Easter hunt a success

The biggest pig, weighing 88.9kg, was shot by Duncan Rose, of Hawke's Bay, here with his children, Grace (6) and Connor (4). Photo/Duncan Brown

While the great stags and mean-looking boars were impressive, for many of the younger avid hunters the prettied-up possums looked a whole lot better.

The scene was a colourful one at the Puketapu Hotel yesterday afternoon where the prizegiving for the inaugural Easter hunting competition staged by the Black Stag Hunting Club took place.

"We had prizes for the heaviest pig and the heaviest stag as well as kids' prizes for the heaviest possum and the heaviest hare ... and the best-dressed possum," club committee member Damon Wise said.

The club, which has about 20 members, was formed 46 years ago by a group of local hunters who wanted to form a club that was social as well as relatively casual.

"It's just a tight group of guys," Mr Wise said.

They put the word around that an Easter hunting competition was being staged and drew in a string of supportive businesses like Action Outdoors which put up $2000 of prizes.

Pan Pac also came to the party offering its hunting blocks and the Puketapu Hotel proprietors were happy to stage the post-hunt party, which drew about 180 people.

Mr Wise said about 100 hunters entered the competition. About half were young people who wanted to join big brother or dad on the hunting expeditions.

It got under way at midnight last Thursday and ended at 2pm yesterday - the main haul being 35 stags and 17 boars.

While it had been a lot of work by the members in getting it well organised, Mr Wise said there was every chance it would be staged again next Easter, and he hoped to do a little better next time.

His lads got a few possums and hares when he took them out but he said he had been "a little slow off the mark" in his pursuits as he had given all the good hunting blocks out to others. "But everyone had a really good time and it brings everyone together and that's the important thing."