North Auckland NZDA Newsletter November 2025

lesleymclaren2
3 days ago
15 min read

President's Report - Words by Ivan Ramsey

Dear Members,

As we transition from spring to summer, many of us are getting excited for the upcoming hunting season. It's wonderful to see the enthusiasm reflected in the great turnout for our range days, with many members busy sighting in on the 25 and 100 metre meter ranges in preparation for their summer hunts.

We've also had fantastic participation in our hunts course, with twelve dedicated students nearing completion of their modules. They are all eagerly anticipating the final party hunt session in the stunning Kaimanawas.

With the drier weather setting in, work will soon recommence on the 50-meter range, alongside finalizing the new chiller and meat processing facility. These additions will enhance our club's capabilities and support our members' hunting endeavours.

In addition to our ranges, we’ve been making much-needed repairs to the clubhouse, including a new window replacement and a general tidy-up just in time for the busy summer season. We're also pleased to announce that toilet facilities are now installed and ready for use at both the 100-meter and 25-meter ranges.

As always, we look forward to seeing you at the range and on club nights. I encourage everyone to keep an eye on the club calendar and our website (save to your favourites) for upcoming events and activities.

Finally, as you enjoy the great outdoors this summer, please remember to stay safe and share your hunting experiences and photos with us. We would love to feature your stories on our website and social media.

Happy hunting!

Best regards,

Ivan Ramsey

President, North Auckland NZDA

PS. Don't forget to join us at our family spit roast this Saturday ( Dec 6th ) and celebrate all our achievements this year and share a tasty bit of meat with a salad or two!

Club Chiller

Great news for all members, our long-awaited club chiller is now in its final stages, and it will soon be fully operational. This has been a major project for the club, and we are excited to be only a short step away from opening it for members use.

Once running, the chiller will provide a safe, hygienic space to hang and process deer giving members a reliable facility for handling game after hunts. It's a huge asset for our club

We will share full instructions, access and usage guidelines as soon as commissioning is complete more updates to come - watch this space.

50M Range

The finish line is in sight for our 50M range and early next year our members will have access to this amazing facility- get your gear ready, the countdown has begun.

What makes this project special is the incredible contributions from our countless volunteer hours, donated materials and skilled labour that has turned this long held dream into a reality.

Final inspections and sign off will be underway once the shooting platform is complete.

Whilst we are unable to announce the exact opening date it's not too far away, and you will be certainly hearing about it.

50M Signage

As our club grows so does our commitment to improving range facilities and creating a space our members can be proud of.

To support these ongoing improvements, we are opening a new opportunity for members and local businesses: naming rights and premium signage placement on the timber wall of our new range.

This is an excellent chance to promote your business and help strengthen the future of our club.

By securing signage or naming rights, you are not just advertising- you are giving back to the club which will directly assist with range maintenance and upgrades.

The range is regularly used by shooters, families, visitors and event participants and will be seen by a consistent stream of engaged members throughout the year

The wooden wall provides a clean visible backdrop for durable outdoor signage. Members will be able to choose from various signage sizes depending on their desired prominence and budget.

If you are interested in securing signage or naming rights contact lesley.mclaren@nads.org.nz to reserve your space - spots are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

October HUNTS. By Mike Richardson

We have just completed another very successful HUNTS Course; our second one this year.

With a syllabus including topics ranging like Hunting Ethics, equipment, shooting and hunting skills, navigation and to meat processing, the trainees should all be safe, ethical, and successful hunters.

The trainees had a day in the forest practicing some of the skills learnt in class. Unfortunately, due to a big push from Auckland Council with their culling programme goat numbers having been low this year. However, we have still been able to find a few, a few shots fired, and Sam shot a young billie, taking home some nice meat.

We had our weekend away to Clements Mill Rd which gave the trainees exposure to typical, New Zealand public bush hunting, where they could further practise the skills they have learned, under the guidance of an experienced mentor.

NADS currently runs two HUNTS courses a year. Anyone is interested in next year’s course email info@nads.co.nz or mike.richardson@deerstalkers.org.nz

National Goat Competition. By Mike Richardson

This was the 3^rd year NZDA and DoC have been running the annual GOAT Competition.

The competition was created to help combat the exploding numbers of goats right across New Zealand. It runs from 1 August to 26 November each year and had some great prizes, both at club and national level. There were prizes for everyone, from simply entering a single ‘tail’ through to largest set of horns.

Our club saw some good heads entered and several goat tails.

Swazi Kids Shoot.

Not even steady rain could dampen the energy at this year's Swazi Kids Shoot where last month our young shooters were ready to test their skills and enjoy the day.

The event saw strong participation in both Junior and intermediate divisions with each group showing impressive focus and skill. For some this was their first time in a competition setting and they showed confidence at the firing line.

A huge thanks to our sponsors Swazi (swazi.co.nz), well known for high quality hunting and outdoor gear, who donated prizes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners in both categories.

Thanks also to Fenix (fenixlighting.co.nz) who donated caps, so everyone went home with a prize.

Results

Intermediate

1st -Elliot Cameron

2nd- Hunter Taylor

Junior

1st -Andrew Cheeseman

2nd- Grace Ogier

3rd- Max Rixon

Overall winner of the Livingston-Stick Cup - Andrew Cheeseman

Thanks to our photographer Sonja and Paul Carmine

Marksmanship Workshop

Our third Marksmanship workshop wrapped up last month. Members fine-tuned their shooting fundamentals-built consistency and got personal coaching in a supportive environment.

The workshop covers breathing, trigger control, shooting positions and practical accuracy drills - key skills that benefit hunters at every level. With three workshops completed this year and each one filling quickly, it's clear there is strong demand for this type of hands-on training.

A huge thanks to those who attended and made these workshops so successful

And of course, thanks to the coach Paul Carmine and the photographer!

Reloading Workshop.

Our recent reloading workshop was well attended again.

It's encouraging to see so many hunters taking the opportunity to learn, ask questions and fine tune their understanding of safe and effective reloading practises.

The group was guided through each stage with clarity and good humour, first timers and seasoned reloaders walked away with new tips

Reloading is far more than a way to recycle brass; it gives a hunter a deeper understanding of their rifles and ammunition. By learning to reload, members gain the ability to fine tune loads with accuracy and achieve more consistent performance than many factory rounds can offer. Reloading can be a cost-effective option over time, especially for high use shooters, for many it becomes a rewarding craft.

We now have a new reloading bench that will be a valuable asset for future workshops and supervised sessions planned for next year.

Fenix September Club Night

Our Club Night in September had a bright spot, literally, as we welcomed Zane Bray and the team from Mountain Adventure to show case their range of Fenix hunting torches and headgear.

There was plenty of interest with members test driving the spotlights and versatile headlamps that Fenix have become well known for.

A big thanks to Zane for taking the time to visit, members keen to follow up can check out their full product range on mountainadventure.co.nz

Chamber Flags

We are pleased to announce that Chamber Flags are now back in stock and available to purchase on Range Day. These bright durable flags feature the club logo and provide a clear, simple way to show that your firearm is safe and unloaded while on the range.

Flags are priced at $5 each, thanks for supporting the club and helping us keep safety front and centre.

School House

Some of you may have already noticed our school house sign has been freshly repainted, giving it a clean sharp look.

Big thanks to our talented painter Morgan Payne for taking the time to tidy it up and restore it to its former glory. This is just the start, plans are already underway to paint the exterior of the Club House next year, more updates to come.

Discount/Perks for being a member of the NZDA

Joining the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) is already a worthwhile investment you gain a supportive hunting community, have access to valuable training opportunities, and a voice in national advocacy for ethical hunting and wildlife management.

But one of the most practical and often underestimated advantage is the wider range of discounts offered by partnering retailers. These discounts can quickly offset the cost of membership and provide ongoing savings on gear, services and supplies.

They are there for you to use, it's made simple and easy via the NZDA App which as members of North Auckland Branch you all have access to.

If you are downloading it for the first time you log on with your membership number, you will only need this once.

The discounts are listed under the perks tab; they are not limited to hunting gear.

Discounts range from tyres, appliance retailers, paint, hardware stores, car rentals, ferries and more.

Each retailer has its own link; all you need to do is present it from your phone at the time of purchase and the discount is applied. Discounts vary depending of the retailer.

Members Stories

Words by Bob McMillan

What Have You Done!

According to my daughter, I have become a grumpy old bastard. Suitably chastised, I grabbed a mediocre Shiraz and retreated to the shed, ostensibly to review branch and range emails and other important stuff. In reality I was seething about a Trade Me auction. The Shiraz would need to be particularly good. It wasn’t.

What had set me off was a series of comments (disguised as questions) on an auction for a fine old Winchester Model 70. “How much does the barrel warp after the third shot?” “Who re-blued the action?”. “I don’t want a push-feed model”. The patient owner finally had enough, commenting that further ‘tyre kicking’ would result in the bidders/commentators being ‘black listed’.

I see this often on Trade Me; and it shouldn’t bother me; but this was for a particularly fine example of a hunting rifle. Good wood, useful iron sights, lustrous blueing, fitted magazine with bottom plate, discrete and slim bolt knob, single stage trigger, cut checkering, recoil pad, etc, etc. Standard (good) Winchester. It could have been a Remington, Sako, Tikka, Sauer, Mauser, or whatever. To my mind these are classic hunting rifles. Well, call me Rip Van Wrinkle, but it seems that times have changed. We are, according to sales figures, in the era of the “Modern Sporting Rifle”.

What the hell are those you might ask? Well, apparently they were spawned from the M16/AR15 era of cheap black plastic army rifles. They were the allowed plethora of semi-automatic offerings of inappropriate hunting calibres, in inappropriate stocks, with inappropriate sights, extended magazines, using surplus military (ball) ammunition. There is an entire industry of after-market parts, including 100 round magazines, Zombie loads, Apocalypse Toolkits, etc. The only good thing to come out of the mosque tragedy is the demise of this “modern sporting” semi-automatic within New Zealand. But alas, how quickly they were replaced by the bolt action “chassis” rifle; AR15 look-alikes but with a bolt (or pump – or slide), detachable magazines, suppressors, close quarter battle sights, and all the trimmings. They have the same plastic stocks, or skeleton alloy rods, perforated metal fore-ends, box magazines that stick down below the trigger guard, and a host of other abominations – let me count the ways.

OK, so I don’t like them. That’s pretty obvious. But I could forgive gun makers their profits, sales volumes, marketing lies, and other sins, if they hadn’t buggered up the classic hunting rifle in the process. We see “Tactical” this, “Sniper” that, “Long Range” everything else. Fat, short barrels of dubious quality masquerading as “Law Enforcement” rifles, all, of course, in your favourite calibre. Hasn’t anyone worked out yet that a .270 doesn’t really work in a 16 inch barrel. Apparently not. There are extra sling swivel studs for the bipod and sling – might as well add a third for the trainer wheels – that’s how much use they are. And the bolt knobs. Prozac, Prozac. Gun makers, what have you done?

So, 2nd glass of mediocre Shiraz. Let me count the abominations now common on many otherwise useful hunting rifles. Firstly; the bolt handle. Apparently modern hunting rifles need a bolt handle that sticks out a bit; easier to grip with gloved hands. The bolt knob must also be easy to find – about the size of a gob stopper – unless you opt for the special accessory one the size of a golf ball. I wonder why people so sensorially deprived and so bereft of fine motor skills are allowed a firearms licence. Such a bolt handle knocks against your webbing, pack, ribs or spine, and mental stability.

Trigger guards. Do we all need to wear ski gloves when hunting? Why else the enlarged trigger guard that only digs further into your spine on a difficult traverse. Have people been watching the trend with lever action rifles and copied the “big loop lever”? I suppose that makes as much sense as some other features of the modern bolt action hunting rifle.

On to the magazine. Having damaged the seventh vertebrae with the engorged trigger guard, we now can do the same to the fifth, via a steel extended magazine, which is there to provide the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th miss. And it must be a ‘quick change’ one, with a convenient extended release lever (for

gloved hands) impervious to being caught on supplejack, lawyer, giggie or leatherwood? Right. At least, having lost it in the scrub, you might appreciate not having it.

Stock Material. Apparently, if your hunting rifle gets damp, the stock will melt unless it is made of polymer/graphite/carbon/composite fire-starting material, currently called “weather proof”. Never gets cold, never gets hot, never rots, never slips, never warps, never looks nice either. Five generations of hunters have learned that a winter rub with boiled linseed oil (2 shillings a pint) keeps a wooden stock ready for the next generation.

The barrel and action, we are told, will rust overnight if it gets wet. To prevent this, the modern hunting rifle is finished in matt paint, sprayed over unfinished steel, then given a “clear coat” of durable finish. EvaKote and its ilk might be durable, but is about as appealing as Rowan Atkinson in Speedos. It is obviously cheaper than proper hot blueing, otherwise blued finishes would still be offered, instead of being a $1000 custom “option”, if offered at all. “Doesn’t spook game” we hear of the matt paint job. Aids concealment we hear from others. Fluff and bullshit. Nothing better than proper blueing. Done properly it will not wash off in the first rain. Look at the Mausers from two centuries ago, and marvel at the finish. It can be done today, but we are taught not to expect it, so we don’t. Silly us.

Third glass, below the label now, never a good sign before lunch. What would sooth me? What am I expecting to see in a classic hunting rifle?

A stock designed for hunting. Have a look at a Remington BDL – for sale in New Zealand at several shops. Appreciate the stock design that allows the use of the fitted iron sights. Then look at the CDL model without iron sights and see how much higher the cheek sits to look straight through a reasonable scope. A stock with a comfortable grip for the master hand, whether prone or standing. A slim fore-end, not optimised for sandbags or bipod, but for carrying, not just for a few hours, but for days on end. Wood by preference, but some synthetics are acceptable within stylistic limits (just lock away those Browning and Italian “cutting-edge” designs please). (2025 edit, some of the SAKO stocks are pretty good too.)

A durable and pleasing finish to all metal, preferably deeply blued, but lesser finishes accepted. Anything but “paint”.

A bolt that works as smooth as butter. And while we are at it, a bolt knob that looks like a butter knife. Ever seen a Brno 27, or the earlier Mannlichers? See what I mean? No need for gob stoppers on a well designed bolt.

A barrel length and profile appropriate to the calibre and style of the stock. No “bull” here please.

And that pretty well does it. I feel much better now, thank you nurse. What are the pink ones for ?

Buy & Sell

If you have any firearms of items relating to hunting that you wish to sell, contact lesley.mclaren@nads.org.nz and we will post them in our next newsletter

Please include all details, your contact phone number or e-mail and a photo if possible.

Seller Gareth B - Mobile 0212883123 gtbennett@btopenworld.com

Backpack. Berghaus Cyclops II Vulcan. $250.

80L + 10L + 10L Capacity.

2 Zip detachable 10L side pouches that ca be combined into a 20L day pack.

Internal Frame & rain cover.

This will last a lifetime. As New. Only used once.

Jacket. SAS M14 Smock. $200 as new

Australian Camo. Size XL

Rip-stop cotton outer material with a breathable and waterproof liner.

Olive Green Removable Inner Fleece Liner.

13 Pockets. Under Arm Zipped Ventilation. Removable Elbow Pads.

Seller Bob - Mobile 022 543 2295

Pedersoli 1873 Springfield Trapdoor 45-70 carbine. Buffington rear sight. Two spare (factory) rear sights included. $1,400.

Marlin 1894 Classic, 44 Mag, blued/walnut, as new, $1,700.

Swedish Mauser, M38, Carl Gustav. dial rear sight, VG condition, $950

Remington 700 VTR .308, 22” barrel with integral muzzle brake (triangular barrel), synthetic stock. Scope, Leupold VXIII 2-7. Asking $1,200

Tikka T3 .223 laminated stainless 1:8 twist. Scope, Nikon Monarch NCC 3.5-10 x 50 illuminated. Asking $1,400

Seller Kane T - Mobile 0221715049

Bayonets These have been inherited from his grandfather who recently passed away.

There is not much detail on them unfortunately, but Kane is looking for expressions of interest or information on these bayonets

Seller Matt: 021 431 255

Selling on behalf of my stepfather.

Most have been cabinet queens or had light range use.

Heym - Krupp special .375 H&H Magnum.

Immaculate condition.

Wooden stock - grip and fore end caps.

Safari open sights.

Deep blued metal work.

Very low round count - high end firearm.

$3100-00

7mm Remington Magnum.

New 24" MAB barrel with open sights.

Lucky if its fired 40 rounds fired through barrel.

Built on Parker Hale Safari Action (Mauser type).

Refinished wooden stock new recoil pad.

Weaver bases.

$700-00

Norinco JW15a .22LR

Wooden Stock.

4x32 scope

Suppressor

5 shot bolt action.

Good condition.

$200-00

Miroku MK-10 Sporter 12g 2 3/4"

Over Under 28'' Barrels

Single trigger

Change out trigger shoes.

Selective barrels

Invector choke tubes from Sheet - Full, (Browning system)

Beautiful as new condition.

$2000-00

Yildiz .410g

Side x Side.

Single trigger

Out of the box condition.

$980-00

Seller - rolyflorrie@outlook.com

Free to a good home a well-worn Swann dry coat size M 96cm with North Auckland club badge.

The pockets came from a Belstaff motorcycle jacket to keep your odds and ends dry in the bush.

It's in the Club House wating for its new owner.

Exciting plans for 2026

HUNTS Courses - please register your interest for the first course now

May- June

Oct November

Party Hunts

Feb - Clements Mill Road

April - Stewart Island

May - Stewart Island

June - Ngamatea

Sept - Heli Sika fly into Oamaru

Oct - Ladies Hunt

Workshops - some new ones planned

Reloading

Marksmanship

Butchery

Navigation

Advanced First aid

Intro to Archery

Photography

Douglas Scoring

Members Nights

Head skinning demonstration

Bush first Aid

Visit from Westgate Hunting and Fishing

Competitions

Measuring Day for trophy heads and skins 14th June

Photo competition entries accepted late May to be judged by 14th June.

Buy & Sell Night - Wednesday January 14th - Boot & Ute sale. Bring your hunting and shooting related items to sell. Coin donation for the BBQ.

Working Bees

Next one planned for late January early February 2026

Closing - words written by Lesley McLaren Secretary and New Members Officer

As I wrap up our final newsletter for the year, I want to extend a sincere thank you to all our members for their enthusiasm, support, and involvement throughout the past twelve months.

It's been a busy and rewarding year for the club, and it's great to see so many of you taking part in workshops, range days, working bees, party hunts, competitions and our HUNTS Course. All these activities keep our club thriving.

We are also proud to share that our membership is on track to hit 500 by the end of the year - a fantastic milestone for our branch. A warm welcome to all our new members joining us in 2025, we are glad to have you on board and look forward to seeing you at the range and out hunting.

We already have a full calendar of events planned for next year with more training opportunities, hunts, workshops and improvements to the club facilities on the way.

As always, we welcome thoughts, if you have idea's, suggestions or feedback on what you'd like to see in the newsletter or around the club, please let us know. Your input helps us continue to grow and improve

Please direct these to lesley.mclaren@nads.org.nz

Wishing you all a safe, restful break and a successful season ahead

See you in the New Year and I will leave you with the thoughts below