The annual Pureora Hunting Competition is a free competition for wild deer and pigs taken from Pureora Forest Park during the roar. It has been running for more than 30 years and is open to all hunters with a valid permit for Pureora Forest Park.
The 2024 competition ran during March – April 2024.
The next competition will run in March – April 2025. Details will be available from 1 February 2025.
2024 prizegiving
The prizegiving was held at Pureora DOC field base in Pureora on Sunday 28 April 2024.
Entries received:
- 55 measured deer heads (with about 70 entered)
- 7 boar/barrows
- 7 sows
- 10 entries in our new junior pest categories.
The prize category winners are listed below along with the prizes donated by our generous sponsors.
Deer categories
| Prize category | Winner | Score/weight | Prize | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Douglas-score head | Rebecca Rix | 324 5/8 | Tokirima Taster voucher | Forgotten World Adventures |
| 2nd Douglas-score head | Charlotte Waghorn | 286 7/8 | Helmet and gloves | Pratt Motorcycles |
| 3rd Douglas-score head | Charlotte Amos | 281 1/2 | Bag of dog food and a Stoney Creek clothing item | Farm Source Otorohanga |
| 4th Douglas-score head | Adam Packer | 278 1/4 | $100 homekill voucher | Mac's Meats Home Kill |
| 5th Douglas-score head | Liam Johnson | 261 5/8 | $50 voucher + Back Country Cuisine mixed meal pack | Work and Safety Supplies Limited |
| Jaw draw | Steve Dunster | Pack with goodies | Trek N Travel | |
| Ugliest head | Brett Kearins | Face paint, full body carcass bag, allen flagging tape, buttstock holder | Kilwell Sports | |
| Top Douglas-score head – Junior | Charlotte Waghorn | 286 7/8 | Helmet and gloves | Pratt Motorcycles |
| Average head | Stu Fraser | 10pt | $1000 voucher | Sika Country Taxidermy |
Pig categories
| Prize category | Winner | Score/weight | Prize | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heaviest boar or barrow | Cody Marshall | 64.3 kg | $500 voucher | Mid West Helicopters (NZ) Limited |
| 2nd heaviest boar/barrow | Paul Kearins | 53.0 kg | Core trail camera | Wright Fishing and Outdoors Te Awamutu |
| 3rd heaviest boar/barrow | Kurt Davison | 50.9 kg | Voucher for 1 carton of frozen petfood (25kg) | AC Petfoods |
| Top undrawn tusk | Cody Marshall | 23 | $100 homekill voucher | Mac's Meats Home Kill |
| Average weight sow | Tom Kearins | 39.1 | Voucher for 1 night's accommodation for 2 | Timber Trail Lodge |
Junior categories
| Prize category | Winner | Prize | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustelid draw (ferret, stoat, weasel) | Flynn Adams | Outdoor gear | Earth Sea Sky, Back Country Cuisine, & Dave Gibson Locksmith & Gun Shop |
| Goat tail draw | Lucy Waghorn | Outdoor gear | Earth Sea Sky, Back Country Cuisine, & Dave Gibson Locksmith & Gun Shop |
| Rat draw | Louise Bulled | Outdoor gear | Earth Sea Sky, Back Country Cuisine, & Dave Gibson Locksmith & Gun Shop |
| Three Pest Prize Draw | Riley Bulled | Tokirima Taster voucher | Forgotten World Adventures |
Roar categories
| Prize category | Winner | Prize | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior (16 years +) | Bruce Stroubant | $100 homekill voucher | Mac's Meats Home Kill |
| Junior (15 years and younger) | Alex Rye | Meal for 2 adults and 2 children | Benneydale Café |
2024 competition acknowledgements
Thanks to all the hunters, measurers, weighers, sponsors and other volunteers for making the 2024 Pureora Hunting Competition a ‘roaring’ success.
Thanks to the NZ Deerstalkers Association and the NZ Pig Hunting Association for giving up their time to weigh and measure the entries.
Kiwi aversion trainer Willy Marsh had a very successful day putting at least 20 dogs through the training. This was free for dog owners thanks to the Otorohanga Kiwi House who covered the cost of having Willy on-site for the day.
We also thank the 13 recording centres who volunteered to sight entries taken earlier in the competition so we can keep the competition period open throughout the roar.
Contact
For further information email Senior Community Ranger Julie Taylor at jutaylor@doc.govt.nz.