We needn’ t have worried: the buck was lying stone-dead 2 metres away. I don’ t know who was more happy, Dylan or myself, but he had secured himself a nice 14 point Woodhill fallow buck. By the time we had gutted it and carried it out to the road it was pretty much dark.
We met up with Peter and Ian back at the block carpark and swapped stories on our day’ s hunt. Unfortunately for the brothers it was another unsuccessful day but they had both seen a few animals and had enjoyed themselves.
And as a bonus, Dylan’ s trophy won the 2016 Bert Howlett Memorial Trophy for the best buck shot that year from the Woodhill herd. Brent Neville from Tasman Taxidermy tanned the hide, which Dylan now has as a memento of his hunt. I hope to get the skull mounted on a European-style wooden shield.
I hope that besides shooting his first buck he learnt a few valuable hunting lessons on that cold July day.
Dylan receiving the 2016 Bert Howlett Memorial Trophy from Brian Witton, Woodhill Fallow Management Council Committee member and Patron, Auckland branch NZDA
If you are interested in applying for a ballot at Woodhill Forest please visit our website for more details – www. fallowdeer. co. nz. Ballots for the 2017 ballot hunting season should appear on the site in the first week of March. Hunting commences on the first weekend in June and finishes mid-September.
12 NZ Hunting & Wildlife 196- Autumn 2017