The Kauri Coast Recreational Hunting and Fishing Club hosted the first Great Northland Possum Cull 10 years ago.
Thousands of dollars had since been donated to community organisations or charities and the event was "a well-cemented fixture in the calendars of the seasoned and social hunters", organiser John Hackett said.
Organisers are
expecting record numbers at this year's event set to start tomorrow and continue until Sunday. It coincides with the poplar trees being in bud - a delicacy for the possums.
This year boasts a prize pool of more than $15,000 and includes a wide range of prize categories and spot prizes.
"We have had great support from local businesses, which has been pivotal in the success of the event. McCoy and Thomas Sports Hunting and Fishing Dargaville has been the major sponsor since the event's inception and the wide range of prizes promotes teams of all shapes and sizes to participate," Mr Hackett said.
With the event permitting shooting and trapping anywhere north of the Harbour Bridge the scope is wide open and it's likely some teams are already in serious planning mode.
During the past 10 years, the tally of adult possums has reached 32,000 - the most successful year bringing in 5144.
Securing hunting spots with permission from land owners and monitoring possums numbers, had helped culling immensely, Mr Hackett said.
"With pest problems ever present, land owners' use of poisoning programmes as a control method in the months prior has meant popular spots for trapping and hunting during the event change from year to year, so it always pays to check in advance."
A prizegiving will be held on Sunday.
The major spot prize is a $1000 of Hunting and Fishing vouchers with a rifle offered for second prize.
Proceeds from the sale of furwill be donated to community organisations or charities.
In the past five years, the club has donated more than $10,000 to charities such as the Rescue Helicopter, Dargaville Fire Brigade, Te Kopuru Fire Brigade and the Dargaville Ambulance.
For more information on the Great Northland Possum Cull or the Kauri Coast Recreational Hunting and Fishing Club, call John on (09) 434 6125.
