Wallaby Smashing

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Originally Posted by doinit

Gidday johnd..yeah the different guys that shot for the South Canterbury Wallaby Board back then were a mixture of NZFS cullers, & bunny board guys and would stay for a coupla yrs before movin on to the next killing job. Me,myself and I spent a long time on different Rabbit Boards leading up to the Roo Board. I was lucky to start as a( Hunter one ) position when I joined the NZFS when normally a newbie would be down the pay list as hunter 3 or the like..then work your way up.
I first started on Goats etc in the Nelson areas..then down on the Thar etc in and around the Mt Cook areas,Dobson,Hopkins bla,bla.
Yeah you would have loved getting onto the roos..shame yi didn't eh
cheers

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We are inclined to think those sorts of days are over but there are some good opportunities still. My 20 year old grandson is culling full time and is really living the life. He's in his 3rd year of it. Started on traps and tracks and was shooting within 9 months. Travelling all over the country culling pine blocks and bush reserves etc. Shooting, poisoning and trapping. Poisoning and cutting contorta. Culling sanctuary islands here and off Aus. Sometimes don't get many cos they are chasing the last few, but also get into big numbers on new carbon blocks. Dogs are used a lot, indicating, chasing and catching. They use some high tech now - using drones with thermals and they can tell exactly the number of animals in a bush block. The job he's on at present is a reserve and they knew they were down to the last deer of 8 or so, so brought in chasing dogs and got the last one. Now onto the next reserve. He's living the dream and has gone from a boy straight out of school to a man in no time. His next adventure will be guiding overseas. He is being mentored for that by a very generous member here and is enrolled for a guiding block course run here in NZ.
Ive got Grandkids at uni but that wasn't this ones' thing. I just love seeing him so happy.
He texts and rings me spontaneously at all hours and updates me on where he is and what he's doing. How good is that. I love it.

@doinit Christ it sounds like I was following in your footsteps.FS Hunter first grade around a few different Nth Is blocks,then a stint of killing breer rabbit- The Lindis - Hawea Bunny Board out of Tarras,then over to the Roo Board at Cave when a spot came up.Got absolutely bored shitless running a reliance carrot cutter on frozen central otago fixed wing strips loading Fletchers.I was gone to Cave in an instant.
Like most FS jokers turning up on the block arrived with a swagger,but brought down to earth like most in the first fortnight burning ammo over and above the accepted rate.But bossman Graeme had seen it all before and kept the faith.Then a fortnight in,I clicked,got me eye in and I was away.
When we occasional bounced a long neck or a Chammy on a beat,it just wasn't sport,seemed like hitting a barn

He texts and rings me spontaneously at all hours and updates me on where he is and what he's doing. How good is that. I love it.

That is what respect is, you obviously have spent time with him, not money on him. For that you deserve respect in this modern-day environment.

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Originally Posted by bluebaiter222

@doinit Christ it sounds like I was following in your footsteps.FS Hunter first grade around a few different Nth Is blocks,then a stint of killing breer rabbit- The Lindis - Hawea Bunny Board out of Tarras,then over to the Roo Board at Cave when a spot came up.Got absolutely bored shitless running a reliance carrot cutter on frozen central otago fixed wing strips loading Fletchers.I was gone to Cave in an instant.
Like most FS jokers turning up on the block arrived with a swagger,but brought down to earth like most in the first fortnight burning ammo over and above the accepted rate.But bossman Graeme had seen it all before and kept the faith.Then a fortnight in,I clicked,got me eye in and I was away.
When we occasional bounced a long neck or a Chammy on a beat,it just wasn't sport,seemed like hitting a barn

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Bloody nora bluebaiter222 that's hard case..Graeme G was the boss when I started on the roos,he left ti go meat shooting and was replaced by a guy from Southland eh. And yes then onto bunnies down through Central,Tarras area and through the Lindis ..bunnies.
Who knows we may have even left a mound of empty .222's in all the same spots from killing stuff lol.

Graeme G was back on the board when I was there.He had spent a power of time previously on machines on Tahr to the point where he was stone deaf.
Bill Johnston was bossman at Tarras when I was there.Coincidently both jokers always had a pipe in their hands surrounded by a cloud of baccy smoke

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Originally Posted by Tahr

We are inclined to think those sorts of days are over but there are some good opportunities still. My 20 year old grandson is culling full time and is really living the life. He's in his 3rd year of it. Started on traps and tracks and was shooting within 9 months. Travelling all over the country culling pine blocks and bush reserves etc. Shooting, poisoning and trapping. Poisoning and cutting contorta. Culling sanctuary islands here and off Aus. Sometimes don't get many cos they are chasing the last few, but also get into big numbers on new carbon blocks. Dogs are used a lot, indicating, chasing and catching. They use some high tech now - using drones with thermals and they can tell exactly the number of animals in a bush block. The job he's on at present is a reserve and they knew they were down to the last deer of 8 or so, so brought in chasing dogs and got the last one. Now onto the next reserve. He's living the dream and has gone from a boy straight out of school to a man in no time. His next adventure will be guiding overseas. He is being mentored for that by a very generous member here and is enrolled for a guiding block course run here in NZ.
Ive got Grandkids at uni but that wasn't this ones' thing. I just love seeing him so happy.
He texts and rings me spontaneously at all hours and updates me on where he is and what he's doing. How good is that. I love it.

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Yes I'm aware of the modern culling nowadays and how it ticks I know one chap on the go. That lad is one lucky young fella fi sure and good on him, three yrs on tells me a lot really..........many threw it in early.
cheers