Thread: A bit of History

Some time in the early 1900's ( the date varies from source to source.) My Great grandfather and two other men travelled to Wellington and took possession of a group of red deer, which they accompanied back to, most likely Mangaweka train station, and from there too the foothills of the western Ruahines where they released them.

Around 20 years later, He purchased a licence to hunt from the acclimatisation society. Probably no mean feat given he was a farm labourer, and took his Long tom rifle And shot a wonderful 12 pointer. I dont know for sure, But suspect it would have been one of the earlier licensed heads to be hunted in the region.
The mounted head, along with another 14 pointer, which I need to find out more about, and seems at this stage to be lost, were some of his prized possessions and much time has been spent in the next hundred years telling stories and reminiscence about them.

The Head in question has been looked after by another arm of the family, and we always knew where it was, But Id never had a chance to see it. A short time ago a surprise email too my father, who's in his 70s now himself, asked if we wanted it, being keen hunters and all. We leapt at the offer, and yesterday and just as importantly, met with family members some of us had never met, It was brought over to us.

It now hangs next to my grandfather's head from the 60s.

My brother and I have a plan to travel next April back up to the area of the release and get a new headskin for it On what will be very close too its centenary.

Outstanding, cant beat hunting with history and nostalgia.

Quite a distinctive style too, would that be common from that area?

By the time my brother and I started hunting the area, the heads were rather poorer and definitely dont resemble this. It could be that other genetics from other releases took precedence.
@Tahr might have a better idea than I do.

The original stag they released was shot a few years after release as from memory he was causing problems on a local farm. I actually Bumped into the guy who had the head while hunting in the area, but then lost his details which I regret, as would have been great to get a photo of it.

Anything in Banwell's books on the herd and early trophies?

I will send you Alex's (Cooch) phone number. His family have a long history in the Rang/Taihape area and he has shot several crackers north of the Pouranaki. Alex has an interest in the herd's origins.
Ive only ever seen shitters (hundreds of them) in there save for one really nice 11 in the velvet off the track down to Triangle. Jim Wyne shot a really classic head in the Orua about 1973. Im pretty sure it was up on the faces opposite the deer stalkers lodge

@whanahuia any idea what happened to the Long Tom ?

Great story and closing the circle with that head

Originally Posted by akaroa1

@whanahuia any idea what happened to the Long Tom ?

Great story and closing the circle with that head

It got given too another young member of the family around mid 1940s. No idea of its whereabouts now though.

Far out that is super cool

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Cool story, our local hall (Rangiwahia)had a nice mounted head in it that was the first 12 pointer shot under license in the ruahines by a local Rangi family (Thompson). Unfortunately it has just been moved to hunting and fishing in Palmy because some shit bags keep braking in and stealing stuff.

Originally Posted by Rangidan

Cool story, our local hall (Rangiwahia)had a nice mounted head in it that was the first 12 pointer shot under license in the ruahines by a local Rangi family (Thompson). Unfortunately it has just been moved to hunting and fishing in Palmy because some shit bags keep braking in and stealing stuff.

I had a great relationship with Murray Thompson. He was in the first house past the Mangoira stream on the left. Around about 1968/70 we opened up the tracks above his place for meat hunting (above Murray's house) and cut some new ones. They will still be there.
Back in the day the Thompsons used to take horses right up to the tussock when skin hunting.
@whanahuia Ive talked to Alex. He says he has seen the first stag that was shot under licence around Rangi - it was in a sports shop in Marton. He also has some of the original license metal discs. I said that you will ring him.

Thats bloody neat

Yep, Most of my family came from Rangi. I have a faint Idea the Thompson's might be distantly related on my grandmother's side.

I remember seeing my grandfather's Otago Acclimatisation Society licence for one stag in the Wilkin from the 1920's (sadly thrown out in the clean-up after his funeral in the 1960's, along with his Otago Artillery Volunteers framed service certificate) and the fee was 25 Pounds, a staggering amount of money in those days. His BSA .303 factory sporter with a 5 shot mag used to hang on a peg under the stairs but my uncle got rid of that as well. I was stuck at boarding school otherwise I would have saved the licence, the certificate, and the rifle. Family history is something you only get one chance at.

Great story, nice to see reconnecting with the mounted head as well. Kudos to the family for not throwing it out but passing it onto someone who cares. Some one needs to save this stuff ( that’s what I tell my wife&#128518
Talking Licenses and alloy tags I have and cherish a paper license for John Forbes ( Jack as he was called) and tag from Westland. I’ll put a photo up some time.

Thats pretty cool