Updates from the Southern Lakes Branch

April 2024 Newsletter

Next Meeting

May

Join online via Zoom

Next Meeting

Agenda

6.30pm Pot Luck Dinner

7.45pm AGM (voting in new committee)

8.00pm Meeting starts (Shortened tonight)

8.45pm Beer and food refills

9.00pm Meeting attendance prizes drawn

9.15pm Judging & Results of Antler, Tusk & Horn Competition

9.30pm Drinks and Social Catch up

10.30pm End of meeting

CLUB MEETING VENUE

Arrowtown Bowling Club,

6 Hertford Street, (Next to Arrowtown Firestation)

Theme for the Meeting

AGM Night –
Pot Luck Dinner, Trophies & Prize Draw

Pot Luck Dinner.

We’re kicking off the evening with a good feed, so bring a plate of food to share.

Finger food, wild game, something hearty or sweet, it’s all welcome.

There’s a kitchen at the club if you need to prep or reheat.

Come hungry and bring something to the table!

Then we’ll move into the Annual General Meeting and Trophy Competition.

Pot Luck Dinner,

AGM

At the upcoming AGM, all positions on the Committee and Executive will be declared vacant and open for renomination.

If you’re interested in putting your name forward or nominating someone else, you can do so on the night or submit a nomination in advance.

It’s a great chance to get involved, have your say, and help steer the direction of the club. New energy and fresh ideas are always welcome!

Trophy Competition

Bringing in a trophy? Just make sure it’s been scored in advance.
Contact Aaron Shaw – 021 813 760. (Clean heads only, please.)

And yes – there are prizes!

If you’ve attended a meeting this past year and written your name in the book, you’re in the draw.
Every meeting you attended = one entry to win some great prizes on the night.

Tahr Trip - Kings Birthday Fully Booked

The joint NZDA Tahr hunting trip at Ferintosh Station (May 31–June 3) is now fully booked. We’re stoked to see such strong interest from members

Hosted by guide Phil Wilson and based at Ferintosh Station near Mt Cook, this weekend includes two full days of hunting, alpine skills workshops, and plenty of time to connect with fellow hunters

More Info

Twizel Family Fishing Trip – May 23–25, 2025

Ready for a fun, family-friendly weekend of fishing at one of New Zealand’s most legendary freshwater spots. The Twizel Canals! With epic scenery, a relaxed vibe, and the chance to hook a monster trout or salmon, this is shaping up to be one of the social highlights of our club calendar.

Winter Shooting Competition - 8 June 2025

We’re excited to launch the first-ever Southern Lakes Winter Shooting Competition – a full day of friendly competition, sharp shooting, and good yarns on the range. Whether you’re a seasoned shooter or just keen to give it a go, this event is for you.

There will be a range of prizes up for grabs!

We’ll be running a mix of classic NZDA competitions including the JM Wilkinson Cup, Hawkes Bay Challenge, and Taupō Interbranch Trophy format, offering something for hunters, target shooters, juniors, and newcomers alike.

The range opens at 10am for mandatory sight-in, with competitions starting at 10.45am. Bring your own BBQ lunch for the 1pm break – we’ll supply the grill, you bring what you want to cook.

Be part of this exciting new club tradition from the start. Register now – address details will be sent out closer to the day.

Hunts Course Registrations Open September / October

The HUNTS course is now open for registrations!
Whether you're just starting out or looking to build confidence in the hills, our HUNTS course covers everything from bushcraft and navigation to ethical hunting and firearm safety. It's practical, hands-on, and run by experienced mentors from the branch.
Spots are limited – register online now through the Southern Lakes NZDA website.

2025 Photo Competition – Congratulations to Our Winners

Photo: Tom Oneil

A big congratulations to everyone who placed in this year’s photo competition! It was fantastic to see such a wide range of entries across all the categories – from epic trophy shots to creative compositions and moments of human interest.

Section A – Trophy Animal (Dead)

Andy Smith
Dave Veitch
Andy Smith

Section B2 – Game Animal (Live)

Kerrin Burnnand
Dave Veitch
Tom O'Neil

Section C – Scenic

Kerrin Burnnand
Andy Smith
Tom O'Neil

Section D – Flora

Kerrin Burnnand – Moss on Skull
Kerrin Burnnand
Sarah Veitch

Section B1 & B3 – Other Wildlife (Birds, Insects, Reptiles & Amphibians)

Kerrin Burnnand – Hare
Andy Smith – Bird
Kerrin Burnnand – Bird

Section E – Human Interest

Tom O'Neil
Pete Henderson – Blade + White
Pete Henderson – Lobster

Workshop: Sausage-Making Workshop with Phil Galbraith

Learn the art of turning your wild game into gourmet sausages.

Join club member Phil Galbraith for a hands-on workshop where you’ll learn the full sausage-making process—from meat prep and seasoning to casing and packing. Whether you're new to it or want to sharpen your skills, this is a great way to get more from your harvest.

Workshops will be small to keep things practical, so spots are limited.

Dates and venue TBC

September Meeting - Sausage Competition - 26th September

It’s time to see whose sausage measures up!

You’ve had all winter to perfect your technique: grinding, stuffing, seasoning. Now it’s time to show us what you’ve been working on. Whether it’s a fat brat, a spicy chorizo, or a firm, proud salami, we want to taste your handiwork.

We’ll be judging on all the usual measures: length, snap, and presentation. But most importantly, taste. Because no matter how big or pretty it is, if it doesn’t deliver in the mouth, it’s not a winner.

No store-bought bangers.

Just honest, home-stuffed meat, swinging with pride.

Bring the heat. Stroke your ego.

And may the most mouth-watering sausage claim the golden trophy.

Mental Hunts Survey

At our March meeting, we welcomed Glen Thurston, founder of Mental Hunts, who shared his personal story and the mission behind their work supporting the mental well-being of hunters, firearms users, and rural communities.

Mental Hunts is running a short, anonymous survey to better understand the needs of our wider community. The results will help shape future resources, support networks, and mental health initiatives tailored to those who spend time in the hills or live in isolated areas.

The survey is 100% anonymous and only takes 5 minutes.
If you haven’t already, please take a moment to share your perspective.

Click link below

Complete the Survey

Join the Committee – Help Shape Our Branches Future

We're looking for enthusiastic members to join our committee and contribute to the planning and organisation of club activities.

You don't need to be an expert or have prior experience, just a willingness to get involved and share your ideas.

Serving on the committee is a great way to connect with fellow members, learn more about the club's operations, and play a part in its ongoing success.

If you're interested in making a difference and helping to steer our club forward, we'd love to hear from you.

Message Ross Allen - ross@lvrg.nz 027 2790528

Buy / Sell / Swap

Ruger American in 6.5 creedmore

zt scope, suppressor and bipod. Comes with a couple boxes of Norma ammo

It's been zeroed and shot a couple boxes of ammo. Absolutely incredible accurate for a basic rife. Never been in the bush.

$1,500

Kyle White

kyle.homeground@gmail.com

Mosin Nagant 7.64x54 1944

Made in Ukrane, 1944. 7.62x54R Mosin Nagant. Great condition for its age! Comes with H&F bag, sling, original accessories, picatinny rail, bore sight and cleaning kit

$850

Dmitry Serbin
‭+64 27 949 4472‬

Membership Apps for members

I get a few questions about the app (there are two) so have written some more info about it on the website

Our club uses a program to manage our membership and events and it is available as an app. Really helpful to be able to interact with other members and check out the events online

Download below and then use your email and password to log in – if you don’t know your password – just press forgot password and you will be sent a new one

Instructions on downloading the app