Anyway, before I go any further, a warning for the faint hearted. There is an image of a dead animal lower down. If seeing that is going to totally trash your day then I won't hold it against you if you click away now although you can safely look at the first 5 images.
Most of the images are of dogs and bush - nothing gory.
With that warning out of the way, we'll continue. Now I know that most of you probably neither like nor approve of hunting. I don't actually like it myself, BUT, I married a keen hunter, we have hunting dogs that I adore so inevitably I do end up on the odd hunt.
I'd gone along this morning because hubby was trying out tracking collars on the dogs for the first time and we were both interested in seeing how far the dogs went. Our NZ bush is very dense so that once the dogs leave the track you have no idea where they are until they "open up".
Our dogs are pig dogs and the idea is that they find a pig in the bush and then bail it. This means that they stand and bark at the pig, circling round it if necessary, so that it can't run away. The hunter hears the dogs barking, rushes in and dispatches the pig.
This first image is our old dog Diesel. He is the father of our two "boys" and he knows he won't be going along. His days of hunting are behind him. The collars have just been taken of Jem and Bruiser and Diesel is forlornly curled up beside them.
This is where we headed. We're taking the gate on the right and will wind up the mountain in the old ute until the track becomes undrivable. I have actually been right to the top of Mt Titiraupenga - admittedly with hubby providing much pushing from behind. That last bit is steep.
Hubby putting the tracking collar on Jem. Note the cigarette dangling from lips - the health revolution has completely passed him by!
Jem in the lead with Bruiser not far behind as they race across a clearing. Just stretching their legs.
Jem coming up out of a creek after having a drink. This hunting/bush walking is thirsty work! (This is the point where all vegans probably want to leave although the images are not gory - I promise.)
Jem and Bruiser had surprised a deer on the side of a gully. It jumped into a creek where the two dogs bailed it until hubby arrived and he shot it. And yes, I did say deer - they're supposed to be pig dogs but with no pigs about they decided a deer would do!
Oh dear, did I mention it was on the side of a gully? The deer ran to the bottom. It took about an hour for the two of us to manhandle it back up to the track. Before the back surgery, hubby would have put it on his back and carried it up, but not now.
That's steam coming up of hubby; that is the deer to the left. I'm supposed to be on the other end of that rope pulling but as you can see, I was actually taking a photo!
We finally make it back to the track. You'll note that the deer has been gutted and head off. This lightens the load. The deer will be kept in a chiller for about 4 days to tenderize and then hubby will divide the meat and share it out amongst family members.
Final shot is of me showing off my bloody, dirty hands and scratches.
And in fact, I can truthfully say, if it wasn't for the blood, dirt and dead animals, I really would enjoy hunting!
8 comments:
You're right, I don't like hunting but I enjoyed viewing your dogs. They look very regal. And the bush is actually very lovely. I live in a city and would love to move out into the country. Alas I'm trapped in corporate America though so it's practical that I live close to where I work.
I have some hunters in my extended family -- here, people often hunt deer. Deer meat is healthy, and yummy, too.
You have lovely doggies. :)
Fitzcharming - It is lovely up on the mountain. I tag along for the bush and the dogs but every know and then get roped - quite literally today! - into the "real" hunting.
Thomma Lyn - You're right, venison is a very lean healthy meat.
Of course you could see from the images that neither hubby or I are particularly lean! It's what else we eat that does the damage.
Thanks for taking us along on your bush walk! I'm not especially fond of hunting, either, but it's a reality of life. Does NZ have hunting seasons as we do in Canada? (and what kind of deer was it?)
(oh, and the health revolution has passed us by, too, so far, although I am starting to wake up to the fact that the cigarettes are probably not a good idea anymore.... sigh.)
This was a very interesting post, Dawn! The dogs are gorgeous, and it was great to see the pictures of you and your hubby!
I started the winter with 40 pounds of deer meat in the freezer. "My" hunters give me a share as payment for hunting here. They even share the liver, which they love as much as I do.
My blue heeler would love to chase deer (or pigs, but he's never seen a pig.) He has no cows, not even one, and he sees deer and says "I can herd that!"
Mary Anne in Kentucky
Baggie - It was a red deer - we do have a few other varieties, fallow and wapiti, but they are all introduced species. NZ has no native mammals except seals. No hunting season on deer.
Solarity - Ah, blue heelers. Yes, he would love hunting!
Dawn, thanks for the bush visit. I grew up around hunting and it doesn't bother me a bit. I also love venison. It's been years since I had wild meat. Sigh.
Thanks for the peek at the wild side.
Leah - Well I'm just sorry you don't life a little closer so you could be on our "meat sharing" list.
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