Ferals in the crosshairs

ON A TURKEY SHOOT: Ngatapa School student William Cameron 11, with his meal for the night at last year's Ngatapa School Pest Eradication Hunt fundraiser. The three day event is a family affair with all proceeds going to Ngatapa School. This year they are fundraising for a new adventure playground. Picture supplied

RABBITS, hares, mice, deer, boars, magpies, turkeys, possums and goats of the East Coast had better watch out next week during the annual Ngatapa School hunt.

This will be the fourth year Ngatapa School has hosted its Pest Eradication Hunt as a fundraiser.

The three-day event will take place from next Thursday, with weigh-in on Sunday September 13.

Kids and adults will hunt it out in four different divisions, to win their share of a prize pool valued at $7000.

In the junior under-15 section, kids will be looking to trap or shoot the heaviest mouse, goat, rabbit, turkey, magpie, hare, rat or possum, and nab the best goat head.

Teacher Kristy Blundell says kids at the school are already excited.

“It is a really good family day. It gets the adults out there with the kids and lets the kids learn about pest eradication.”

There will also be different games on weigh-in day, including running races with competitors lugging boars on their backs.

“The kids are all really excited. They love getting out there, especially in the team event,” says Ms Blundell.

The team event works on a points system for different animals and brings together adult and child hunters. There is also an open stag section and an open boar section.

Last year more than 100 people took part in the event, raising around $6000. This year the school is hoping to top that amount.

“We are fundraising for a playground that we want to put on our bottom field. It is going to be a really rustic, country-style adventure playground, so anything we raise will help towards that.

“This event really targets our family community. All the kids are ready to take part. They love it,” says Ms Blundell.

For more information or to register for the hunt, see Ngatapa School Hunt 2015 on Facebook, or call Colin Bayliss on 06 863 9828. Or you can contact Ngatapa School on 06 863 9878.