NOTE FROM THE SECRETARY

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1 Newsletter of Nelson Branch NZDA March 2018 NOTE FROM THE SECRETARY Welcome to the March newsletter, a great time of the year with the approaching rut for our game animals. It s been a different sort of summer weather wise, but in general there has been good quality feed in most localities, and the animals appear to be in good condition, and a good season for velvet growth. There have certainly been plenty of stories of some nice animals being seen, in particular Fallow. And I have seen some very good Red deer heads taken by lucky hunters over the last few weeks, a couple over 40 inches and a very impressive heavy 20 pointer as well. Some pretty good genetics in that one. So take the chance to get out there, but remember other hunters will be about there as well, so take care with your firearms, the antis are giving us enough grief as it is. Cheers Warren Gentle Reminder 2018 Membership Subs due now Ensuring you remain financially current for the 2018/2019 membership year is important to make sure you continue to be under our insurance cover, have access and discounts and to guarantee that you can enter competitions; so get in early and you ll have one less worry. You can pay via internet banking direct into New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association Inc Quoting your 5 digit invoice number Or you can post a cheque or credit card information to PO Box Thorndon Wellington 6144 Or you can call or us to discuss different payment options on membership@deerstalkers.org.nz Contents Overview Hunting News Club Shoot Range News Club Nights Red Deer Lodge Information Committee Members March Committee Meeting minutes Websites of Interest Next Club Meeting Tuesday 27 March Fish and Game Rooms 66 Champion Road Richmond Note earlier start Time pm Talk from Phillip Bradfield DoC Future for Molesworth to NZDA

2 Hunting News Would be nice to get a bit more local content for the newsletter. So if you have taken a photo of something interesting in recent times, hunting, shooting, wild life related etc, send it to Warren and the best will be published each month. A brief explanation of what it is, and may be when would be great. Thanks This month s item of interest. An unusual Red billed gull currently living in Nelson Haven. A beautiful all white bird which is either albino or leautistic. Photo of it with its normal coloured mother.

3 Club Shoots at Packers Creek Range. Graeme Ching has advised that the next CLUB Shoot date will be Sunday 18th March and will shoot rim fire 50m on deer targets and centrefire 100m on deer targets. Shoot starts at 10am and the range will only be open for the club event, no other sighting in as per other weekends. This will give people the opportunity to check their rifles with the roar approaching Easter Bench Rest Competition. This annual event will be held over the weekend Friday 31March - Monday 2 nd April, So the range won t be available for casual use over this weekend. Range News HELP REQUIRED WITH GATE OPENING As mentioned in the last newsletter we urgently need some further volunteers to help with the weekend gate openings on Saturday and Sunday mornings at the Packers creek gate. The job is not onerous, it just requires you to occasionally pick up and return one of the keys during the week some time, and be at the gate at 9.00am to let people in, then spend the morning at the range. Letting people in and out again at 10.30am and every one out at Noon. So if you are a regular user of range and could help this way, please let Warren know. He arranges the roster each month. Warrens contact details, plumstone@xtra.co.nz If we cannot get a few more people involved, then you may find the range gate unmanned occasionally, something we wish to avoid.

4 Club Night March 27 th. Note earlier start time of 7.00pm for this meeting, MOLESWORTH A chance to hear from Phillip Bradfield: South Marlborough Operations Manager for the Department of Conservation. Phil will give an overview on thoughts around the future for Molesworth to NZDA & Fish & Game members. April 24 th Skin tanning. Presentation about how you can tan skins yourself, and best way to deal with prior to tanning, whether you intend to do yourself or have someone complete for you. May 29 th. Tentatively our Annual General meeting June 26 th. Head measuring, photography and trophy entry night.

5 Red Deer Lodge Most of you will be aware we have a Lodge at Lake Rotoiti, but probably know little about it. As a bit of back ground, while we own the building, it is on lease hold land now part of Nelson lakes National Park. The current licence to occupy will be coming up again for review in 5 years time. A huge amount of effort was put into building this facility by an earlier generation of members. At that time there were numerous deer in the area, and it was an ideal base for hunting trips by groups of hunters, particularly taking into account the effort it took to actually get to St Arnaud in those days. A different culture existed then with working bees being the norm, costs and maintenance were minimal. Why I bring this up is that we have to look to the future, and intend to discuss this in detail at our next Annual General Meeting, and will be seeking feedback. Currently the building houses what is probably the best collection of wild historic deer heads in New Zealand, but usage by members has changed, particularly with the lack of handy hunting opportunities, and fact that it s only an hours travel to get there these days. Like many other buildings of its age, we now find ourselves with the challenge of maintenance and costs, in particular insurance which has more than doubled since the Christchurch earthquake. We have a real need to complete a number of tasks such as painting and general tidying up which could be done by members, but need some volunteers as the costs to have done by a third party are prohibitive. I am therefore currently trying to put together a list of possible volunteers who could may be spare a day or weekend some time. So if you that s you, please flick me an again at plumstone@xtra.co.nz with your contact details. In relation to the historic heads, I thought I might run a photo and a few details each issue on one of the fantastic heads present. Just some of the notable hunters include Temple Sutherland, Stan Jones, Max Curtis, Norm Livingston, Gordon Atkinson and Newton Mcconnochie.

6 Gordon Atkinson s great Cataract creek stag, one of Newton Mcconnochies smaller heads, a 21 pointer and Temple Sutherlands great 18 pointer. Information on costs and bookings of the Red Deer Lodge at Lake Rotoiti Contact the Calders: info@starnaudholidaycottages.co.nz Use the website at Saying you re a member

7 2017 Committee Greg Couper Richard Wells Lester Bowden Warren Plum President: Vice President Patron Secretary: ph John Noakes, Bill O Leary, Neil Cliffe, Graeme Ching, Graeme Smith, Immo Neumann, Rob Shuttleworth, Richard Wells Range: Graeme Ching <graeme-doreen@xtra.co.nz Newsletter: Any items for publication please forward to the secretary Membership:Graeme Smith ph LVHVBR@gmail.com Hunting: John Noakes ph noakesjc@gmail.com New Members: Warren Plum ph plumstone@xtra.co.nz

8 Minutes: Committee Meeting NELSON NZDA MEETING MINUTES 6 th March 2018 Held at Warren Plums home,7.30pm Present: Warren Plum, Graeme Smith, Don Harris, John Noakes, Graeme Ching, Bill O Leary, Richard Wells, I Neumann. Apologies: G Couper, N Cliffe Last Minutes: Accepted, Moved, Warren Plum / Bill O Leary Inward Mail: Letter from Rural Women St Arnaud asking about progress at Red Deer Lodge. Info from National office re Molesworth. Advice from Mason at Tasman Forestry advising delay with meeting Auditors Nelson Marlborough audits requesting forms to be completed if continuing with their services this year. Outward Mail: Items to accountant, G Couper contacted Mason at Tasman Forests. Accepted, Moved Warren Plum / B O Leary Financial: Deposits; Moved $ from 02 to 00 account. Payments made. NZ Post for post box $175.00, National office $ being capitation for life members, Waimea print $84.00 for newsletters, $10.00 W Plum meeting costs. Bank account balances, 00 $ and 02 $ Still to change name on 02 Account. The Term deposit of $50k has rolled over on its 6 month term and $ interest paid in March. Approved B.Oleary / John Noakes Range: No progress with access, G Couper to re contact Tasman Pine again. To report back at next meeting. In meantime to approach Ngati Koata advising we are still negotiating with Tasman Forests. Next shoot Sunday 18th March. Note 10.00am start and range won t be open for casual shooting that day. Deer targets, 50 and 100 metres. 22 and centrefire at 100 if one wishes. Note Easter weekend Range will be used exclusively for National Bench rest shoot as per previous years.

9 Roster. Re gate duty. Onerous on small team who are having to man every weekend, to seek help from membership via newsletter. Last Sunday had remained closed as no one available. Membership: Two new members approved, Dominik Berghamer and Colin Morey. Hunts Course: Likely to start around April May. Several inquiries already. Newsletter: Still looking for articles. Next issue out this coming week. To encourage members to provide interesting photos and news. Moved that B O leary organize something appropriate to recognize people helping put the newsletter together. Health and Safety: Approved new Health and Safety plan as written for operational use of equipment at range including weed eaters, scrub bars, chainsaws lawn mowers etc. Agreed to implement after minor wording change from protective over trousers to Chainsaw chaps. Agreed to purchase some protective clothing to be held with equipment at range. Red Deer Lodge: Discussed recent quotes again and G Ching updated committee on his recent visit to Lodge. He will visit again and measure windows in toilets etc, with view of replacing with aluminium ones, to obtain a quote. He felt a lot of the work could be completed by working bees if sufficient help from members could be enlisted. Agreed to discuss at length at AGM and provide more information around this in newsletter in the interim. Bill O Leary to contact DOC at St Arnaud around permission to remove and cut some of the vegetation on site. Area in front of window needs to be totally removed and tidied up with a bark garden or similar. (Footnote permission has been obtained 7/3/18) Agreed Warren to reply to Rural Women group that working on upgrade and thank them for their interest.. Club Nights: March club night will be held 27th March, at 7.00pm. Phillip Bradfield from DOC Marlborough to update on plans going forward For Molesworth. To invite kindred organizations such as Fish and Game to also attend. April 24th Skin Tanning night and advice, May June, AGM and Head measuring nights, still to decide on order. Next Committee meeting Tuesday 3rd April 7.30pm Warrens home. Warren Plum. Secretary

10 Websites of Interest National Deerstalkers Website Like the NZDA National Heritage Trust Facebook page for great historical deerstalking photos: Department of Conservation Information DOC maps. You can select a Topo view and to have DOC hunting areas highlighted DOC hunting permits can be applied for at: Game Animal Council Walking Access Walking Access Maps Walking Access Mobile Maps Kea Sightings South Island Kokako Sightings Wasps Falcon Survey nativebirds@xtra.co.nz