a big climb between pig and we three. Chop and Nugget, father and son, follow my lead and we all sneak slow and silent ever upwards. Quietly, quietly, we skirt around deer, past goats and go unobserved till Nugget’s questing nostrils catch a trace of pig. He’s only a youngster but he slides off stealthily, curious to trace the source of the scent. Chop observes, then follows suit, backing his boy. Up on the ridge a couple of startled grunts catch my ear. Then a squeal rents the silence asunder. Bugger, that shriek is not in the range nor vocabulary of a mature boar.

secured I considered going back for seconds. I decided against it, too greedy. The pig numbers here are slim, best I act like an adult, be conservative and think of the future.

Nugget is not yet adult, he is an enthusiastic canine teen and while I’m not looking, he slides off as stealthily as last time. When I register

his absence and check my tracking receiver, he is high up the hill. Once again I hear a startled grunt, then a

Old Chop makes like a racing greyhound, “Comin’

Pig Two comes to a sliding halt, with a dog secured on either ear and complaining vociferously, just metres from where I’m standing with Pig One. I do believe they’re brothers. Or were

brothers. After a quick bit of knife work they become two similar sized porkers. They won’t be wasted, I will drag them both out and they will feed several families.

Despite being all downhill, the pork recovery is literally a drag. The best option is to follow a gnarly, wee creek down the face, the way is relatively clear, just thickets of blackberry and tainted with rutting stag reek,

polluted with cow pooh and sprinkled liberally with goat turds.

I drag, stumble and charges and I all look like wallowing pigs. It’s okay though, because I have everything I need to get myself clean and to swap ones. Everything bar socks that is and you can guess what the current pair look like.

Father & son tackle the boar brothers

A most capital Roar

Tom McGowan

In early 2021, my head started spinning about when and where to concentrate my efforts for the Roar. In recent years I have been more in favour of hunting public land close to Wellington where I know the lay of the land and where animals should be. While these areas typically don’t have the trophy potential of the open tops of the South Island, for me, the excitement of the Roar is about getting close to lots of animals, while holding onto a glimmer of hope that one day I’ll get on to a true trophy.

Through March, photos of nice stags and reports of media. It seemed very evident that a year off being chased due to COVID had had a remarkable effect on the overall quality of stags. Being impatient, I made Remutakas late March,

up camp and check a couple of easy spots that evening, then put in a big day to the

spotted an animal in the very

a reasonable 8 pointer and better than most in this area.

a rest, he fell after one shot

Happy to get on the board and to load up on meat, I left the planned hunt for another day. and diving over the summer. While a false start for the quality venison and take my best head to date from the area.

I then made three separate trips into both the Remutakas and Tararuas, based on excited reports of roaring in these areas. I covered a lot of ground over previously including smaller stags, lazy moans, and stalked close to one stag properly doing its thing. I also had the unpleasant experience another roaring hunter, tinny sound of his electronic out this year that the stags already starting to plan my Roar for next year in the

With burnt out legs and enthusiasm, on the 11th of April I decided to have one last crack at a favourite

time.

Seeing no trucks at the road

I’d likely been the only by the lack of noise on the heard one going off, but he not an option for today. I continued up a long leading had success. For more than and not a single roar had me

Finally, as I got to a high point on the ridge, I heard one doing his thing but it took a bit to pinpoint the exact gut that he

unpredictable hundred metres and consistently in my face. Making the most of the rushed to close the his constant aggressive roars

the spot as he stepped into

lifetime for me.

an animal, and loaded up

good roar action but couldn’t

lanes. After catching my breath, I let out a moan. The Within seconds he appeared to check me out. I could

shooter, seeing good length and three top tines. I locked my scope onto the next shooting lane in his direction of travel and dropped him on

best for me, and a high quality stag for this area. I’ve never been set on the idea of having a stag mounted, but

from public land in an area that I have hunted a lot, so it

most likely be a stag of a

hearing more stags light up along the track. Despite a lot of sulking and heads from the Remutakas and Tararuas, a full freezer and possibly a trophy of a distance of the capital city.

area in the Tararuas I unsuccessfully hunted over

The 2021 Hutchwilco Boat Show had almost 40,000 visitors over the 4 days with exhibitors reporting strong interest and sales.

1. The Osprey 750 HT in striking hot orange attracted many. www.osprey.co.nz

2. U-DEK custom or DIY foam decking products add improved comfort to any day on the water. www.udek.com

3. The new Haines Hunter Hard Top with large cockpit and superbly finished looked great. www.haineshunter.co.nz

4. Why do you need a boat…?...to hunt…to fish! www.huntingandfishing.co.nz

5. It’s game on with the new ActiveTarget Live Sonar from LOWRANCE. www.lowrance.com

6. Furuno have got some tricky gear that’ll help you identify fish and their individual size (10cm199cm long). www.furuno.com

7. Lusty & Blundell were particularly busy showcasing the extensive Raymarine range. www.lusty-blundell.co.nz

8. Fi-GLASS Boats enjoyed lots of sales across their range from the legendary entry level Fireball to the 200hp Warrior. www.figlass.co.nz

9. Zego come in a range of shapes and sizes.Spec up with rod holders and finder …a lot of economical fun! www.zegosportsboats.com

10. Steve McLay has exhibited at the Boat Show for over 30 years and this year was inducted into the NZ Boat Show Hall of Fame. Great bloke…great boats. www.mclayboats.co.nz

11. Parsun are great value, 2 & 4 stroke. Reliable 2hp-140hp. www.dinghysandoutboards.co.nz

12 David Turpin-spearo, designer, conservationist. His “handmade in Nelson” teak spears are a labour of love. www.secta.co.nz

13. High-end German made fishing gear launching soon NZ wide. www.balzer.nz

14. Wild West Worcester sauces are handmade and seriously addictive. 18 months of infusing, 14 hours of batch brewing. Internationally awarded. www.wildwestworcester.co.nz

15. FatCat’s are super stable,safe and spacious. Made in NZ to designs from Kiwi’s that know the ocean. Economical fishing platform. www.fatcat.nz

8 9 10

The importance of quality optics

Jack Russell – Hunting & Fishing Queenstown

to reap some reward.

I remember being told once by someone vastly more experienced, that you can’t shoot what you can’t see. How true is it when you’re sitting glassing a clearing right on dusk when that big stag walks out or squinting

searching for that once in a lifetime bull tahr tucked in amongst the monkey-scrub

What difference would that better pair of binos with the extended light-gathering coating or the scope with the larger 44mm objective drawing in a precious few extra minutes of shooting light make when it really counted?

As a keen hunter and outdoors person, I would importance of investing in quality optics. Whether it be a spotting scope, binoculars get what you pay for.

Optics aren’t consumables, they should be viewed as a one-o purchase so buy once buy right.

There are several highquality brands on the market nowadays and even more mid-tier offerings, each boasting an array of models. It can be confusing, but the important thing is to list out what your key requirements are.

use where clarity, reliable dial-up and weight are paramount is quite different to someone who needs a reticle scope shooting PRS competitions. Prioritising features is a great way to will allow you to then start comparing models and technology in a fair and relevant fashion.

Look at where the product is made, the quality of the glass and the coatings

used. These are often the reason for increased price and will be what separates the okay from the great. Look for slightly larger objectives before increased will generally be brighter and maybe a little sharper at with better edge-to-edge clarity, particularly in models boasting the higher quality glass.

Almost all optics purchased over the counter in New Zealand will appear okay at day. This however doesn’t always equate to our realworld hunting conditions so don’t be shy in timing your purchase for earlier in the day or an hour or two before closing when there isn’t as much available light.

Trust in recommendations made by your local Hunting & Fishing store and do your own homework to verify and narrow down the choice.

Remember to use quality mounting systems, lens protectors, scope covers and a bino caddy as all these will undoubtably protect and prolong the life of your investment and mean that the extra dollars spent up front will pay out exponentially when the moment of truth comes on that hard-earned trip away. Hot barrels, straight arrows and happy hunting.

Equity and fairness for recreational fishers

Randall Bess

the Government could be political ground-breakers in a major inequity and lack of fairness for recreational would improve governance for the sector.

This recommendation involves another budget winner, further boosts in infrastructure investment, particularly road infrastructure that is generally funded through fuel taxes. Petrol excise duty is tax revenue that covers road construction, maintenance and related services. But, because the same petrol used for cars is also used for recreational boats, petrol used in boats is taxed as though it were

being used on roads.

There is no feasible system for either exempting petrol used in boats from excise duty or refunding the excise duty collected from recreational boat users. It is also not feasible to determine the precise amount of annual petrol excise duty paid by those who operate petrol-powered recreational boats.

Institute of Economic Research estimated the annual petrol excise duty collected from recreational million, though a more realistic estimate of on boating survey results and industry experts.

The current annual petrol excise duty paid by recreational boat users is higher, likely exceeding subsequent increases in the duty and the increasing number of recreational boats, which has more than

In addition to petrol excise duty paid by recreational

boat users subsidising road projects, under section

the following activities and services from that same duty

• search and rescue activities, whether in relation to pleasure craft or otherwise;

• recreational boating safety and safety awareness;

• maritime safety services that benefit the users of pleasure craft; and

• administration by the Secretary in relation to the activities and services described above.

Payments made under

Zealand, with most going towards search and rescue services on land and sea.

Since recreational

substantially through petrol excise duty, then it would be equitable and fair to

management activities to the purposes listed under section

Funding recreational activities from petrol excise duty already collected from recreational boat users makes more sense than either putting that

collected excise duty into road projects or funding

management from general tax revenues.

to recommend the Government consider an amendment to the Land

2003 to allow for payment

management activities. These activities could

include broad representation to Government and the other and projects and research that align with the priorities sector.

We would appreciate

Fuel tax road to better management

Primordial Pi Island a top pick

Rangiauria in Māori and Rangiaotea in Moriori, Pitt Island is definitely a ‘must do’ location and no trip to the Chatham Islands would be complete without a visit.

The opportunity to experience this gem is weather dependent as it requires a short flight in a small aircraft, landing on a remote airstrip. This, in itself, makes the adventure all the more special and one for the memory books.

With only three of us on this flight, there was ample room to stretch the legs as we flew across the smoky steel-grey waters that separated Pitt from the Chatham main island— a gulf of 14 kilometres. Great

white sharks infiltrate the waters below between February and July, with the occasional pāua diver experiencing up close and personal encounters with these inquisitive creatures, but Pitt Island is renowned for an entirely di erent animal. Home to the Saxony merino, a feral breed having roamed wild on the island since 1843, the species is a veritable genetic time capsule and also a popular quest for hunters.

Stepping on terra firma is like stepping back in time to a more leisurely and rustic era. Roughly the size of d’Urville Island in the Marlborough Sounds and supporting a population

Part 2 Andrew Dyer

of around 38, Pitt Island punches above its weight when it comes to scenery, flora and fauna, and other points of interest. A visit to Caravan Bush really showcased how di erent the unique plant life is to mainland New Zealand, with the diminutive forest creating a surreal atmosphere.

For those wanting to stay over, Flowerpot Bay Lodge, owned and operated by Bernie and Brent Mallinson is a haven. The setting is picturesque and in touch with nature, while being a great base to explore the many highlights and activities the island has to share. In fact, history literally comes knocking, with the

Flowerpot Bay Lodge

found carved into the beach cli at the foot of the garden path.

We stayed the night at Flowerpot Bay Lodge and enjoyed good local food and great hospitality amidst a truly magnificent setting. The ambience of this almost primordial landscape has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

Brent chatted about hunting Pitt island sheep, fishing and other activities he runs for the hunter gatherer out there—worth a look into.

On day two we climbed Hakepa or, as the locals call it, Walk-hem-up as it is too steep to ride a horse up. This is the first place in the world to get the sun

Beachfront Lodge Accommodation Pitt Island, Chatham Islands

The Ultimate getaway for outdoor enthusiasts, couples and groups

• Birding and Walking tours

• Flora, fauna and history

• • • Geology and photography

• The “Original Pitt Island day tour”

on a new day and for the millennium some statues were erected. It’s well worth the walk followed by a visit to the young Antipodean wandering albatross— awesome.

Reader Pic

The only downside to a visit of Pitt Island is, ultimately, you have to say goodbye. However, it is the seal of authenticity to ticking o the Chatham Islands from the bucket list.

73 year old Donna Mitchell is super stoked with her 3.2 kg moki she caught in Cloudy Bay recently. Thanks to Gordon her husband for sending this to the paper

Flowerpot Bay Pitt Island

The original prison

The Antipodean albatross

Darkness provides perfect cover for a well equipped night hunter, combined with a downwind approach and careful, stealthy movement, the shooting distance can be reduced to ensure a high

Zealand professional pest controllers now shoot almost exclusively at night, with the Pulsar Helion and Pulsar Trail thermal gear being the

Winter pest control

most common choice of optic.

There are two technologies that enable a shooter to approach a target to within short distance without alerting the animal, night vision and thermal imaging. This is a quick breakdown of

Night vision pros and cons

• Excellent target identification

• Lower purchase cost

• Requires a clear line-of-sight

• Requires IR illumination in extreme darkness

• Cannot adequately see the background

FORSALE

Thermal imaging pros and cons:

• Target identification can be di cult unless using the more costly gear

• Relatively high purchase cost

• Can see through grasses and light foliage

• Requires no additional illumination

• Can detect animals in the background for many hundreds of metres.

A hand-held thermal imager will enable the shooter to spot the target and

ensure that the background is safe before the shot is taken. This piece of equipment is almost universally used

Dan Hardy

Carbon

Wrapped Barrel

Carbon Fibre Mountain Hunter Stock

Weatherby action | Ultra light 30-06 Rifle

• The perfect all round New Zealand calibre, the 30-06 is a proven cartridge and ideal for all New Zealand big game.

• This lightweight tack driver is the perfect alpine rifle-ideal for those big bull tahr.

• Picatinny rail

• Two free packets of ammo

for this purpose. It can spot animals concealed by tall grass and foliage, and even see through fog.

Taking the shot with either

depends on budget and terrain. Professional pest controllers mainly use thermal, however, night vision is more affordable and allows for better target for novice and occasional shooters. Night vision cannot enable you to shoot through fog, tall grasses and foliage though.

In a nutshell, a thermal imager for spotting and a shooting is a very good combination for farming and horticulture, as well as for the busy hunter that wishes to go for a shot after work.

A Pulsar hand-held thermal spots animals easily, even at extreme distance. This image shows a hare running in the foreground and a horse in the background, making it an unsafe shot.

Traditional spotlighting becomes less e ective as animals become more wary. The background is invisible making it a dangerous practice.

Culling deer on farmland with a Pulsar night vision riflescope.

Drones for Trout Spo ing

Blair Whiting

What If I told you there is a way to eliminate it entirely?

technology has surged forward with innovation, devices have become so

in your pocket. For a long time, drones were too bulky for the average person to your hand and have enough

while packing an impressive camera into the system.

after checking out the footage from a good mate

session. Although I expect about in each pool of a river like the Tukituki, numbers like 30 to 40 simply sounds unbelievable.

These small drones are great for when there is a huge amount of glare on the water. For example, onto the water. I might as

were preparing to run for spawning, sitting in all but the deepest pools. The

CRIMPTOON

the prime lie at the head and

which are normally unseen, are easily revealed by a small shadow. There are a lot more of these around than you think.

With the unique height perspective, you see every river. While this is incredibly entertaining, it also gives me the information I need

often learn something new every time I observe trout but watching them overhead from a drone can’t even be compared. I can see every little movement. When they are feeding, what direction they are facing, even ID the species and have a good estimate of weight. All this before even landing a

doesn’t sound ridiculous, I don’t know what does.

Not only do drones help with spotting but they are making. Few things get trout a live bird’s-eye view of a angler in shot. The beautiful aerial shots reserved for helicopter pilots have

suddenly been opened to an angler with just a day pack. I could sit all day with my face glued to the incredible footage of trout milling about their day, blissfully unaware they are now a star of my eyes in the sky.

The potential with this bit of technology has been

largely unexplored until recently but, with prices falling, this bit of tech has become within reach for many anglers. I can’t wait to get hold of one of my own and really wring out some great footage.

Spot the trout

Bird's eye view of trout

COOKING with CRIMPY

Game k per’s pi

Introducing the precision Export Series Scary Sharp System

All the frustration and di culty of maintaining the angle of incline between the knife blade and the sharpening stone, has now been made so easy to achieve with increased precision.

The newest version of the Scary Sharp Knife Sharpener works on the same principle as the previous version—an indexed rotating clamp system that ensures uniform honing during the

sharpening process.  It's now more compact, lightweight and even more precise.

This version was initially developed to be more competitive in the international market, hence being named the 'Export Series'.

The kit comes complete with two clamps, two combination stones (o ering four levels of abrasion), a polished steel, tools and hardware

The indexed rotating clamping system has 3 angle adjustments 12˚, 20˚, 25˚ always keeping your knife in the same place

We settled on the Rural robust unit with stainless per hour, which I don’t

For years, decades even, our family persevered with a run of the mill electric kitchen mincer, or grinder as the Americans will have it. It su ced, was adequate and happily minced small quantities of meat. The only real downside was lack of capacity; it required the meat to be trimmed and cut to small chunks to operate smoothly and could not punch through any appreciable volume. It also got ‘choked’ with

and gristle. A definite shortcoming if you are into home processing.

think overstates its ability; it minces faster than you can keep up with and we easily push through 20kg lots in comparison, the old kitchen mincer would struggle to

Which brings me to a salient point; be careful of manufacturers’ claims as many, I suspect, overstate their specs. A good indicator is weight, robustness and

The Rural Mincer T22 is a heavy, solid and refined unit; all the components are clearly made from high grade material and the finish looks professional.

The plates, auger and high quality, which should translate to longevity and continued performance. The feed is slightly narrower than I would like

long strips, which means less prep time than with kitchen grinders. It makes short work of sinew too. The speed and capacity is such, we dedicate whole animals to bulk mince production,

otherwise you spend more time cleaning than mincing. It has also proved an integral machine in our sausage making, both improving production speed and product.

Cleaning is an important aspect to take into consideration when buying a T22 breaks down easily into components that can be washed, albeit with a couple close scrutiny.

At the end of our mincing run we put through all the off cuts and scraps, which we freeze in bottles for the dogs. You could say that the investment in the Rural one happy family.

When the heat goes on

Pāua have been around for a long, long time. Sixty million years or so. Abalone species, like pāua, were one of the big winners in the evolutionary aftermath of the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event when a wee asteroid popped in to visit earth.

The intervening 60m years has seen major changes in the marine environment: times when there were almost no ice caps, much higher average temperatures and more acidic oceans, to ice ages and land bridges where none are now.

So why the concern that climate change predictions will impact shellfish like pāua?

Well, it's a question of the speed and severity of environmental changes that may be coming our way.

In geological history, big environmental shifts usually happen at the scale of thousands or hundreds of thousands of years. But current predictions of climate change are that we will see changes in only a few decades. And that’s a problem, because adaptation to change takes time.

Paua and marine heatwave events

Predictions we have seen are that the seas around New Zealand will get warmer, become more acidic, and that we will see more frequent and severe storm events. All of those are likely to impact our pāua negatively, and each for di erent reasons.

Perhaps we are already seeing the harbingers of such change, particularly where sea temperature is concerned. Recently, one of our dive crews reported a group of dead and dying pāua at the head of a bay near the outer entrance to Tory Channel in the Marlborough Sounds. As per industry protocols, samples were taken and sent to MPI biosecurity for disease testing, and some to Auckland University of Technology (AUT) for tissue analysis to try and find out what happened to the pāua.

This sort of event, unexplained die o of a few hundred pāua, is not unprecedented. Usually the culprit is a combination of a big

low tide and a run of really hot weather or maybe a freshwater flood event coupled with onshore winds. But none of those seem to have been the case at Tory Channel.

Hopefully AUT analysis will give us a clue this time. But we have also seen the same thing at the Chathams and other places. Maybe you have too when you are diving?

Perhaps what we are seeing is simply the e ects of a La Nina weather pattern. These occur every few years caused by shifts in equatorial trade winds, which results in sudden localised oscillating sea temperature, caused by the di erences between the sea surface warmed by the sun and then upwelling of colder waters being driven by La Nina winds.

In other words

Rephrasing the above: Pāua can generally tolerate small daily fluctuations in temperatures such as those associated with changing tides and currents.

However, when phenomena such as La Nina are at play warmer than average sea temperatures exist in some areas, which can create dramatic temperature gradients when these warm waters are displaced by cold waters driven by storm events and currents from the south. This is commonly observed in Marlborough and Kaikoura regions when the warm summer waters flushed down from the Tasman Sea are displaced by the cool waters of the Southland Current, and in the Chathams when warm water from the East Coast is displaced by the cooler waters being driven along the Chatham Rise.

See image 1, showing this with a temperature gradient of approximately 5 degrees C across Cook Strait driven by the Southland Current.

But these occasional die o events don’t seem confined to years when these phenomena occur.

Static fringe dwellers

Bear in mind that pāua live on the coastal fringes down to a depth of around 8 metres. They don’t move much during their life time so have no option other than to sit tight when the sea around them changes temperature.

They can live in a wide range of water temperatures, for example they are happy

to live in 22 degrees in Cape Reinga over the peak of summer and 8 degrees around Stewart Island in the cold of winter. But what they can’t handle is dramatic changes within a short space of time. A sudden 5-degree di erence on the same day can spell the end to not only pāua but the seaweed they eat.

This is illustrated in Image 2 sourced from the Moana project website shows a heat wave prediction of a 1-degree di erence over and above the Marine Heat Wave threshold and 1.75 degrees above Long-Term Average. The prediction is a very broad-brush approach that averages out the temperature so at a localised scale this temperature change can be far greater.

Even when pāua do survive a heat wave event, they can still be a ected. Palatable, high protein kelps and seaweeds, like Macrocystis pyrifera, which also don’t like high sea temperatures, might not be so lucky. With no food to eat, pāua may go hungry.

See image 3.

MBIE Endeavour ocean research initiative

To try and gather information and help predict the e ects of climate change on our seas the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) is funding the Moana project. Bringing together 54 experts from across 14 national & international organisations, the Moana project is changing the way we see our seas.

This is a multi-million dollar project which

aims to improve our understanding of coastal ocean circulation, connectivity and marine heatwaves and so on. This will help provide the information current and future fisheries managers, Iwi and researchers will need to try and identify what management and adaptive strategies might be possible in the coming decades.

Already the project is helping. See image 4, sourced from the Moana project web site, shows the di erence between forecasted sea surface temperatures and the long-term average for this time of year. Red shading indicates that the ocean is currently warmer than normal; blue that it is colder. You can see the blob of blue cold water just o the northern Kaikoura coast and the patch of red warm water right beside it. These two blobs have a 4-degree temperature di erential. If the cold and warm water hits the coast a day or so apart this has the potential for negative e ects on pāua and seaweed.

Prevention is better than cure of course. If we all and the New Zealand Government are able to reduce this country’s contributions to climate change, and other countries do as well, then maybe we will all dodge the climate change bullet. But we shouldn’t rely on that, so good research and information on about what changes might be coming, and what the e ects might be on pāua could provide the information to help identify what management options we will have available.

Image 3 This shows a starved pāua that has lost so much bulk the foot has shrunken in its shell.

Picture supplied by Chase Lanauze – Chatham Islands

Image 1

Image 4

Image 2

Storm Stanley Chairman Paua industry Council

Where the wild things aren’t

Stuart Graham

Yeah right.

Big Kuri Block on the South Eastern coast of Stewart Island is exposed, has little beach frontage, but relatively open and undulating bush—ideal for stalking: creeping ghostlike, inching immeasurably through the crown ferns, hugging shadows and pretending to meld with the environs. Truth is, no matter how you are, dog’s testicles seem an apt description as to how you appear in the deer’s domain. You stick out.

So up a tree I climbed and, with numb bum, surveyed the small 360 degree shooting zone; it seemed a tall order to expect a deer

to suddenly materialise in this tiny domain. Over a couple of days scouting I’d been frustrated by minimal sign and the scattered nature browse zones, travel lines or evidence of where they were holed up. A thumping easterly may have impacted on the situation but excuses

We were an unusually small contingent for Stewart Island: two hunters and one photographer. While few on the ground and new to this area, we were able to quickly get a sense of the block by networking with our Garmin InReach units, which were supported by the New Zealand company TrackMe. I have used TrackMe for years and mind insurance while hunting. The family can track me in real time from a home computer and I can communicate with them

via text or email. I can also communicate with other InReach users and locate their position on my Garmin, so the units provided a useful tool on this hunt.

If activated in an emergency situation, the message goes directly to Wellington Rescue Centre, rather than via an overseas agency, then re-routed back to Wellington. The Rescue Centre is also able to message directly with you so they can assess your rescue needs etc. It’s a brilliant service.

During this trip, each of us logged our daily excursions and marked any sign, broadleaf clusters, sightings and areas to avoid. Back at the hut, we were then able to share waypoints between units or our entire route and marks for the day. I was also able to get non-hunter Craig to establish and mark broadleaf dumps that I could later stake out. This helped to quickly establish an overview of the block—a real time (and effort) saver.

The experts will also tell you that most of the whitetail population lives within 500m of the shore and the tree I was sitting in was barely that from the hut. It was in a small clearing fringed by a tangle of jungle and bordered by a steep, heavily forested creek. I gazed deep into the moss draped shadows… into where the wild things are! But there was nothing there. Just a deep emptiness.

I blinked—not slow or rapid—just a normal blink, and it was there. A deer. Feeding through the shadows; never still and never in the open. Behind tree trunks, between the pongas—drifting on a moss carpet. An apparition. A whitetail twitching in the gloaming.

The opportunity was slight; one clear shooting lane but the window was small—a gap the size of a rabbit

burrow amidst a cluster of trunks. The head and neck of a big spiker appeared. High

scope worth it’s weight in the dim light and dense foliage. I resisted the urge to attempt a head shot but squeezed the trigger a heartbeat later. It’s not a big target—the heart— but the Browning X-Bolt .223

sneak a projectile through any open window.

Two hours forty of sitting like a bird in a tree had paid off. The whitetail dropped not thirty metres from where it was struck. I was amazed to be able to extract an animal from such a jumble of forest. Amazed too that both mates found me so quickly, to help with the pack out. But I shouldn’t have been surprised, after all—they were in reach and able to TrackMe.

Whitetail spiker a ghost

THE DIRECTORY

Help Prevent a

Minimising risks to Kuaka/Whenua Hou diving petrels from attraction to lights of anchored vessels

A rare and endangered bird

Until recently, diving petrels seen in southern New Zealand were assumed to belong to two species that are abundant worldwide. In 2018, however, a new, separate species was described and named Kuaka/Whenua Hou diving petrel (Pelecanoides whenuahouensis), as their last remaining breeding site is located once widespread in southern New Zealand prior to the introduction of invasive

Conservation has removed introduced predators from Whenua Hou and continues to work on the conservation of this taonga through biosecurity measures and weed management.

Light attraction

concentrated in the dunes of Sealers Bay at Whenua Hou and have a tight and sources from vessels anchored in the bay pose potential risks, as small seabirds can become highly attracted to lights and can crash land on anchored vessels. migratory birds.

Your vessel will have a Protected Species Management Plan and Operational with vessel, crew, and seabird safety all in mind and applicable anywhere.

What you can do to help Whenua Hou diving petrels (while noting that safety of your vessel and crew are paramount):

• Avoid unnecessary movements around the Bay, especially at night

• Position and shield lights to light only those areas needed for safe operation of the vessel

• Above all, when safely anchored, reduce lighting to a safe minimum, particularly bright spotlights

Check that you have your PRSMP and OPs onboard and if you are unsure about your requirements for reporting or

New rules came into force last year banning the use of recreational set nets in many areas around New Zealand to further protect our rarest dolphins.

There has been a lot of action taken to protect Hector’s and Maui dolphins, but everyone needs to do their part, which means following the new rules.

“We’re still recovering poorly constructed set nets in some areas where they either shouldn’t be or in some cases, they’re left there abandoned.

This is not a unique problem.

Our Fishery O cers say it’s happening in other areas around the country. It’s a timely reminder for people to get familiar with the fishing rules and restrictions in their area,” says Western North Island Region Manager Fisheries Compliance, Andre Espinoza.

Hector’s dolphins are considered nationally vulnerable with about 15,000 in New Zealand’s waters. And, Māui dolphins are critically endangered, with only about 63 left.

A raft of new fishing restrictions came into play last October for both commercial and recreational fishing, including:

• A nationwide ban on drift netting

An extension of current set-net closures, and the creation of new areas closed to setnetting, in the North and South Islands

• An extension of the existing

area closed to trawling o the west coast of the North Island

• A change to the regulations allowing the Minister to act immediately to impose further restrictions if a single dolphin is caught in the Māui dolphin habitat within the west coast of the North Island.

There are many areas where set nets already cannot be set, such as:

Marine reserves

Marine mammal sanctuaries

Set net banned areas

Areas protected under the Conservation Act.

The full restrictions can be viewed on the two maps displayed.

In South Auckland and the Waikato area, MPI’s Andre Espinoza, says there are signs displayed and our Fishery O cers have carried out significant education work.

“Set netting is popular in harbours, rivers, and streams across the region but they can have implications for seabirds and be a navigation hazard for boaties,” he says.

Further south on Kapiti Coast and in Horowhenua, Fishery O cers have seized nets from closed areas.

“Our Fishery O cers work with people to help them understand the rules. We want our fisheries to continue to provide sustainable kaimoana for future generations, while protecting threatened species such as the Hector’s and Māui dolphins. It’s up to everyone to play their part,” says MPI District Team Leader Fisheries

Compliance, Aaron Mendoza. While MPI educates fishers on the right methods to use for fishing, Mr Mendoza says in some cases, people can expect further compliance action if they are caught breaking the rules, including a fine of $250 or a prosecution of up to $20,000. Across to the South Island, MPI Upper South Island Region Manager Fisheries Compliance, Howard Reid says one of the important rules to understand and follow is that set nets must not extend across more than one-quarter the width of any river, stream, channel, bay, or sound in areas where it is allowed.

In the deep south, Lower South Island Region Manager Fisheries Compliance, Garreth Jay says on the whole fishers in this area are mostly aware of the risk posed by setting nets within 4 nautical miles, due to the threat this activity creates for Hector’s Dolphins and other vulnerable species like penguins.

“However, we still come across some nets being set illegally in estuaries, river mouths and harbours. This includes nets being set across channels, setting multiple nets close to each other and nets set so they strand at low tide,” he says.

Alternatives to set nets

There are plenty of other ways of fishing rather than set netting. In shallow harbours for species such as flounder and mullet, the alternative is to use a drag net or spear for flounder. In the open seas or around reefs, line fishing is the only option for most species. However, some species such as butterfish can generally only be netted or by divers spearing them. To find out how to follow the rules and do your part for your local fishery, download the NZ Fishing Rules app wherever

you get your apps from. Further information about fishing rules and how to download the app is available online at https://www. fisheries.govt.nz/rules.

You can also talk about the rules and regulations with your local Fishery o cers.

MPI also encourages people to report poaching, suspicious, or illegal activity by calling 0800 4 POACHER (0800 47 62 24) or emailing  poacher@mpi.govt.nz

Maps of the North and South Island set net restrictions