The Roar 2017 - March Issue

Roar THE

20 17

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HUNTING NEWS

Tips and tricks Safety Roar stories Photo by Gerald Fluerty.

2 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

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10 TOP TIPS to bag a stag Ian Hadland

I

t’s been a surprising 30 years since I roared up my first red stag in Westland bush but I still remember it vividly. It strode up through the bush with its nose in the air having already replied to a crude roar made through cupped hands.

At 30m its stench was overpowering. I raised the .303 but was trembling so hard I couldn’t hold it steady. It turned away and was swallowed by the bush never to be seen again. From that disappointing start, a Roar hunter was born…

Over the years since I’ve learned a thing or two about chasing bush stags in the Roar so here is my top 10 tips to bag a Roar stag.

1. Do your homework There is no substitute for knowing your hunting ground, so making mental notes on areas of stag rubbings and marking wallows on your GPS during spring or summer hunting will put you well ahead of the game. If you haven’t been to the location before, use a good topo' map or Google Earth to get familiar with the typography. Look for good ridges for travel and to roar from and especially spots where those intersect with terraces or high benches – a likely spot for wallows and also good feed areas for a harem of hinds. Plenty of homework will mean your carefully negotiated leave pass from home won’t be wasted in unproductive stag areas.

Roaring in a red in the bush is thrilling, close quarter action.

2. Timing There are plenty of theories about what brings on a stags vocals.

My hunting diary records roaring as early as 28 March through to the 18 April but the peak of the rut is noted as the 4 - 10 April, and it’s during that period I’ve been most successful. Other factors no doubt play a part, such as the moon phase and condition and age of hinds entering the rut. A bigger factor is the shortening of the days and this is often amplified by a crappy patch of weather, particularly a southerly, which drops the temperature as well. Frosty mornings during that peak time are an obvious choice for a sick day.

intruders but lonely younger stags are also curious about other stags and will often come in for a look. I was in a roaring standoff with a good stag one day when out of nowhere a spiker appeared between us. I roar every 200m or so and even more if the ground is broken up by creeks and ridges. It’s surprising what replies from areas where you think you should have been heard from. Soliciting a reply is what it’s all about.

3. Make plenty of noise

I use a piece of 40mm PVC pipe to roar through, but I’ve seen every variation from simple cupped hands through to some good commercial ones. Hollow and throaty is what you are looking for.

When you get out there, roar loud and roar plenty. Stags, particularly those defending cycling hinds are stirred up by roaring

4. Roaring and roaring tubes

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And your roar doesn’t have to be that great, as long as it carries a decent distance.

I bumped into a mate hunting the same ridge one time and gave him a bunch of grief about his strangled goat roar. He reckoned it got the job done. I’d already shot a stag the day before but this was his first outing since the new baby at home. Together we headed for a small hanging basin where I’d heard a roar earlier. I let out a roar, which was instantly replied to.

“Its yours Cam, but beef up that roar for Christ’s sake. I’ll head home.”

A while later the strangled goat was back in action and being replied to by a worked up stag. Maaaaaaa…..

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ISSUE 138 - HUNTING NEWS

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz RRRROOOOOAAAAWW. On it went until a shot rang out. I turned for home in disbelief and a text later confirmed the kill - a nine-pointer, which had jogged right into him.

to see the eye fillets. Remove these, then slide the knife point into the hip joint at the last spinal vertebrae. That will allow you to snap the hind legs off leaving the hip bone in. Load the front legs and back-steaks into the decent-sized pack you have been carrying for the purpose and tie the antlers and some day-glow material onto the outside. Stand up and throw the hindquarters over your shoulders with the hooves facing forward. What’s left behind will be the ribs, spine, and neck bones, which is largely what you would be hiffing when get home anyway.

5. Listen Unlike other times of the year where your eyes do most of the hunting, it’s your ears that really come to the fore now. It’s helpful to be able to hear distant roars but you also need to listen intently right where you are standing. I’ve lost count of the number of curious stags that have snuck in without even a moan and have only given themselves away by a cracking twig. So roar away, but linger for a minute or two to catch out that sneaky stag.

10. Safety

6. Cover the ground The distribution of deer during the roar is lumpier than at other times of the year because they are grouped together, so it makes sense to cover a lot more ground and concentrate on the most likely ground. Stags will often use the same areas year-on-year so go back to where you have seen stag sign before. If new to the area, check out the back edges of terraces or flat patches on ridges for active wallows. I walk quickly between sites rather than stalking the whole way as the stags don’t seem to mind the noise. In fact, they may be curious of it. As always, hunt into the wind. That’s easier in the morning when the breeze is blowing downhill and down valley.

7. Be patient If a reply is heard, I project a waypoint forward on the GPS and move in quickly. When you get closer though, it’s worth being patient. Hinds and the breeze are your enemy now so be alert for both. A lesson I relearn at least once a season is to only roar when you have a good view in a number of directions. Sometimes a stag will try to cut beneath you to pick up your scent or could come charging in from a completely random direction. Take a moment to sum up where you are in relation to the stag. He could be walking towards you already.

8. The sticky stag One frustrating behaviour of stags in thick bush is to reply continuously but not move forward from a point say 50m away, usually from behind a windfall or across a creek. They just won’t budge. There are two options. First is to sneak in, which is very tricky if hunting alone because these stags tend to be on high alert. It’s much easier if one of a two-man team remains behind

3

Doing your homework first leads to greater success.

(unarmed or unloaded) to roar at the stag while the other tiptoes forward for an opportunity. The second option is to crash in, making a low moan as you go. It’s exciting, as occasionally this can entice a move forward by the stag as well. One needs to be ready to identify the stag properly at a moment’s notice and pull off a shot before he becomes aware of the imposter. Its a 50/50 chance at best but it sure gets the blood pumping.

9. Break it down Having got your stag on the deck, try to resist the urge to carry it out whole. It’s tempting I know but a gutted red stag is upwards of 70kgs and apart from upping the risk of injury from tripping or falling, it is very hard on your knees longer term. If I had my time again I’d have broken more animals down like I do now.

Cut both front legs off the ribcage and leave to cool. Split the skin along the spine and remove the back-steaks and hang over a branch to cool off too. Pull the back legs uphill and cut off the nuts and pizzle, being careful not to get too much of that stain on yourself.

Open up the gut cavity, and roll the paunch and entrails out enough

There will be plenty written about identifying your target and safety with firearms, so I won’t dwell on it here. All I will say is, choose your hunting mates carefully, as stats show you are more likely to be mistaken for a deer by a member of your own party than a random stranger. In saying that, I’ve roared up six other hunters in my time of hunting public land and, while that is spooky, all have ended well (except for the chaps poaching our Haast Roar block!). Key here is to yell out at the earliest sign that what’s replying isn’t a stag.

Good luck and don’t forget to get some tasteful photos before you get stuck into the knife work. They always come out better if the animal is in one piece still.

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Ian Hadland with a solid bush stag.

DUCK & ROAR 2017

Get geared up with Wild Outdoorsman & Hunters Element If you are coming to the West Coast of the South Island, make sure you are wellequipped with new quality gear for the Roar or the duck season. Wild Outdoorsman is the Coast’s leading outdoor specialist, with two conveniently situated stores: our larger store in Hokitika township and Fishing and Firearms in Greymouth on the main road.

Wild Outdoorsman has everything you need to enhance you chance of success, from firearms to camping gear and essentials. We are celebrating these iconic events, the Roar and Duck Shooting, with great prices and

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4 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

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Hunting ‘black spots’ Nick Kingstone | Communications Manager NZ Mountain Safety Council mountainsafety.org.nz

On the eve of the Roar it’s timely to consider the various locations around the country and explore if there is anything interesting from a risk perspective. We undertook – as part of our 2016 publication ‘There and Back’ – an analysis of the various hunting regions around the country and worked out the average of injury, search & rescue and fatality specific to hunting. We represented this number in each category as ‘1’ so we could easily see how much higher any location around the country was from this average. The results were shocking.

Southland, Queenstown Lakes, Westland, Central North Island and Auckland were the top five locations with higher incidents of injury, search & rescue and fatality higher relative to the national average of 1.

It’s important to note that each region often has a particular factor or environmental condition that can create certain types of incidents. For example, the Central North Island is covered in thick bush, often with low visibility. It’s common to only see part of the animal in question. Unfortunately, this is thought to be a contributing factor to the high rates of misidentification in this region, particularly around March, April and May when there are lots of hunters enjoying the Roar. Similarly, in the high country of the South Island where the terrain is steep and often loose, we see a high number of incidents due to falling. MSC explore each region and hunting type in detail in our upcoming hunting specific research report ‘A Hunters Tale,’ due out later this year.

These kinds of numbers should be of real concern to the hunters in these regions. While there are lots of contributing factors, the message is clear, if you’re hunting in one of these regions then you’re hunting in a higher risk environment. This may be specific to a season or a species, but overall these locations have a higher profile and should be considered ‘black spots,’ similar to what the Police commonly do if there is a stretch of road or an intersection that had a higher frequency of incidents. And, like the road ‘black spots’ they often have unique features about them that keep producing a similar type of incident. It’s from this perspective that hunters need to consider the location they’re going and how this impacts their decision making.

So, if you’re heading to the Central North Island to hunt this year, then you’d be wise to take into account that you’re 4.3x more likely to be injured than the national average, 7.9 times more likely to be in need of a rescue, and a whopping 8.9 times more likely to be killed in this region.

As we explore the data in more detail we, as Mountain Safety Council, take these sorts of findings to our partners, hunting and firearms user groups as well as local communities to help us understand what this might mean at a local level. We’re committed to uncovering the root cause, so our interventions are targeted, accurate and effective.

Enjoy your time out there, but remember that the trophy of a lifetime or putting meat in your freezer are not worth failing to make it home for. #MakeItHomeNZ For more hunting related safety resources, videos and guides head to mountainsafety.org.nz

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ISSUE 138 - HUNTING NEWS

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6 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

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Optically Speaking - with Ant Corke IT’S ALMOST ROAR TIME FOLKS! What a great time of year this is for deer hunters throughout New Zealand. Deer are in the peak of condition, and there is always that hope of gaining a trophy. Now is the time to get out the maps and, time permitting, find where the animals are by stealthy observation.

Between dusk and dawn are the easiest times to spot deer feeding, but I also often see them feeding during late afternoon.

Once fed, they will melt away and chew their cud. During daylight, I use my trusty Yukon spotting scope, sometimes in conjunction with a Pulsar thermal to spot. The thermal quickly shows me where animals are, and the spotting scope enables me to identify what I'm looking at. This process is very quick, and ideal when there is a lot of ground to cover.

At night, deer can be easily spotted with a thermal imager, but in order to be 100% sure of target identification, a closer approach is required. A careful upwind approach is required to get sufficiently close to enable positive identification. How close depends on the type of thermal imager, its optical characteristics, and the conditions, such as rain, fog, temperature, and terrain.

For spotting deer (as well all other game), my own preference is the Pulsar Quantum XQ38. I have thermals of all types, but this model ticks all the right boxes as a 'go to' thermal. It has a good field-of-view, and good distance performance. It also happens to be the model that most of our customers choose, which validates my own opinion about this device.

Distance and field-of-view are the useful criteria for efficiently using a thermal imager. I will start with distance performance. Out and out distance performance is good, especially for search and rescue applications, but unless the animals can be identified, it only gives a ‘heads-up' that there is something out there. At extreme ranges, 1.5km and more, animals look like specks, and I personally don't go tearing over to see what they are. After all, walking for long distances whilst actively hunting is likely to spook animals that are closer, and it would be a great disappointment if the specks turned out to be goats! Spotting at 600 or 700 metres on the other hand, is a good distance to get within identification range. This is the range that an animal can be identified as a deer, pig, goat etc. A Pulsar XQ38 can identify deer at about 400 metres. This provides plenty of distance to begin stalking without alerting the deer to your presence.

Field-of-view is also very important. I know from experience how frustrating it is to have too much magnification at closer

quarters. If animals are likely to be encountered at less than 200 metres, a wide field-of-view enables quicker scanning, and is useful at night when walking. A wide field-of-view is also useful when deer are likely to be hidden by long grass and foliage, and especially when viewing at ground level.

Choosing a likely spot where deer can be seen moving and feeding is vital. An elevated position is ideal for spotting deer, especially those that are resting-up in scrub. Deer can also be more easily spotted whilst looking upward at hillsides, when they are moving through bush to their feeding grounds at the bush edge. My favourite position is from above, with a background of trees. Deer will be easily spooked if the skyline is broken, even at night.

The above covers spotting and identifying, which is important for knowing where deer are, and also being able to select a deer from a herd. Though the Roar is about shooting stags, spikers and barren hinds need to be culled to improve herd quality. Barren hinds that don't have young compete with healthy animals for food and, due to their age, face a slow and miserable death. Best turn these deer into sausages, patties, and salami.

A while back, I was night hunting a private forestry block with a mate, when I spotted a young stag, lying amongst scrub, in a previously harvested pine block. I spotted and positively identified him with my Pulsar Quantum 38. To take the shot, I had a Pulsar Forward DN55 night vision converter fitted to the front of my riflescope. When I raised the rifle to take the shot, I was dismayed that I couldn't see my target due to long grass and broom in front of me. In order to get a clear shot, I had to climb a pile of very unstable forestry waste. After the shot, I was unsurprised that the animal wasn't lying where I had shot at it, and assumed a miss.

However, a wider scan with my Quantum 38 showed a very clear large white blob lying in thick scrub, about 80 metres from where it was before the shot. It was stone dead, and though I had shot it through the neck, I had missed its spine. Had it not been for the thermal, I would have assumed a miss, given the difficulty of the shot. The Pulsar Quantum is brilliant for recovering carcasses, even if they are lying in scrub, and are visible for hours after death, revealing blood trails, and even spotting bodily waste.

That's about all I have to say this month. As I've whipped myself into a frenzy, I must go home and start cleaning my hunting tackle.

One last point that I need to make, is that my Pulsar Quantum is very good at ensuring that my target is not a person. People, after

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ISSUE 138 - HUNTING NEWS

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7

Secrets to using the AJ Caller during the sika rut Allan Foot (A J Productions)

An electronic caller is another tool in the hunter or photographer’s arsenal to improve success, but it does require some strategy.

First of all, l don’t overdo it, always have the wind in your favour and remember, the most effective days to get a sika stag to

respond or come to a call is when there is least roaring activity.

Everyone will have different ideas on when and where to use the caller but this is generally what we do.

We will play the single call about 4-6 times an hour and in that time we may use the Hee-

.Peter Kinane posing with the spoils.

haw call once or twice. I find the Hee-haw call to be more effective in the evenings.

When using the single call, we mix it up a little. Sometimes we will give a single call only and other times will give a couple of soft stag mews first, followed five seconds later with a loud single call. Another effective calling sequence using the sika deer 2 card is to give the hind/fawn call, followed by a loud single call 5-10 seconds later.

Also on the sika 2 card is the Yak Yak call (Button 4). Very few hunters would have ever heard this particular call. It is a soft call that a sika stag will sometimes use when following a hind in heat or chasing away a subordinate stag. The calling sequence worth trying is: Button 5 is a fawn/hind series of calls, but we don’t use the entire sequence. Press (5) fawn/hind call and then press STOP button immediately after second call, which is the hind. Wait about five seconds and press the Yak Yak call. About 10 seconds later, belt out a loud single call.

Just mix things up a little.

There is a right or wrong way to use the caller but as already mentioned above, don’t overdo it. After giving a call wait at least five minutes before moving on. However, we have sat in one place for as long as 25-30 minutes and had sika stags walk

Allan with a respectible eight pointer.

in after all that time.

In an area where stags are already calling, we don’t do any calls unless we have too. Since they are making all the noise, we just sneak in. In the past, we have successfully used the single call and stag mews while in close to a group of deer, however, you will only roar up the young stags, not the master. If a master stag is holding a hind, then no amount of calling will make him leave her.

Spiker, fawn and hinds calls are good to use during the rut but can also be effective outside the rut. When using these calls, only have them at half volume - not full volume.

On quiet evenings, we will give a hee-haw call and a stag may reply back straight away with a single call. Generally, if a Jap

stag replies straight away to your hee-haw or single call, then there is a good chance he is on his way.

He may take less than a minute or five minutes to come in, depending on how far away he is.

The AJ Caller can be controlled via the wireless remote, giving the advantage of having distance between the game caller and the hunter. Not all deer will walk right up to where the call is coming from but will sneak in and stand back 20-30 metres or so and look. Of course you have no idea that this has happened until you move off and an animal crashes away.

When using the remote with the game caller, one of the key benefits is it gives you more time to observe an animal that has come into your calls. A deer will pin point the exact location

where the call came from and hone in on it as if the spot was marked with a GPS. By standing back 30 – 50 metres or more (if the terrain allows) you have a good opportunity to see any animals moving in.

Remember; other hunters may be using a caller so always identify your target beyond any doubt.

Hunters do not look like deer and deer do not look like hunters, so there is absolutely no excuse for making a mistake, which one would live to regret forever.

For safety reasons I strongly recommend wearing some form of blaze orange when using a game caller, especially in areas of high hunter numbers.

Good luck and safe hunting.

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8 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

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THE

Roar

20 17

Develop a new relationship with your blade

Hamilton - new horizons for hunting and fishing

BladesNZ Ltd came about because of frustrations with knife sharpeners available in New Zealand. The search for a system that was bulletproof yet easy to use identified the Wicked Edge Sharpener.

Wicked Edge Precision Sharpeners was born in the USA out of a desire to find an alternative to ineffective traditional knife sharpening techniques. The answer came in a precision engineered, controlled-angle sharpener anyone could use.

The Concept Poorly formed edges, like those created on electric sharpeners, will quickly dull.

Controlled-angle sharpeners work well but clamps often fail; the vices don’t have enough clamping power to be truly effective and the whole process comes to a halt while the knife is replaced and the vice reset. You may also find the need to re-create the edge from scratch, which requires a considerable amount of time, when only a touch up should be required.

The combination of mechanical problems and poor performance finally led the founder of Wicked Edge Precision Sharpeners, Clay Allison, to take a closer look at sharpening to create something that would address these issues.

The Knife Sharpener With the Wicked Edge, the problems inherent with traditional sharpening methods are solved. Wicked Edge Precision Sharpeners’ ground-breaking patented knife sharpening technology will revolutionize the relationship that knife owners, from hunters to chefs, have with their knives.

Any knife with a straight blade is held securely at the perfect angle for the type of knife and steel. The user controls the diamond grit

The HamiltonJet waterjet is one of the most advanced and innovative marine propulsion systems in use today, and is at the forefront of waterjet propulsion technology. HamiltonJet pioneered the development of the modern waterjet system over 60 years ago, adapting technology initially designed for shallow river operation to suit all manner of inshore and offshore vessels.

The first jet boats carved their way upstream in the mid 1950s, and it wasn’t long before hunters recognised their benefits. Jet boats opened up new hunting grounds, made old ones more accessible, and helped hunters return with their spoils, while also making the trip itself more adventurous.

And it’s not much different today - most jet boaters are also fishermen and hunters, combining their passion for river, rod, and rifle to best advantage in getting off the beaten track and into the untamed wilderness. Some, like the late Harvey Taylor, took jet boat hunting to new heights when he installed powerful spotlights on the bow of his boat so he could hunt till dark and still get home safe for a cuppa.

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Wicked Edge sharpeners are a simple but effective method that puts professional sharpening ability into everyone’s hands. Clay designed these products to help you quickly and easily get the edge you want.

Awards and Customers Wicked Edge sharpeners have won numerous awards including the ‘Accessory of the Year’ for two years in a row at BLADE Show (2009 and 2010). Wicked Edge also won the Kitchen Innovations® 2014 Award for the Professional Series Knife Sharpener.

Wicked Edge sharpeners are used around the World by hunters, outfitters, and chefs, and on the campuses of The Culinary Institute of America.

The Wicked Edge System and accessories have been engineered to be compatible throughout their range of sharpeners, allowing the user to add the latest components to their existing platform.

Contact us today to find out more about Wicked Edge Precision Sharpeners! www.bladesnz.co.nz paul@bladesnz.co.nz

There’s no question jet boats provide something more for hunters and fishermen - the only restriction is how far and deep the river runs.

The first jet boats carved their way upstream in the mid 1950s, and it wasn’t long before hunters recognised their benefits.

Find out more about this boat by calling HamiltonJet New Zealand on 03 962 0505 or email: hamiltonjetnz@hamjet.co.nz

ISSUE 138 - HUNTING NEWS

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

9

THE

Roar

FIELD TEST:

20 17

PULSAR XQ38 THERMAL IMAGER - THE GAME-CHANGER Daryl Crimp

Consistently successful hunters of the Roar have one thing in common, preparation. Just how individual hunters prepare may vary but leaving little to chance does increase success rates. Because hunting during the rut often requires close quarter shooting, I like to get rifle fit beforehand by shooting from many different positions and shooting plenty of rounds. This helps hone muscle memory, builds confidence, and reduces the likelihood of duffing a shot in tight situations.

Field practise is always better than range work, so this year I opted for a wallaby shoot as a Roar ‘eyeopener’. The use of light-calibre firearms is easier on the pocket and lets you practice plenty without the risk of recoil ‘overuse’ causing flinching, as can be the case with heavier calibre rifles. This trip also provided the opportunity to field test the Pulsar XQ38 thermal imager, with a view to seeing if it had applications in the Roar.

Six of us were hunting in pairs on an unfamiliar block comprising 2,000 acres near Waimate and, while in good numbers, the wallabies were in localised pockets; mainly south facing gullies with dense cover. We faced the disadvantages of having to learn the lay of the land and find wallabies amongst the high late summer grass, vegetative cover, and swampy gullies.

Rick and I quickly developed a routine with the Pulsar XQ38 thermal imager and refined it to good effect over the weekend. Basically, Rick would scan the terrain, identify signatures, and I would locate those in the open with the Swarovski EL 10 x 42 rangefinder binoculars and then shoot them with the Browning X-Bolt .223. Mostly we were shooting down into or across gullies, ranges of 130 yards to 220 yards, with the occasional 300 yard shot.

I have to say the Pulsar XQ38 thermal imager was a game-changer, as we would not have shot anywhere near the numbers of wallabies without it. We saw far more wallabies than the other hunters and out-shot them more than five-to-one. Rick was able to pick out signatures in light scrub and tell me when and where they were about

to break cover. After taking the shot, it was also useful for determining a kill shot or whether we had to follow up a wounded animal. For pest control situations such as these, it is an amazing piece of apparatus.

Lightweight, compact, and very intuitive, the Pulsar XQ38 thermal imager is very easy to use in the field and ideal for morning, evening, and night hunting situations.

During the heat of the day it became more difficult to distinguish hotspots but still effective, especially when determining movement. The clarity and depth of field is excellent, with species definition amazing out to several hundred yards (we picked up the signature of a hare in long grass and not visible to the naked eye at 220 yards and clearly identified it when it put its ears up).

Considering the effectiveness on small game such as rabbits, hares, and wallabies, the Pulsar XQ38 thermal imager would be an absolute game-changer on deer and other larger species.

The Game Changer- WATCH IT HERE - Scan code with your phone.

Real wallaby action - WATCH IT HERE - Scan code with your phone.

The Pulsar XQ38 thermal imager was a game-changer when Crimpy went hunting wallabies.

STRASSER: passionate, innovative, precise European rifles are synonymous with precision and quality and now one brand encapsulates these features and more, with affordability for the New Zealand market.

Austrian family owned precision engineering company, STRASSER, is the rising star in the quality hunting and sporting rifle market, with much of the impetus attributed to son Mathias Strasser, an energetic thirty-something passionate hunter responsible for many of the company’s innovative designs.

The family, accomplished hunters experienced in wilderness hunting, visited New Zealand in 2011 and hunted extensively. Pride of place of the office walls in Austria is given over to tahr, chamois, and red stag taken Down Under, but the connection goes deeper. That hunt later inspired some unique designs now incorporated in their range.

STRASSER has a long history in gun making, for decades manufacturing essential parts for other world renowned hunting and sporting guns. Their accuracy and precision is unquestionable, with their parts also accompanying the Ariane Euro space agencies’ rocket reliably and safely into orbit.

In 2005, STRASSER pioneered the straight-pull bolt action rifle, the STRASSER RS 05, which became a milestone in the history of hunting weapons and treasured by hunters all over the globe. This model, with their patented hydraulic barrel clamping, was enhanced in 2014 with the further developed RS barrel exchange system, STRASSER RS14.

The simplicity of the RS barrel exchange system allows highly accurate, repeatable, and reliable change of calibres, that has been renowned since the RS 05. Calibre change is made easy with the bolt head being able to be swapped in seconds.

With over 20 different calibres over three calibre groups (min, std, mag), it is definitely the all-

rounder among premium hunting weapons.

STRASSER focus on the inner values; at first glance all the features are not obvious. Their removable trigger set, featuring a unique set trigger, can be adjusted to your own preferred trigger weight. The assembly also houses the Allen key to dismantle the rifle. The removable scope mount has a three-point ball-seat assembly, enabling precise and extreme repeatable accuracy.

All rifles feature an innovative bolt that locks into the barrel to ensure the shooter’s safety, even under the highest gas pressures. Hidden in the bolt mechanism is extra safety, thanks to a small rotating part made of tempered steel, which, when in the clamped and locked state, rotates behind the blocking wedge and unfailingly locks it into position. This positively controlled safety technology ensures that the radial components of the bolt are always locked into the barrel and absorb the resulting forces, placing STRASSER straight-pull bolt action rifles amongst the safest in the world.

STRASSER also offer the fixed calibre, RS SOLO. It boasts all the features of the RS14, but with a fixed barrel and at an excellent priceperformance ratio. For long range sport shooting, the STRASSER TAC1 provides uncompromising precision and reliable technology for the marksman in the field.

With all these features you will be pleasantly surprised at the price. Compared to its competitors, STRASSER will leave change in your pocket and deliver what it promises: rifles that are safe, fast, precise, modular, and elegant.

The safe and accurate design and ergonomic operating functions make STRASSER straightpull rifles a reliable companion for Kiwi hunters and sports marksmen.

To secure your personalised STRASSER, or to find out more, contact Strasser NZ at Alpine Sports Methven.

10 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

Roar

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Give Me 10 Days and I will show you the best hunting experience ever ...

Africa

Australasian booking agent for Hunt Essentials: group hunts - solo hunts - plains game - dangerous game

Call Crimpy now on +64 21 472 517 • editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz

ISSUE 138 - HUNTING NEWS 11

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BEWARE the man

with one GUN Ian Hadland

“Are you sure we should just share the one gun?”

My twin brother Brett looked back and me with his jet-lagged eyes and said, “I can use any gun with a stock and a barrel – even your popgun .7mm08, let’s just get going.”

“Ok but I’m not sharing my pop gun if the stag’s a big bugger.”

That agreed, we packed the truck and boat and were soon skimming across Lake Te Anau. Brett had timed his NZ holiday from his Sweden home very well so it coincided with the first week of April – the peak of the Roar, a minor detail largely lost on his Swedish wife.

We shouldered the packs and headed up the river valley, but it wasn’t long before we were back at the boat sorting through some fly fishing gear.

The sight of happily feeding trout in the river’s gin clear water had distracted us and would continue to do so for most of that first day. The rain had bought in a fresh lot of lake fish into the tributary and the threat of bad weather had brought them on the feed.

Brett was new to fly fishing and, thankfully, the combination of naïve fish and the draw of large terrestrial

patterns being dumped on the surface meant several nice trout were fooled.

One was taken for a late lunch.

“Didn’t we come for the hunting?” he mumbled through a mouthful of fresh fried trout and bread. I agreed; we should stash the rod and find a stag.

An hour’s walk further upstream and, with rain starting to fall, we heard our first stag part way up a ridge running off a broad river terrace.

When we had halved the distance to the stag I offered Brett the rifle.

“Go get him bro, while I wait here and do the roaring”.

Even from here, the stench of stag filled the air. I roared and there was an immediate reply. Brett looked back wide eyed.

“This is what I flew half way around the world for,” he said, set off around a swampy clearing littered in dirty wallows and onto the bushy ridge.

The roar and reply game was going very well, and I expected to hear a shot at any moment. Instead, another stag started roared further upstream and started approaching! By now Brett had got a look at the 6 pointer, spooking it in the process. But still the second stag was roaring and approaching me at speed. I got back on the tube

and roared ‘commmmebaaaaaack’ in Brett’s direction. The upstream stag replied again and was closing in on my position. Just how stags know your exact location under these circumstances never ceases to amaze me.

Matters were becoming urgent, with no sign of Brett and the increasing likelihood that the stag would appear in front of the only unarmed Roar hunter in the South Island.

“Commmmbaaaaack quicklllleeeeeee,” I retorted down the roaring tube pointed in Brett’s last known direction. According to the reply, the up-valley stag had closed the gap to 100m. Finally, through the rain drenched understorey, I caught a glimpse of my brother’s sweaty face returning with our shared rifle.

“Cripes you’re cutting it fine here bro,” I whispered, “I thought I was going to have to knife it.”

Almost simultaneously as Brett took my side, a stag appeared on the ridge above us. Brett closed the bolt and, with the stag at 30m and approaching in full view, I watched Brett searching for him in the scope.

“Scope covers bro!”

He flicked both rain covers open and

Brett left it to the wire before he shot this rutting stag.

lined up again. 10m now separated us from the stag. Brett yanked on the trigger without effect - the unmistakable flinch of a gun trying to be fired with the safety on.

“SAFETY!” I whispered harshly.

He pushed the switch forward and

the rifle did its job. The stag crumpled on the ground five metres in front of us and slid to our feet. Both of us looked in amazement. I was speechless but that didn’t stop Brett.

“See, told you we’d only need the one gun!”

ZeroPak vacuum sealers a Kiwi favourite C & M Marketing Ltd are a proudly New Zealand owned and family operated business based in the Far North for the past fifteen years, specialising in vacuum sealers since 2008.

Craig and Michelle Jenkins are the sole distributors of the ZeroPak Vacuum Sealers in the South Pacific, manufactured for them by Status Kitchen Innovations in Europe - a family company who have been making vacuum sealers and high end innovative household products for the last 20 years. Recently, they also took on the distributorship of the SICO brand; designed and manufactured in Italy they can best be described as the ‘Rolls

Royce’ of vacuum packing machines. The range covers from high end domestic through to full commercial machines.

“Vacuum sealing was Craig's idea, he wanted to keep the fish and shellfish we catch in the freezer without it spoiling, and being a keen hunter he wanted to keep his venison in top condition too,” said Michelle. “His hunt began for a decent vacuum sealer that could deal with fish juice, liquids, and the normal everyday food that New Zealanders want to keep fresh longer. He couldn't find anything suitable so we did it ourselves, creating the ZeroPak brand.”

Being a perfectionist, Craig is also in charge of any repairs and servicing, so if you have a technical vacuum sealing question, he is the man to talk to.

The products are sold in Europe under the brands Status and SICO. The vacuum sealers and accessories are guaranteed to be of the highest quality and will give years of service and enjoyment.

“We promote our products at expos and shows throughout Australasia, and we appreciate all feedback from our customers so we can improve our products and service,” Michelle said.

Zeropak can be purchased directly online at zeropak.co.nz or from your local Hunting & Fishing store.

Introducing the NEW Smart Vac Vacuum sealer SV2000 $449

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Call 03 544 7020 or email admin@thefishingpaper.co.nz

12 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

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inTouch with inReach

The inReach is a two-way satellite communications system and comes in two models: the SE and the advanced Explorer. The SE is the basic two-way communicator whereas the Explorer has navigation and waypoint functions added: the navigation and waypoint features being useful when hunting.

These units are, think a cross between a satellite phone, GPS, and personal locator beacon. Unlike a sat phone, you can’t talk to people but you can email or SMS individual or multiple people anywhere in the world. You can also activate an SOS in an emergency or send pre-programmed messages to selected people, or if your plans change, you can notify those concerned.

The SOS and message function have been responsible in the past 12 months for two successful responses in remote areas on the West Coast. One was a commercial fishing vessel thrown onto the beach and the other a hunter whose appendix decided it was time to revolt when the weather at the drop point was about to completely close in. Both instances resulted in the users being safely rescued by helicopters to live and tell their tales.

A popular feature is MapShare. Delorme give registered owners a website, which opens in Google Earth. Once you programme

recipients into the inReach unit’s address book, you can nominate selected people to follow you on MapShare by sending them a link and a password. Once you activate ’tracking’ on the unit, they can access your map at any time and follow your progress in real time on their computer or iPad. This has inherent safety potential, as well When hunting the back country inReach keeps you connected to civilisation. as peace of mind value for those at home. Should anything happen and efficient. The system works on a monthly charge fee like a sat you stop communicating, they can see on the map where you are. phone or cell phone but is cheaper. You have a choice of plans, and They can also see when and where you shoot animals, camp, stop if you are not using the device, you can deactivate the plan and for lunch or have a nanny nap. reactivate it when you need it.

Using the waypoint function you can mark wallow holes, animal Applications extend beyond hunting and tramping: outdoor sightings, campsites and so on. Because all your hunts are recorded workers, farmers, bush workers, ocean going yachts, commercial and stored on your website, you have a reference for future hunts and also a visual record of where you travelled last time. fishers, kayakers, rafters and mountain bikers could all benefit The units operate on the Iridium Satellite Network, so are very from the inReach system.

MARCH SCOPES – have a closer look

2-way Satellite Communicator

STAY SAFE - STAY IN TOUCH - no matter where on earth you go!

• Send/receive SMS or email anywhere on earth • Trigger an SOS and communicate with the 24/7 Emergency Response Centre • Adjustable tracking intervals allow you to track your trip and share your location online.

March 2.5 - 25 x 52mm Zoom Scope (Second Focal Plane) This second focal plane design scope has an 10x magnification ratio, which is the highest magnification ratio in a SFP (Second focal plane) configuration rifle scope made to date.

“Nothing comes close to the precision and accuracy of a hand built March rifle scope.”

Plenty of manufacturers make statements like this about their products. Especially about optical equipment. However this is one time where a statement like this is actually true.

Each March scope is individually built by hand, by an optical engineer. The managing director of the company recently commented that the difference between March scopes and any other brand is that other scopes are built on a production line and March scopes are hand built by experts.

Hand assembled from start to finish The fact that each March scope is hand assembled from start to finish, with every component either hand lapped in place or glued where applicable, makes March scopes superior to anything else available. Whilst nothing is perfect, the chance of a mechanical failure with a March scope is virtually non-existent. That's why they're trusted by marksmen the world over.

Built so tough they will outlast you These rifle scopes are designed and built

in Japan, by very experienced craftsmen, to handle the toughest operations. This includes use on rifles producing serious recoil. Enjoy a lifetime of precise and accurate dial adjustments for elevation, windage, and focus. They are used in combat zones by Special Forces from several countries.

Compact Design March scopes are the most compact scopes ever made to achieve 10 times zoom ratios and up to 80x magnification, with a 10-yard minimum focus. Assembled and built with unprecedented attention to detail, using the very best design in materials and lenses.

Summary Space doesn’t allow a full description, but google this product and look at the winners of competition shooting around the world.

You will find a large number of March scopes being used. For hunting applications, there are several superb choices available.

Visit us online at www.marchscopes.co.nz Contact David at info@marchscopes.co.nz or 0212255223 if you would like to discuss these fine products further.

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Missed out in March?

HUNTING NEWS

Advertise your products in our April issue of The Roar. Call our friendly staff on 03 544 7020.

Read the Roar online @ www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

NEW PRICING FOR 2017!

Contact us for more details

Deon Optical Design proudly design and build March Rifle Scopes Deon believes shooters deserve the best possible optics to succeed in all aspects of competition and in the most challenging of hunting situations.

THERE IS A MARCH SCOPE TO MATCH THOSE REQUIREMENTS. March rifle scopes are built to the highest optical standards possible and with our focus and attention to detail are the world leaders in rifle scope design.

Ph 021 225 5223 | www.facebook.com/MarchScopes www.marchscopes.co.nz info@marchscopes.co.nz

The choice of world champions

Roar the

20 17

Photo by Gerald Fluerty.

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ISSUE 138 - HUNTING NEWS 13

14 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

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Huntjet - perfection plus If New Zealand has the most boats per capita of any country, Huntjet, in fact. then it stands to reason that we also have the highest number of Andy has sage advice for jet boaters. ‘Travel with others so if jet boats. things go wrong, you have a back-up. Also, take plenty of spare Fortuitously, we also have a huge number of navigable parts with you. And before leaving make sure your boat has been waterways – rivers and lakes – perfectly suited to jet boating. fully serviced.’ (See sidebar) For many Kiwis, jet boating is a sport or recreation in its own It is also important to know your boat well. M&G is involved right. They’re in it for the buzz of speed, the thrill of danger and in many insurance repairs because jet boats, by definition, find the pleasure of getting into otherwise inaccessible back country. themselves in scraps and scrapes.

For others – principally readers of this august journal – jet There’s no question that Andy is passionate about his boats. boating is a means to an end. It’s He likes to experiment with different primarily the vehicle that will get you designs and will spend hours on his to the fishing and hunting spots that computer getting the details exactly It’s primarily the vehicle that most Kiwis never visit. right. ‘You either have the eye for it or you don’t,’ he maintains.

Andy Bowron, who runs Huntjet in will get you to the fishing Nelson, is somewhat of an expert in jet Andy also prides himself on using and hunting spots that most boats, having been ‘playing’ with them every available inch of space. ‘We for 15 years. Tinkering with them in like to keep customers happy so we Kiwis never visit. his backyard mushroomed into a fullstand behind the product with full time business of which he is designerwarranties against faulty workmanship in-chief. Sister company, Marine and and build quality,’ he says.

General Engineering (M&G), builds his creations. They share a Huntjet customers don’t necessarily buy their boats fully fittedmutual belief in building quality boats that last the distance. out; many, says Andy, do the final fit-out themselves. But those That distance can be anywhere from five to 30 years, depending he finishes he likes to use quality NZ-made hardware, such as on how well a jet boat is looked after and the pounding it steering, trim and reverse control gear. receives.

If you fancy joining the jet boating fraternity – whether for the Huntjet boats are mainly for river use, but they are also thrills or to go hunting and fishing – Huntjet should be your first perfectly at home on lakes, estuaries and bays, and in calm seas. port of call.

One of Andy’s customers lives in Otaki and launches his jet boat Next month – how to choose the best jet boat for your into the Otaki River, trundles downstream through the estuary to needs and the best places to go jet boating if you’re keen on the river mouth and out into the sea where he throws a line for a whitebaiting, trout fishing or hunting. few snapper. Fish caught, he retraces his wake back up-river and hauls out his boat, having used the fresh water to wash the boat WATCH ONE OF OUR BOATS IN ACTION - Scan here for him.

Jet boats, says Andy, appeal to both families and those who enjoy adventure boating and hunting. They are an ideal way for weekend hunters to quickly reach hard-to-access backblock areas, saving the time and effort of tramping in. To say nothing of the fun involved in negotiating tight rapids and the rush of adrenaline from the sheer speed.

But with thrills inevitably come spills. Which is why you need a well-built boat, that is constructed from quality materials. A

What to do before a jetboating trip •

Inspect the outside of your boat, and up and under the intake grill for any damage.

Clean out any stones and debris.

•

Check all steering linkages for loose or worn parts: steering nozzle pins, locking pins and lock-wire. Make sure they are all tight and secure because if you lose your steering, Andy says, you are buggered.

•

Check all reverse bucket control linkages for any loose or worn parts and make sure they are all tight and secure.

•

Under the engine cover, have a good look at the steering linkage, cable ends, shackles and turn buckles. They need to be tight and secure with lock-wire in place.

Look up under the gunnel to check the pulleys are all secure.

•

Have a look under the dash at the steering helm control and make sure all shackle lock-wire is tight and secure.

•

Check all reverse control linkages under the engine cover and under the gunnel.

•

Check fuel lines are in good condition and secure, especially on fuel injected engines.

•

Check the bilge pump is secure and working.

•

Check the battery is secure and leads have good connections.

•

Inspect the drive shaft universals and lubricate if necessary.

•

Visually inspect the engine for oil or water leaks, loose hose clips, and any loose wires from alarm and gauge senders.

•

Check lifejackets and inspect all safety gear.

(Next month we will supply a list of all the safety equipment you need)

The perfect boat for those harD to reach places Customised seating

Designed and built for hunting, fishing and adventure

Motor options

MARINE & GENERAL are the proud manfacturers of HUNT JET Boats

We can build a boat to suit you. Come and talk to Andy at Marine & General and see how we can help you

Contact Andy Bowron for Huntjet & Harmag enquiries 021 248 9132 - 03 548 9132 A range of finishes to suit all budgets and styles

admin@marineandgeneral.co.nz www.huntjet.co.nz www.facebook.com/HuntjetNZ

ISSUE 138 - HUNTING NEWS 15

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The downside up of hero-help

hideout, lay his antlers along his back, poke out his nose, drop to his knees, and shuffle into the tight vegetation. Then he'd lay low and silent till danger had passed. Ears cocked, way way up high above the forest track, his head and shoulders in a small grass gap between two trees, the stag was then taken by surprise.

Kim Swan

I

knew I was pushing the proverbial pooh uphill with a very pointy little stick but when it comes to hunting there is one piece of good advice I can offer and that is, if you're not out there amongst it then you're most certainly not going to see anything. If you are out there, even in the worst place, at the wrong time, and with the wind up your back, you have exercise, fresh air, and a slim chance of success.

In my case I was in a difficult place but the time was right, as was the wind. Low cloud shrouded the hills and eliminated all chance of sitting and spying. Light showers of rain moistened the eyepieces on scope and binoculars. I covered a lot of ground on foot, stealthy and focussed but was not rewarded with a glimpse nor a startle.

I'd said I'd be home in time to make dinner, but at dinner time I was heading up one last forest track. Finally I found some deer sign. Metre long skid marks, deep gouges, and large spoor facing all points of the compass indicated that young stags had being playing on the track. With velvet freshly stripped they'd been jousting, clashing antlers, and strengthening necks before the Roar.

At a point just below my navel, I found the one patch of cotton fabric on my entire being that was not saturated by hours of walking in the rain. Awkward and embarrassed, I unbuttoned my strides and wiped my scope dry at either end. Right, now I was good to go!

This is where the pushing excrement uphill part happened. I was hunting in plantation forest, radiata pine, trees five metres high planted on the contour. Thousands of green soldiers row upon row, all holding hands. The gaps, just a mere few, were filled with broom and blackberry or rockfall overlaid with honeysuckle vines. Unless the deer were right on the track, my chance of seeing them were not just slim but severely malnourished and skeletal.

Magpies scolded at my existence. Their warning call caused a stag to lift his head and listen. Typical forestry stag; he was listening for a vehicle. If he heard one he'd dash for the nearest

With velvet freshly stripped they’d been jousting, clashing antlers, and strengthening necks before the Roar.

The downside up stag that was full of surprises.

I was taken by surprise too. Firstly, because I'd seen movement in a distant gap and spied half a stag there. I'd dropped to my knee, wound the scope out to 10x, flipped the safety catch forward, aimed high to compensate for the extremely long shot and, second surprise, I actually pulled off a mighty fine score. It was such a fine score I have to admit to caressing the 7mm-08's little black butt and telling it how much I loved it!

Then began the uphill slog. The scramble to find a brown deer

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in gold grass, a deer which lay somewhere up there between thousands of trees all holding hands, row upon row, and all looking exactly the same, clones from the same cone. Each tree was awash with droplets of rain, each clump of broom all wet and whippy. Rocks. Thousands of sharp-edged knee-high rocks all overgrown with goose grass and honey suckle vines.

Third surprise, amidst the maze of close-quarters vegetation, was that I found the big brown beasty. Neck-shot, with antlers jammed under scrub, he lay upside down, stacked vertically upon the rocks.

My first battle of wee versus mighty was getting this very large stag downside up as upside down stags are difficult to behead and disembowel!

Then, a relay. Drag, wrestle, roll. Curse, pant, snivel. Every centimetre forward was a win. Many centimetres made a metre.

Every twenty metres over treacherous rocks and through broom and gorse was a victory to celebrate. My reward was a brief respite, the time in which I went back the way I'd just come to collect the stag's head, my rifle, and gear. Metres and minutes ticked by ever so slowly.

Ninety minutes later, I propped the stag to cool trackside. He was a huge animal - insides insulated in bubbles of white fat, haunches like a laminitis pony, strongly muscled forequarters and neck. I was a little animal - a drowned rat. I was filthy, bedraggled, saturated, and strewn head to bootlace with goose grass seeds. My truck was many kilometres away and my watch reckoned on eight o'clock.

Come nightfall and my hero had not come to rescue me.

Instead, I had to drive humbly homeward and apologise to him about dinner. Worse still, I had to ask for help.

"Its not a big deer, honest, you'll chuck it up onto the truck easily, darling.” I emphasised the darling part, fluttering eyelashes that were hidden under a sodden and dripping fringe.

I smiled encouragingly knowing all along that I'm a liar. The not-big deer I need hero-help with is bloody huge, darling.

Post Roar explore in Fiordland

Ever wanted to hunt Fiordland? I bet it’s on your bucket list.

Fiordland Expeditions is the specialist when it comes to getting the most from your Fiordland experience, be it hunting, fishing, diving, or exploring the wonderland Rudyard Kipling described as the eighth wonder of the world.

With two vessels, Tutoko and Tutoko II, in -depth local knowledge, and impeccable professional service, you can be assured of an unforgettable and fun experience.

For hunters, there are two clubs on the Tutoko and Tutoko II: the gun walkers and the deer stalkers, so which one do you fit in?

Fiordland Expeditions’ post Roar adventure Hunting in Fiordland can be a fickle thing but perseverance will undoubtedly reward the persistent and the wise. There are deer here aplenty and even the odd moose too… so they say. Fiordland after the Roar is the place to be: there’ll be less people, more room, and still plenty of deer to hunt in magnificent surroundings. The stags will be partying-up, swapping stories of their conquests and how they survived another hunt, their guard will have dropped, and they’ll be more relaxed so that’s the time to pounce. It also gives you a second opportunity of securing a monster red stag for the wall or den.

And then there’s the extras (not what you’re thinking) with abundant seafood for the catching: fresh cod, groper, crays, paua, and more, accompanied by some fine Fiordland back-strap on the barbecue washed down with a nice cool beverage or two, followed by a nice hot shower and a warm comfy bed. Couple this

with the good old southern hospitality on board the Tutoko and you have a getaway like no other.

Why spend sleepless nights in the cold, wet bush when you can live and dine like a king?

So, if you’ve been talking about hunting Fiordland it’s time to walk the walk; no more talk. Get some mates together, bring your partner, or come alone. Fiordland Expeditions caters to every need.

There is no better time to inquire than while it’s fresh in your mind.

Call TODAY 0508 888 656 or check the web www.FiordlandExpeditions.co.nz

16 HUNTING NEWS - MARCH 2017

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

MEOSAR - leading the way for search and rescue technology The evolution of search and rescue technology has produced amazing technological innovations - including the creation and constant refinement of satellite-driven global networks. Whether on land, in the air, or on the water, these life-saving technologies are created with the same core mission in mind: to maximize accuracy, timeliness, and reliability in the event of an emergency.

UK-based McMurdo Group has been at the forefront of this innovation. McMurdo has served as a prominent voice in the SAR community, investing its R&D, technological knowhow, and providing a perspective on the constant search for improvement and innovation: asking the question, "What Comes Next?"

The latest innovation is an advanced next generation satellite-based technology that is reinventing search and rescue: The MEOSAR Network - the acronym stands for Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue.

The McMurdo Group's leadership in the MEOSAR ground infrastructure is advancing the vision and capabilities of this new technology.

From beacon to rescue centre, McMurdo's technical team strives to improve the positioning, navigation, and timing of search and rescue aids in emergency situations.

MEOSAR builds on the earlier LEOSAR and GEOSAR technology found within the existing, free-use Cospas-Sarsat SAR system. It operates as an extension of a constellation of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), which comprises of three major International SAR systems: • U.S. SAR/GPS (Global Positioning System) • European SAR/Galileo, and • the Russian SAR/GLONASS With this global reach at its fingertips, MEOSAR has notably increased the speed, safety,

and security of search and rescue situations.

Five innovations of MEOSAR from all Cospas-Sarsat contributors: 1. Expanded network of satellite coverage and frequency, with 72-plus global satellites 20,000km above the earth's surface.

2. Immediate real-time beacon detection, GPS positioning, and signal relay network, with the ability to independently locate beacons and transmit distress signals within 100m, 95 percent of the time, and within five minutes.

3. Efficiency and redundancy in distress signal retrieval to satellite ground response stations/MEOLUT's (MEOSAR Local User Terminals).

4. Return link alert signal capabilities providing direct confirmation from rescue authorities that help is on the way.

5. Remote beacon activation and false alert cancellation to ensure validity of emergency situation and avoid mismanagement of search and rescue resources and response teams.

Not since the Cospas-Sarsat global SAR system became fully functional in the early 1980s has there been a change that compares to the introduction of the MEOSAR satellites. MEOSAR will accelerate rescue times, potentially shaving hours off today's average response time.

To prepare for the change, government and response organizations around the world are engaged in the two-to-five year transition to MEOSAR. McMurdo has been part of the Cospas-Sarsat system since its inception, contributing at every step of the SAR process, from manufacturing distress beacons and ground stations, to

delivering command centres.

McMurdo completed the installation of a New Zealand six antenna MEOSAR satellite ground station system located between Taupo and Rotorua in in late 2015 - the first implementation of MEOSAR in Asia Pacific. The project is part of a joint initiative with Maritime NZ and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

“Beacons can take the ‘search’ out of search and rescue,

The New Zealand MEOSAR ground station, in conjunction with another installed in Western Australia, cover one of the largest search and rescue areas in the world - from north of Australia/New Zealand to the equator and south to the South Pole, east to half way across the Pacific, and west half way across the Indian Ocean.

The new search and rescue satellite system covering New Zealand had only been operating in test mode for three days when injured tramper, Wellington teacher Don Stevens, activated his

Personal Locator Beacon in the Tararuas. The distress signal from his PLB relayed by the nextgeneration MEOSAR satellite system to Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand in only four minutes - 50 minutes sooner than if the existing system picked up the same distress signal.

McMurdo was instrumental in all phases of the rescue - from the McMurdo FastFind 220 PLB, to the McMurdo MEOSAR satellite ground stations, to the McMurdo Mission Control and Rescue Coordination Centre systems.

"Beacons can take the 'search' out of search and rescue, and the MEOSAR system will dramatically increase the global search and rescue capability," said Maritime NZ Director, Keith Manch.

There are 62,000 emergency distress beacons registered in New Zealand that, without any changes or updates, will be immediately usable by the new systems. It's estimated an additional 25,000 beacons are unregistered.

Due to the high responsiveness of the MEOSAR system, Search and Rescue authorities strongly recommend beacon registration. This will help the unnecessary deployment of search and rescue resources due to inadvertent beacon activations.

McMurdo Emergency Beacons. Trusted for Life.