Andrew (Chipper) Verner with his prize for heaviest red deer.
Andrew (Chipper) Verner with his prize for heaviest red deer.
They started rolling in at 1pm on Saturday April 27 and flowed continuously through the weigh-in until 3pm.
Utes, trailers and other vehicles bringing in the results of the Wild Buck Hunt to the Merrylees Hunt attracting a very large crowd.
Another deer is added to the line-up of trophies shot.
There were 180 entries, half adults, half children and by 3pm the stands of deer, pigs, possums, rabbits and hares were full, while 17 goats heads showed they were also quarry. In total 32 large animals were brought in.
The biggest load of nine pigs and deer came from the Akitio area while Owahanga Station also brought in a good haul.
Four young hunters all brought in quarry - from left: Bridie Derbridge, Olivia Smith, Jodie and Sasha Kent.
Probably the quarry travelling the furthest was the heaviest boar at 91.6kg shot overnight off the Napier-Taupo Highway by Jason Albert.
Andrew (Chippie) Verner probably travelled the furthest to shoot, coming from Pukekohe on his annual and only hunting expedition to shoot with Shane Phillips and Braeden Hewitt at Akitio.
The heaviest boar shot by Jason Albert on the Taupo-Napier Road Friday night.
In a "remarkable" three days of hunting Andrew bagged the heaviest and second heaviest red deer, the heaviest fallow deer and the second heaviest boar.
TV celebrity Geoff Thomas and Bernie Walsh compered the prize-giving and Geoff had such a great time he says he wants to return next year.
Colin Jeffrey with an appropriate prize for highest average boar weight.
There were $10,000 worth of prizes, the top results richly rewarded and over 100 spot prizes of gas cookers, camp beds, filleting sets, a boot dryer, an opossum cage trap, tents, chilli bins, torches, first aid kits and outdoor clothing.
Jade Johnston has help from Alice Baxter and Charlotte Fleming to hold her certificates and prizes for heaviest hare and second heaviest opossum.
Three carvings by master carver Geoff Bryant were much prized.
Merrylees Hotel owners Nicola and Dan are already planning next year.
None of the deer and pig meat was wasted.
John Shannon and his team spent all Sunday converting it into mince for the food banks.
There were a lot of rabbits, hares and possums shot.
Results:
Heaviest Boar: 1 Jason Albert 91.6, 2 Andrew Verner 89.9. Heaviest Red: 1 Andrew Verner 105.5, 2 Andrew Verner 104.1. Heaviest Fallow: 1 Andrew Verner 55.6, 2 Will Martin 52.8. Best Jaw: Zane Taite. Ugliest Head: Kevin Ratana. Best Selfie: Alex Wrenn. Average Boar: Colin Jeffery 55.5. Average Red Worm: Te AweAwe 79. Junior: Possum — 1 Tyler Johnston, 2 Jade Johnston, 3 Tyler Paewai-Stoney, 4 Keegan Waru. Rabbit: 1 Jack Stratford, 2 Blake Johnston, 3 Alex Thomas, 4 Harry Baxter. Hare: 1 Jade Johnston, 2 Dallas Fleming, 3 Daniel Brennan, 4 Olivia Smith. Best Goat Head: 1 Peyton Peeti, 2 Cullan Hewitt, 3 Jack Stratford, 4 Dakato Ratana. Average Hare: Flynn Cammock.
