Hunts courses

hi there
just wondering is it worth doing a hunts course or joining a deer hunters association and what are they about. i live in not far from te aroha and looking for something like that as im 16 and new to hunting and dont have any family that are into it so wanna get some experience following someone else around before i go out on my own. I have experience in the bush with tramping and also go deer and goat hunting a bit with my mate but would be good to get some more knowledge and not have to depend on mates taking me out.

cheers guys

Definitely join up, have no idea what your local club is like but you will at least meat some other hunters.

Always, Always - good to do a hunts course.

If nothing else .. I far prefer the idea of hunters that have gone through the course sharing the bush with me..

It will hopefully give you insight into what to do if it all goes wrong in the bush and don't forget preparation prevents piss poor performance!!
And what to do when it all goes right! - field dressing your first kill and butchery and bringing home the bacon, venison, turkey.....

Definitely worth joining

Thanks guys. Just worried my local deer hunters association will be a group of older men getting together for a piss up and a yarn and ill be the strange 16 year old standing in the back by himself.

If you join the local Thames Valley branch you will never regret it.They run a great hunts course and there are lots of members around your age.Maureen Coleman is the president, contact her 07 884 9622 or 027 333 7786 and she will make you feel welcome . Their club night is the last Wednesday night of each month.

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Originally Posted by possummatti

Thanks guys. Just worried my local deer hunters association will be a group of older men getting together for a piss up and a yarn and ill be the strange 16 year old standing in the back by himself.

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Hahaha! stereo typing them old guys aye young fulla - just as i do with all 16 year olds wearing there pants down showing skid marks on there boxers ;) I was hunting as a kid with my dad we'd go hunt alot of evenings after he finished work an chase a pork or venison ,when i was about 18 i wanted to learn how to hand load so i joined up with a club full of old guys and got all the help i needed and more ,I dont ever recall any of them on the beerzies ever ,you'll find they will recognize that you've made an effort to turn up and you will get help to achieve goals of yours , Yep there are some old hunters in them Clubs but you can betcha they didn't get old coz there stupid ( a life time of Knowledge ) , I was a member for a couple of years and have been hand loading for close ta 30 thanks to the knowledge i picked up form an NZDA branch .

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Originally Posted by blake

If you join the local Thames Valley branch you will never regret it.They run a great hunts course and there are lots of members around your age.Maureen Coleman is the president, contact her 07 884 9622 or 027 333 7786 and she will make you feel welcome . Their club night is the last Wednesday night of each month.

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Thanks blake
I will have a look tonight. Cheers

Thames club are based in Morrison rd Paeroa I think, so not too far for you

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Originally Posted by possummatti

Thanks guys. Just worried my local deer hunters association will be a group of older men getting together for a piss up and a yarn and ill be the strange 16 year old standing in the back by himself.

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GO along to their monthly meeting and see what the vibe feels like ... mention that you're thinking of doing a HUNTS course...

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Originally Posted by possummatti

Thanks guys. Just worried my local deer hunters association will be a group of older men getting together for a piss up and a yarn and ill be the strange 16 year old standing in the back by himself.

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From what I've seen that's exactly what it is. Not that care, free beer is good

Contact the president. Tell her about yourself and you are keen to go along. She can forewarn members to look out for you. Also confirm it is just a standard night. If you walk in on a special event, you may be left talking to an old dusty 12pt in the corner

Will ring thames valley deer hunters tomorrow and have a yarn. Is there a membership fee?

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Originally Posted by possummatti

Will ring thames valley deer hunters tomorrow and have a yarn. Is there a membership fee?

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Only every year ;)

Am i gonna have to sell my riffle i havnt got yet to pay the membership

I doubt it somehow :D

From memory its about $80-$90 for the year.worth it.

cant put a price on experience right

Do the hunts course possummati. I did the hutt vally DA course a few years back. Its a great way to learn and also meet some keen new people as well as the guys in the club who really give a lot of time to teach safety and bushcraft on top of the hunting/shooting aspect. I learned a lot of new skills and relearned a lot i had forgotten from my younger days in scouts and cadets


Sent from the swamp

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Originally Posted by chrome

Do the hunts course possummati. I did the hutt vally DA course a few years back. Its a great way to learn and also meet some keen new people as well as the guys in the club who really give a lot of time to teach safety and bushcraft on top of the hunting/shooting aspect. I learned a lot of new skills and relearned a lot i had forgotten from my younger days in scouts and cadets


Sent from the swamp

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How much do they cost and is it a weekend or what. Cheers

I did the hunts course in Dunedin and it was well worth the experience. Learned a few important things and got to go out on a weekend hunt with experienced hunters as guides. :)

I think it works like this: every week we group up and learn something new, be it reading topo maps, navigation, clothing, river crossing, knife sharpening, and then at last there is the weekend hunt.

Membership for TVDA cost me $80 this year ,Hunts course starts next Monday 1Sept; $150
I'm on the old guy list but am doing the course ,maybe a place left if your keen .
Just a phone call or contact TVDA via their web site

HUNTS PROGRAMME 2014

Monday 1st September 1900 – 2130 Peter/F&G/Bowhunters
Introduction, Ethics and Ecology – Clubrooms
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- be welcomed to the course and introduced
- set individual objectives
- receive an overview of the HUNTS programme and schedule
- receive their course material and discuss contents
- be able to identify stakeholders in New Zealand outdoors and recognize their interests – DOC, Landowners, IWI, Forest owners MSC, SAR and other recreational users
- obtain knowledge of ethics in relation to other stakeholders, the environment and harvestable wildlife
- learn an awareness of the principles of conservation and management of wildlife
Participation by F& G Representative and Bowhunter
Photography-
- learn good practices in photographing trophy animal and general wildlife photography

Monday 15th September 1900 – 2130 Maarten
Navigation Theory
By the end of the evening the participants will have basic facts on:
- navigation in the outdoors in good visibility using a map and compass
- navigation in the outdoors in poor visibility and difficult terrain
- day trips into wilderness areas using off track tramping skills


Saturday 20th September 0800 – 1600
Firearms & Marksmanship - Clubrooms Maarten/Maureen/Peter/Evan
By the end of this day the participants will:
- complete NZMSC firearms safety course and view the “Arms and the License”
Video
- explained statistics on firearms and hunting incidents
- take home “On Target” video/DVD to view prior to hunting weekend
- be able to choose a firearm for a specific purpose
- understand and apply the principles of bullet trajectory
- sight in a rifle for hunting
- understand factors effecting rifle accuracy
- demonstrate a variety of field shooting techniques – position, sighting, breath control, trigger squeeze
- apply target identification and demonstrate bullet placement
- maintain a firearm in the field and at home
- Knife sharpening
- Reloading

Monday 22nd September 1900 – 2130 Peter/Mike/Evan/Maarten
Equipment and Food/Trip Planning – Clubrooms
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- know what clothing to take for the outdoors
- know what food to pack and the volume
- know what equipment is needed to survive in the bush
- know what gear is needed for safety and survival
- complete a trip plan for bush craft weekend
- discuss where to find information on hunting places
-awareness of DoC website for permits and information
- bring a pack with what you need for weekend trip

Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th – October 0800 – 1600 Maarten/Peter/Mike/Evan
Bush craft Weekend - Maratoto Valley
By the end of the bush craft weekend the participants will:
- know what outdoor clothing to wear
- use outdoor equipment
- prepare and cook food while on a hunting trip
- apply camp craft (tenting, fires, and hygiene)
- know how to deal with emergencies, loss of route, ill or injured persons, missing person, overdue party, fatality and SAR
- know the protocols about moving around helicopters/fix wing planes
- basic outdoor first aid
- mountain radios etc.
- butchering video
-Field dress an animal

Saturday 11Th October

Theory River Crossings – Clubrooms MSC – Maarten
- How to cross a river and understand river dynamics and hazards
- Forecasting and interpreting weather
Participate in a MSC River Crossing Training Session
Monday 13th October 1900 – 2130
Big Game Species/ Hunting Techniques
Clubrooms- Peter/ Club Members Panel
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- have learnt about at least two species of deer – their physical characteristics,
habitat and range, seasonal variations, availability
- see a representative head measured using the Douglas Score
- be able to identify footprints, droppings and other sign for representative game and other species
- know about basic hunting techniques for a specified game animal – Stalking, use of wind and air currents, positive identification, tracking wounded animals, use of senses (smell, sound etc)
- know the best areas to look for deer
- know how to positively identify your target
- listen to basic roaring techniques
- understand bullet placement to achieve clean dispatch



Monday 20 October 1900 – 2130
Trophy & Meat – Clubrooms-Peter/Mark
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- have seen a demonstration on field dressing
- have learnt appropriate meat recovery techniques in specified situations
- have gained knowledge of meat cuts and cooking methods
- told how to care for a trophy head and skin in the field
- Final arrangements


Saturday 25th October Monday 27th October – Club Members
Hunting Weekend – - 1 Adult Hunter/Participant
By the end of the hunting weekend the participants will:
- complete an overnight camping/hunting trip
-have tramped into camping site and helicopter out
- Select a camp site – proximity to a hunting area, wind direction, water and shelter, drainage
- Establish a fly camp – tent/fly erection, cooking, fire risk, toileting, environment care code
- apply hunting techniques by animal behaviour, season, time of day and weather conditions
- follow a set of fresh tracks
- demonstrate basic stalking techniques
- demonstrate correct (hilar kill zone) shot placement
- kill a big game animal
- be able to track and finish off a wounded animal
- remove and identify all offal and dispose of appropriately
- autopsy an animal for disease and estimate the age
- prepare a whole animal for packing out
- photograph animal/trophy
- remove the cape and head of an animal
- skin a whole animal
- sharpen a hunting knife
- butcher a big game animal and prepare meat for the freezer
- Hunt from a fly camp – navigation, use of binoculars, wind direction

Time to be arranged
Debriefing –Peter/Maarten
-A time for all to consider and reflect what they have learnt on the course and share their thoughts and feelings with the instructors and each other.
-Complete evaluation forms

October Club Night 29th 1930 – 2100
Course Celebration and presentation of certificate at Club Night
By the end of this evening the participants will:
- Share stories and photographs
- receive course certificates

***** These dates and times are subject to alteration if circumstances require
i.e. weather conditions, unavailability of instructors or unforeseen circumstances.

Wow, I haven't looked in to doing a course yet but I might have too when time permits. That sounds impressive.

Sounds like a pretty comprehensive course.

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Yea im pretty keen on that will have to ring up and see. Cheers

Cant find any info about it on the tvda website. Keen but will have to think about it as I'm not very confident in groups and clubs like that ( not that im unsociable) but would love to learn the stuff they have to offer

On their website you should find the latest newsletter. In that there will be a list of committee members and contact numbers, ring Peter Flynn, he's one of the Hunts co - ordinators and he can help.Starts monday so get in quick!

I think I might also pop along to see what's happening and to meet some local hunters too :)
Cheers,
Si