Scott's Fiordland Adventure...

Out October 1st in all good bookstores and supermarkets nationwide and also available in Australia.

The NZOH Oct/Nov issue features my article on Fiordland's magnificent Wapiti. The largest round horned deer in the world. The Fiordland herd is the biggest outside its native homeland of North America.
First introduced to NZ in 1905 they are a highly sought after trophy, but it takes a certain type of hunter to venture into the extreme environment that is Fiordland and hunt wapiti.

My briefing for this assignment was... Louise, we want an exciting adventurous wapiti story hopefully with a hunter who has secured a decent trophy and has some great photos.

It was up to me to find this person, interview them and tell their story, and I did.

His name is Scott Turner and he's what I call an intelligent hunter. Thoughtful and in tune with his environment. Like the hunters of old and with the same outlook on venturing into the wilderness such as the great Archie Kitto - see my post on Archie for his story titled: "Mists of Time." 15/04/2012

With this type of hunter its not about just going out and killing an animal, they embrace the entire experience, they know how to survive in the wilderness and they respect nature and the natural environment. They don't take anything for granted and they go prepared mentally and physically. Scotts training for venturing into Fiordland is something I asked him about.

This is my fifth feature for NZOH and one Im very proud of.  I asked Scott the hard questions and the fun ones. Regarding supplies..."What would you hate to have left behind on the kitchen table?" His reply, "Chocolate, I have a sweet tooth."

But I'll leave it there.

You'll have to read the article to find out what else Scott takes in his pack, about his trophy, his highlights and how he and his hunting mate Marc survived in one of the worlds most challenging and exciting places to hunt.

Glaisnock Rock Bivouac Part One

In the 1952 book Deer Hunter by Joff Thomson, he mentions a rock bivvy up the Glaisnock River thats in Chapter 18 titled: The Glaisnock Headwaters.

I've found two fairly comprehensive articles which I'll link to here. Both on the area and both mention the Rock Bivouac with map co ordinates. Its an interesting place and historically significant in our hunting history, quite famous in New Zealand especially for the Fiordland waptiti hunters.

http://www.nzoutdoor.co.nz/gary_NZOH_June_2012.pdf
http://www.rodandrifle.co.nz/assets/Uploads/glaisnock.pdf

Its situated near Midnight Creek, and was first used as a dryrock bivvy by Jim Muir in the 1930s. Hunters have camped at the site ever since and hundreds of names are carved into the rockface.

I wonder if any documentation exists regarding detailed photos of the graffiti left by hunters. It must do and I'd be keen to see some of them. If anyone has pics or knows someone who does please get in touch.

Frank and George Erceg visited this area on their Fiordland Photographic trip in 1961. (See the August posts for some of George's diary entries and photos.)
I wonder if they stayed there, or stopped for a bit to boil the billy and check it out? George doesn't mention it in his diaries but they were in the area.

I'd love to visit the place and stay a few nights. That would be an awesome experience. Maybe I will do that one day. But not during the bugle. I'd like some peace and quiet, and  I'd make a sign saying Writers Retreat - your welcome if you have a bottle of something and yarn to tell me.
I'd just hang out and soak up all the history, oh and make camp oven bread.

There's some books mentioned in one of these articles so they're going on my list. Hmm lets see if I can find a photo to finish....

Beautiful textures. Great photo. Not sure where... and that's either George or Frank in the foreground. 

Update: Its George!