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Dedicated to Keeping New Zealand Cleaner and Greener!
Labour Weekend 2007
Saturday afternoon pistol target shooting and Skinning at the forest on my brother in law's farm - Riverhead. Sunday evening Possum shoot. Monday camping
Saturday afternoon a group of us went into the forest for some pistol shooting, and to check some traps I'd set the night before.
Great time with Stan, Michael, Graeme and Luke (police officer. Luke's my hero :-).
Two possums and one rat.
Most memorial conversation while I was skinning a possum and asking Luke; 'You okay mate?' Answer; 'This has got to be the worst experience of my life!'
(Great time actually!)
Sunday evening a group of us went into the forest at my brother in law's farm in West Auckland to check the traps and do some spotting.
We shot one possum in a Poplar tree, and caught the one below in a trap.
Left Photo: Phil with rifle. Chris with spotlight. Mark with torch. Dale. Andrew. Chum (my son).
Here's Phil with his prize shoot of the night! (Actually I caught it in a trap!)
This is Phil's Norica .22 air rifle at around 1000 fps. It is an awesome possum killer!
Look at the photos below for proof of how effective this rifle is for killing possums.
Some of the guys needed to leave early on Sunday night - me included. But Phil, Andrew and Chris stayed out till after midnight, spotting and shooting possums. They got almost 40 in two nights!
When I went into my workshop the next morning, there was a little present waiting for me. Actually, 12 possums!
Awesome! I skinned around 6 of the best to sell on Trade-Me, put them in tanning solution and took my family for an overnight camp at Whangateau - Walkworth. North Island around 75 minutes north of Auckland. I've been camping here for over 35 years, and the camp managers for the last 16 years - Stu and Sue New - are awesome! They just won an award for the most improved camping ground.
If you are looking for a clean, tidy and cheap camping ground - right on the water's edge - then Whangateau is my recommendation. www.nzcamping.co.nz/camp.php?id=82
I've promised Phil, Andrew and Chris (brothers. Actually, I married (officiated) at both of their weddings!) a possum skin each once they are cured.
I've got around 8 of their .22 slugs to give back to them too! Slightly damaged :-)
While camping, this pesky duck thought it would see what we were up to.
Easy catch! (Don't worry. I let it go immediately :-)
All in all, a great weekend.