The article “A Sportsman’s Paradise” written by the Eric James appears at p 16 of Volume 1, No. 2, December, 1927, Wellington, N.Z. of The New Zealand Fishing & Shooting Gazette. Follow this link to read the full article.
South Westland
Kevin J. Whitelaw: New Zealand’s Hunting Legends
Review rating 8.5 out of 10.
Originally published as a series of 20 articles for Rod & Rifle magazine, Whitelaws interesting stories about notable, historical New Zealand hunting figures have been compiled and printed under one binding … read more
James Morris: Student Hunter, The Hunting Tales of a University Student
Review rating 4 out of 10.
The Hunter takes a look at James Morris’ first book about his university days hunting in the Southern Alps for red deer, tahr and chamois. In this book James recounts his time as a novice big game hunter clocking up tallies to fill his freezer … read more
D. Bruce Banwell: The Red Stags of the Rakaia
Review rating 8.5 out of 10.
In his third book, The Red Stags of the Rakaia, Bruce Banwell records the history of the trophy red deer herd released among the Southern Alps at Manuka Point station in the Rakaia gorge. Again, he has added an invaluable work on New Zealand’s deerstalking heritage … read more
Peter Harker: Protectors of Our Environment
Review rating 7.5 out of 10.
Prepared on behalf of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, Peter Harker records the history of the introduction of deer to Otago in this profusely illustrated book. With a focus on red deer and their famous trophy heads, there are also interesting chapters about fallow deer, sika and chital … read more
D. Bruce Banwell: The Golden Days of Stalking
Review rating 9 out of 10.
Bruce Banwell has complied and edited the diaries written by great deerstalker, Archie Kitto, to produce this work about stalking trophy red deer heads of the Otago and South Westland herds during the 1920s and 1930s … read more
D. Bruce Banwell: Highland Stags of Otago
Review rating 9.5 out of 10.
Bruce Banwell’s highly recommended, desirable, and classic work, Highland Stags of Otago (1968), embodies all the characteristics of its subject matter, the trophy royal red deer stag, and is so eloquently illustrated by its cover image “The Monarch of the Glen“. It is a “trophy book” of the highest order … read more
Colin Davey: Deer on my Doorstep
Review rating 8.5 out of 10.
Fifty years since original publication, Deer on my Doorstep by Colin Davey has been re-released. It is one of New Zealand’s greatest hunting books, full of stories about trophy hunting for red deer stags and wapiti bulls, and much more. All keen readers should get their hands on it or dust off the copy sitting on their bookshelf … read more
Peter Harker: Hunting with Harker
Review rating 8 out of 10.
Here we review Peter Harker’s first book, complied and published in 1976. This classic hunting book records the many experiences, successes, close calls and characters that Peter endured as a meat and skin hunter, trophy hunter, big game guide and live game recovery specialist in the South Westland region (affectionately referred to as the “Coast” in the book). This is a must read for all New Zealand hunting book fans… read more
James Passmore: Wilderness Hunter
Review rating 5.5 out of 10
James Passmore has written his second book about what it means to be a “wilderness hunter”, the type of hunter which he confesses to be himself. James mixes South Island hunts for red deer, fallow deer and tahr with chapters on the challenges and ethics of hunting… read more
The Hunter 