HUNTING, fishing, and shooting stories are mother’s milk for many a red blooded man and a surprising number of women.
We have five fresh new ones, all published by Halcyon Press, and reviewed by John Bristed just in time for Christmas stockings.

Aerial Hunter: The Dick Deaker Story, by Graeme Marshall
AERIAL Hunter is the sometimes hair raising story of how Dick Deaker got to be a helicopter deer hunter and some of the often equally hair raising fun he’s had along the way. Deaker started off as a mildly errant ex schoolboy and rapidly showed doubting professionals that he had everything it took to be a great hunter. He learnt to fly and eventually graduated to helicopters and was right in it during the “wild west” days of deer meat hunting and later, live deer recovery in New Zealand. It’s likely many young people would be envious of his adventures.

The Sika Hunters, by Alex M Gale
ALEX Gale’s passion is hunting deer, in particular Sika, which he calls the premier deer species of the central North Island. He wrote two earlier books, the second, They Don’t Come Easy, being all about his own experiences hunting the wily animals. This book includes some of his own recollections about the early Sika deer history, and collects stories from a number of top Sika hunters, and how they managed to hunt their top scoring prizes.  His wife proofed the book and reckons that after reading it she could become a successful Sika hunter herself.  

Catch More Snapper, by Mark Kitteridge
THIS is the fourth book on fishing by New Zealand Fishing News’ Mark Kitteridge. It updates his earlier Hooked on Snapper, with knowledge of new equipment, techniques, and the revolution in soft plastic fishing. He points out that more money and time is spent on catching snapper than on any other fish, but to catch them regularly requires an understanding of its habits, preferences and lifecycle and what motivates it to eat your bait.

Chamois, by Steuart Laing
THIS is “the first book ever written on chamois in New Zealand”. Chamois which are only in the South Island, were introduced from Austria and are the only huntable such animal in the southern hemisphere. The well written book is full of excellent photos, information on how these animals live, and the economic benefits they provide New Zealand, and some good hunting stories. It promotes itself as a New Zealand Hunter’s handbook.  It is.

Piggin’, by Kim Swan
PIGGIN’ is an altogether different proposition. It’s Kim Swan’s fifth book of a varied, mostly hunting series (coming after Grunter Hunters, Chasin’ Bacon, Goodbye Possums, Boardom Busters , The New Zealand Horse, and Hog Wild). Swan, who’s always been a keen hunter himself, records hunters speaking about their exploits and transfers them to paper. He’s not a great writer, but he’s sold lots of books, and the enthusiasm of his storytellers makes Piggin’ worth reading.