NZ Hunter – August 2019

WRITTEN BY ~ TOM CLIFFE (12)

As I was preparing my bag for school one day, I

glanced up to see my dad getting his gear ready

for a hunting trip later that week

Suddenly he asked me “Would you like to go hunting in

Marlborough and fly in a chopper?” I said ‘yes’ immediately. The

wait to go hunting in the roar was over. Dad contacted the school to

let them know that I would be away for a few days – and that I was

gaining some outdoor education – which they said was fine.

Before I knew it, school was over

and I was packing my bag while I

waited for Granddad and my cousin

Will Inglis, to arrive at our place. As

soon as we had packed everything into

the ute, we were off from Nelson. After

almost two hours of driving, we ended

up at the hangar and saw the chopper, a

red Robinson R44. Not long after that, the

pilot Willie Sage came and greeted us.

I was really excited because it was going

to be my first chopper ride. Since the

chopper only took two passengers, we

had to make two trips. Dad and I went

first so we could scout for a good area

to camp. On the way we saw heaps

of goats and as we flew across the

main ridge, we decided that we would

set up base camp in a small clearing at

the head of the valley while we waited for

Granddad and Will. I did some glassing on

clearings in the mountains while Dad got

out a fly and some tents to fit all four of us

in. This was going to be base camp

for five days.

That night we went for an evening hunt

to check out the country and as we were

walking up from camp, we heard some

distant roars. After about half an hour of

further walking, we decided we would

glass with the binoculars, as we could

hear stags roaring faintly across the valley.

Dad spotted a stag on a ridge by the bush

line across the valley but it was hard to

see its antlers as it was getting dark. We

opted to head back to base camp,

with a plan to try and hunt across

the valley the next day.

At about 5.30am, Will and I got woken in

the dark by my Dad. As I got out of the

tent, a gust of freezing air hit me. Will

wasn’t far behind me and we quickly

scoffed down our breakfast, got our

boots on and were off before we knew

it. Travelling initially by torch light, we

headed down the river, aiming for the

other side of the valley where we’d heard

My First Roar Hunt

Tom, Will and

Granddad with the

big stag

28 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~ August / September 2019

WRITTENBY~ TOMCLIFFE(12)

AsI waspreparing my bagfor school one day, I

glancedup tosee mydad getting his gear ready

fora huntingtriplater that week

Suddenlyheaskedme“Wouldyouliketo go hunting in

Marlboroughandflyina chopper?” I said ‘yes’ immediately. The

waittogohuntingintheroarwasover. Dad contacted the school to

letthemknowthatI wouldbeawayfor a few days – and that I was

gainingsomeoutdooreducation– which they said was fine.

BeforeI knewit,schoolwasover

andI waspackingmybagwhileI

waitedforGranddadandmycousin

WillInglis, toarriveatourplace.As

soonaswehadpackedeverythinginto

theute,wewereofffromNelson.After

almosttwohoursofdriving,weended

upatthehangarandsawthechopper,a

redRobinsonR44.Notlongafterthat,the

pilotWillieSagecameandgreetedus.

I wasreallyexcitedbecauseit wasgoing

tobe my first chopper ride. Since the

chopper only took two passengers, we

had to make two trips. Dad and I went

first so we could scout for a good area

tocamp. On the way we saw heaps

ofgoats and as we flew across the

main ridge, we decided that we would

set up base camp in a small clearing at

the head of the valley while we waited for

Granddad and Will. I did some glassing on

clearings in the mountains while Dad got

out a fly and some tents to fit all four of us

in. This was going to be base camp

for five days.

That night we went for an evening hunt

to check out the country and as we were

walking up from camp, we heard some

distant roars. After about half an hour of

further walking, we decided we would

glass with the binoculars, as we could

hear stags roaring faintly across the valley.

Dad spotted a stag on a ridge by the bush

line across the valley but it was hard to

see its antlers as it was getting dark. We

opted to head back to base camp,

with a plan to try and hunt across

the valley the next day.

At about 5.30am, Will and I got woken in

the dark by my Dad. As I got out of the

tent, a gust of freezing air hit me. Will

wasn’t far behind me and we quickly

scoffed down our breakfast, got our

boots on and were off before we knew

it. Travelling initially by torch light, we

headed down the river, aiming for the

other side of the valley where we’d heard

My First Roar Hunt

Tom, Will and

Granddad with the

big stag

28 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~ August / September 2019