Hunters ready to enjoy their last ‘tally-ho’ of the season
It may have been a wet hunting season but that did not stop South Canterbury hunters from enjoying it.
The South Canterbury Hunt will host its last hunt for the season today at Totara Valley, inland from Timaru, Master of the Hunt Nick Rowley said.
‘‘It’s just beautiful, rolling country that sort of typifies the hunter country that we hunt on all season.’’
He was expecting between 80 and 100 people to attend, including visitors from North Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
‘‘It’s just a celebration of hunting and bringing everyone together for the final day of hunt- ing, and enjoying the camaraderie and friendships that people have within the hunt.’’
Since the season began on the first weekend of April, the noncompetitive sport had attracted about 65 hunters to each of the organisation’s weekend hunts, Rowley said.
For its mid-week hunts, numbers depended on how many people were able to ‘‘pull a sickie’’, he said.
On Wednesday, at least a dozen members headed out to Pareora Gorge.
‘‘It went really well, we had a great day ... a perfect hunting day really,’’ Rowley said.
‘‘It’s all coming to an end a bit too quickly, but it’s been a fun season.
‘‘It’s been an interesting season, a season where the weather has dictated a wee bit, just because it’s been so wet,’’ he said.
The Hunt expanded its facilities significantly prior to this season, with a modern huntsman’s house and a shed complete with stables both being constructed on a hilltop site at Pareora Gorge Rd. This completed four years of developments by the Hunt.
The Hunt’s picturesque new facilities overlook the green valleys of the Pareora River.
‘‘We’ve chosen a location that has good aspect and views,’’ Rowley said.
He said the Hunt, which has been in existence since 1882, was hoping to enter a new phase in its development in the wake of the new construction.
It was ‘‘about carrying on for the Hunt and having a forseeable future’’, he said.