Thread: Public land deer - 53 years ago.

Originally Posted by SF90

I remember the Lochinvar blokes but the Wainui Trust doesn't ring a bell.
There was another station there, can't remember its name - but very well known. It was just to the south of Clements Road and I think was owned by the Mormon's back then, and that got spotlighted a lot. If they caught you on there they smashed your gun, gave you a hiding and threw you over the boundary fence.
I never went on there, but I do remember spotting to the north of the mill one night. It was all low scrubby shit in there and tussock with a lot of flat bottom gulleys and there were deer down in them, mobs of them.
Got lost that night, so I built a small mountain of scrub and tussock as tall as I was and crawled in the middle of it. I was never warm but I did manage to get some sleep and in the morning I crawled out to find a hell of a frost.

I was camped in one of the mill houses and they were proper houses with rooms and still in pretty good nick with beds, tables, chairs, coalranges, pots, pans and cutlery and the communal 'shitter' was a tin hut with a chimney vent thirty yards away.
My neighbour (Albert Mitchell) would spot me sneaking out to the shitter, give me a minute ot two to get settled - then put a bullet through the vent. He always did it, found it tremendously funny - and I'd sit there scrunched down low as I could on the throne as that vent wasn't all that high.
I got on pretty good with Albert, he was twenty years older than me and knew a hell of a lot more, but he could be scary sometimes. He had forearms like Popeye and I saw him pull a knife on a bloke at the pub and he got crowned with a beer jug real quick.
Then he saw a squirrel which I found funny, and that made him angry - threatened to put a bullet in me if he spotted me in the bush ........... and I wasn't entirely sure if he would, or wouldn't.
Was in the pub one day and one of the Barry's mentioned he'd heard about it ............
"What're you gonna do ?"
"Dunno ?"
"I'd bugger off if I was you, he's a bit loose,"

So, a couple of days later I buggered off ..............

Then a few months later I went back - was sort of a 'more-ish' place ..............

And Albert was still there .........

Poronui

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Originally Posted by SF90

I remember the Lochinvar blokes but the Wainui Trust doesn't ring a bell.
There was another station there, can't remember its name - but very well known. It was just to the south of Clements Road and I think was owned by the Mormon's back then, and that got spotlighted a lot. If they caught you on there they smashed your gun, gave you a hiding and threw you over the boundary fence.
I never went on there, but I do remember spotting to the north of the mill one night. It was all low scrubby shit in there and tussock with a lot of flat bottom gulleys and there were deer down in them, mobs of them.
Got lost that night, so I built a small mountain of scrub and tussock as tall as I was and crawled in the middle of it. I was never warm but I did manage to get some sleep and in the morning I crawled out to find a hell of a frost.

I was camped in one of the mill houses and they were proper houses with rooms and still in pretty good nick with beds, tables, chairs, coalranges, pots, pans and cutlery and the communal 'shitter' was a tin hut with a chimney vent thirty yards away.
My neighbour (Albert Mitchell) would spot me sneaking out to the shitter, give me a minute ot two to get settled - then put a bullet through the vent. He always did it, found it tremendously funny - and I'd sit there scrunched down low as I could on the throne as that vent wasn't all that high.
I got on pretty good with Albert, he was twenty years older than me and knew a hell of a lot more, but he could be scary sometimes. He had forearms like Popeye and I saw him pull a knife on a bloke at the pub and he got crowned with a beer jug real quick.
Then he saw a squirrel which I found funny, and that made him angry - threatened to put a bullet in me if he spotted me in the bush ........... and I wasn't entirely sure if he would, or wouldn't.
Was in the pub one day and one of the Barry's mentioned he'd heard about it ............
"What're you gonna do ?"
"Dunno ?"
"I'd bugger off if I was you, he's a bit loose,"

So, a couple of days later I buggered off ..............

Then a few months later I went back - was sort of a 'more-ish' place ..............

And Albert was still there .........

Owned by Joe Collins parents.

Yep - Poronui

And I don't know if Joe Collins rings a bell or not ................. ?

And yep - it does ring a bell - and I don't know why ?

Originally Posted by SF90

Yep - Poronui

And I don't know if Joe Collins rings a bell or not ................. ?

And yep - it does ring a bell - and I don't know why ?

Sold to Fletchers for forestry.

Originally Posted by TeRei

Sold to Fletchers for forestry.

Bugger me - didn't know that ........... cheers

these are all magic memories to hear guys- I went to school in Taupo in the 70s and 80s, some of these names mentioned I've heard of through others in Taupo. I went to Intermediate in Taupo early 80s same time as Joe Keeleys daughter when he was killed. Joe Collins was a pilot wasn't he also? When I started building apprenticeship in 96 we built Blake house for the then owners of Poronui "the Blakes" from the states down the end of the valley, big fucken house you can see from the poled route. When we were building the roof framing the then station manager Steve Yerex got Helisika(I think Shamus Howard was there then) to fly him around in front of the house shot gunning as many deer as they could over 2 mornings- deer were eating the expensive newly planted natives , think they shot maybe 12 or 14 just below the house in the low scrub which I videoed from the roof. Daily van rides in there to work usually saw 5 to 30 deer on the road each way. Had a big big 8 stop us on the road one Easter Friday or Saturday when me and mate were driving in to do cash job building the huge riverstone walls around the house for the blocklayer Bruce Daley- coulda shot that deer 20 x over, but just had a steak knife . Chris Short was doin pest control there at the time too- good fella he was. Magic memories.

You ever thought about writing a book @Tahr ? I’d certainly buy it.

Originally Posted by hebe

You ever thought about writing a book @Tahr ? I’d certainly buy it.

Same

I’d buy a few for friends and family

Originally Posted by hebe

You ever thought about writing a book @Tahr ? I’d certainly buy it.

The elephant in the room. Waiting for some one to say this.

Originally Posted by TeRei

The elephant in the room. Waiting for some one to say this.

He doesn't have to answer. Theres a few members on here I could ask the same question. I didn’t intend to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by TeRei

The elephant in the room. Waiting for some one to say this.

Everyone should write a story on their life, including family history, for their children and grandkids. So many things to tell them and it’s too late once your gone,

Originally Posted by hebe

You ever thought about writing a book @Tahr ? I’d certainly buy it.

Im flattered to think that anyone would be interested, but nah, thats not me really. When I left the farm after 20 years I got into academic stuff and uni lecturing so Ive pretty much had my fill of writing and researching. I enjoy jotting stuff down here though.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Im flattered to think that anyone would be interested, but nah, thats not me really. When I left the farm after 20 years I got into academic stuff and uni lecturing so Ive pretty much had my fill of writing and researching. I enjoy jotting stuff down here though.

I'll write it... I'll interview you. Well, we can go stay in a hut somewhere and hunt morning and evening. Spend the heat of the day and the cold of night with you regaling me with your yarns. I'll write a1st person book and you can edit it.

I reckon we'd have a finished product in about 7yrs time - Craig can bankroll the publishing.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Im flattered to think that anyone would be interested, but nah, thats not me really. When I left the farm after 20 years I got into academic stuff and uni lecturing so Ive pretty much had my fill of writing and researching. I enjoy jotting stuff down here though.

And we are immensely grateful of your jotting down Bruce. Long may it continue.

Great stories amongst this thread fellas. I'm almost a generation out from those early meat hunting days and used to listen to stories from a couple of uncles about the adventures. When I started, there was still a bit going on but I shot to feed myself & family, nothing spare to sell as the deer numbers hadn't recovered by then.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Im flattered to think that anyone would be interested, but nah, thats not me really. When I left the farm after 20 years I got into academic stuff and uni lecturing so Ive pretty much had my fill of writing and researching. I enjoy jotting stuff down here though.

Your manuscript will qualify as a suitable submission for your PH.d. The Forum members can vet it and vouch for authenticity. Everyone would be happy to throw in a few footnotes for added gravitas. Take up the challenge .