This competition is run by the locals as a fundraiser for both the local school and the play group. On the day of the weigh in there were a lot of volunteers to give our Ridgeline team a help out. One great piece of equipment that they had brought along was a set of animal scales that sit flat on the ground so that we only had to lift the animals onto them.
One of the standouts for me at this comp was the involvement of the children.
There was a competition for the best dressed hare and some of these younger hunters had put a lot of effort into dressing up their hares. I just had to take a photo of one young cute girl that had obviously spent a lot of time dressing her hare up and she was so proud of it. Instead of the pig carry the kids got to do a duck carry around the course while the adults ran the same course with a pig.
At the prize giving for the children section there were so many prizes that every child must have got something. One young girl won a new bike, the smile on her face was infectious and it will be a day she will not forget in a hurry. Another young boy won a skateboard. I felt very privileged to be up the front witnessing these kids having the time of their lives.
After the weigh in had finished I got talking with one of the hunters, Robbie and he told me a story about when he started hunting at 14 years old some guys told him to go and see a certain farmer. He was being set up as this farmer hated pig hunters.
So he got his father to take him to the farmers place and he walked up and knocked on the door to ask for permission for a hunt. The farmer did not hold back his dislike for pig hunters and as poor Robbie turned to walk away a bit worse for wear the farmer noticed Robbie crying. This big tough farmer must have felt a weak spot come on as he said to Robbie, get your father to drop you off on Friday and pick you up on Sunday and I’ll take you out hunting for the weekend.
This turned out to be the start of Robbie’s hunting carrier as he learnt so much from this farmer. Moral of this story is don’t be scared to ask for permission, for every no that you get you will be one step closer to that yes.
Heaviest boar
1st Tim McKnight 162 pounds
2an Blair Hawkins 148 pounds
3rd Ryan Nesbit 143 pounds
Average weight Hayden Lye 111 pounds
best tusks Troy Neilson 17 7/8
Heaviest stag
1st Kris Sutherland 303 pounds
2nd Ryan Nesbit 285 pounds
3rd Louisa McClintock 278 pounds
Average weight stag 212 pounds