Boy's road trip

We're almost set. Me, AJ, Andrew & Cock are road-tripping to the Wairarapa in September, to go goosing with Tim Allen. This trip has been some time in planning, and quite hard to get the crew together for. Tim can't come because he's saving like mad for his wedding; Shanks can't come because of work (calving etc); Guy can't come because he just likes pulling the trigger and goose hunting isn't always like that :D - nah, he's busy deciding on next year's strategy; Chris from up north can't come because of other stuff he's got on. Cock may even have to pull out if work calls on him. Andrew should be able to come if powers that be allow. Strategy is quite simple - the timing puts us in goose territory on the drakest nights of the month. Hopefully the geese will not have been overly hassled. Tim will scout them the days before we arrive and make a call on where we go, be it on land, or the lake. We'll then hunt them accordingly, and with 2 days and nights at our disposal will hopefully have at least one good session.

I'm looking forward to this like mad. I like a road trip to do something different. And it sort of fits my ambition to learn more about goose hunting.

Roll on September.

Met with my old boss today. His property Hau Ora Farms in the Tukituki Valley is primo pheasant territory. He put down 400 this year and has shot 90-something in small driven days. He's getting right into it and plans to put down 1,000 next year; supported by cover crops and on the back of a 3 year trapping program. (300 hedgehogs, tons of rats, weasels, ferrets, 70 cats...) looking at all that vermin, no wonder its so hard to breed and keep birds.

He recently had to modify his land - with 35 acres of old man gorse the nasties had too many hidey-holes and the birds flew straight to it. Check this out:

The aftermath. Pretty country huh? And when the burn off goes into cover of some sort the birds will appreciate the first striking of the match.

(Apparently there was an article in the local paper as a result of all that smoke.....)