Welcome to our latest edition of Pheasant Tales, the newsletter of the NZ Game and Conservation Alliance members.
 

Maybe it’s an age thing but I think the days are going faster than ever before. Here we are nearly half way through the year. A number of our Preserves are also approaching the mid-point of their season.

The news I’m hearing is that all of the Preserves are providing wonderful sport for their clients and are already taking bookings for next year. Good stuff.

I know I am starting to sound like a broken record in regard to the continuous referral to the need for folk the join the Alliance, but it is important. I am thankful for those I am meeting at the various shoots, who have made the effort to join. Well done, you good folk. I

am, however, still meeting people who have either not heard of the Alliance or who have simply not made the time to send off their application. For those who have not made the leap, let me remind you that joining can easily be done via the membership portal on the NZGCA website. You will also have noticed the strut cards and application forms that are on display at all of our shoots. Please ‘climb on board our train’.
 

I’m pleased to hear that all of our Gold Club members have received their benefit packages, even our Australian members. I look forward to seeing the gold garters on display. I think they look cool.

We do have on sale NZGCA red garters. You will see the advertisement for these in this newsletter. They also look mighty fine and with a giveaway deal of two pair for only $20, they should prove to be hard to resist. Available exclusively to 2026 Members.

The terrific news of late has come with the announcement of the 2026 Budget. Nicole Mckee has been successful in convincing the Minister of Finance that all licensed firearm owners are worthy of support. $44.9 million has been set aside as funding for implementing the new Arms Act and to establish Firearms safety and Education NZ, the new independent firearms regulator. Nicole said “this funding assures NZ can deliver a fair, effective, and modern firearms system without lumping licensed firearm owners with massive fee increases”. 
Well done, Nicole.

NORTHMERE: Reece advises. “The first month has gone well. We’ve struggled with the weather conditions being bright and sunny because of that high air pressure. The height and performance of the birds have not been what I had hoped for, but we are still averaging

5:1. We have had some new teams that have not shot driven pheasants before and they have thoroughly enjoyed it and have booked to come back again. We’ve been getting more beaters and pickers which is not only great for us but is also terrific to be able to introduce new people to our sport”.

 

LIGHTHOUSE STATION: Jamie reports. “The wind and rain have finally arrived. Thankfully, this is making the birds fly much better. Shooting three times a week is keeping the staff busy and all are doing a great job. We are seeing a few new teams coming through, as well as a lot of familiar faces which is always nice. It means we are doing something right. Roll on the rest of the season”.
 

GLEN MASSEY: Helen signs in. “We had a good day again at Glen Massey on Saturday. Jared presented a long first drive with a steady trickle of birds from the top of the Quarry, providing the guns with some good shooting. The day continued in this pattern. The birds flew well, and the guns acquitted themselves well despite the showers.

 

The day was also the Waikato Gundog Clubs Annual Retriever Championship Game Trial. This took place behind the gun line throughout the day. The judges did a great job and all the runners were given several opportunities to show their worth. Guns were also able to spectate after the horn had gone and admire some masterful dog handling skills, while considering their vote for “Gun’s choice”. Those dogs and handlers not making it through to

subsequent rounds got to join the picking up team who had the task

of tidying up behind the trial. The ultimate winner was Nicola Johns

from Cheviot with her home bred black labrador bitch NTL GFTCH (and now FW) First Lady of Iceypeak.

 

If any other shoots are interested in hosting a gundog trial, please contact me (Helen Sansome at dickieontour@hotmail.com) so we can chat about what’s involved.
 

On a different note, we offer many congratulations to our gamekeeper Jared and his wife Anita, on the birth of their third son on Saturday night after the shoot. Great timing Anita!!”.

Dog Trials at Glen Massey 
(Photo: Helen Sansome)

TOTARA LODGE: Will writes. “With the first month and a bit done

and now nearly at the half way point, things are looking good so far. 

 

Drives are holding birds nicely and having a bit of wind and cloud was a pleasant relief for the last few shoot days. But the Keeper nightmare looks like it is coming back. It was terrific to get a bus man’s holiday to Poronui to see the boys and I have to say it is great work that they are doing there. They reciprocated and came to visit me. It was well worthwhile to have

new sets of eyes and different ideas on things that we have been thinking about for a while. Now we are approaching the tricky part of the season. All the best to all the other keepers, beaters, pickers, and everyone else who are involved in our sport”.

 

PORONUI: Ben says. “We introduced ‘Mavis’ to a team of Guns last week. ‘Mavis’ is a new drive we have been working on for some time. There are a few tweaks and a bit of fine tuning to be done but it is fair to say we are very pleased with the first run through. 
(Editors note: It has been reported that one of the Guns said ‘Mavis’ has just

become his new girlfriend). Apart from this it has become very much run of the mill stuff. All has been going smoothly. We have had a little time off at late and have spent this time sorting

a few surprises for the rest of the season”.

TE KONINI: Andy reports. “High pressure, high temperatures, high shot counts but we have witnessed some incredible birds killed cleanly. New drives are being developed. Thanks again to all the clients who have visited us”.

LAGOON HILL: Malcolm writes. “We are six days down and are now glad to be getting some wind. This has made for completely different birds, giving them a bit more lift. Another happy team of guns yesterday. Roll on the next few days.

CRAIGMORE: Oli checks in. “We have only shot one day since the last newsletter but it went well. We are looking forward to getting into some walked-up shoots in the coming weeks as we are seeing plenty of birds on the boundaries of the Station. It’s always rewarding catching out these birds that we would otherwise not make use of”.

This month our super sleuth has sent in a report on two of our preserves, 
Lighthouse Station and Poronui Station. This should be good.

 

Whether you arrive by car or by helicopter the welcome you receive at Lighthouse Station is always special. 

 

Your gun and assorted gear will be whisked away from your mode of transport and laid out for you in the locker area. Once everything is assembled to your liking it will be placed in the gun cart ready for you to head to the first peg of the day. 

 

To draw a golf analogy, “It’s the Tara Iti of the shooting world”.

 

You will soon discover that food is very much part of the days experience. From your breakfast arrival snack, to elevenses, to the after day late lunch, the food at Lighthouse Station is exceptional. Venison and of course pheasant are the hero of many dishes, telling

the story of the field to the plate in a delicious manner.

For those of you yet to visit this property overlooking the heads of the Manukau Harbour, let me say the topography was literally made for driven pheasant. Steep slopes and narrowish valleys make for spectacular shooting. Visit on a windless day and you will enjoy testing but shootable birds. However, if you strike a 30knot wind everything changes and some of the best shots in the country have been humbled on this property. But let me say dropping, sliding birds make for fantastic sport and every successful shot is celebrated.
 

The property lends itself to multiple drive locations so expect plenty of variety with birds of differing heights, which will please shooters of all skill levels.
 

A day at Lighthouse Station is special. The hospitality and the shooting are a testament to the hosting skills of James Kellow, and the gamekeeping skills of Jamie Little and the entire Lighthouse Station team.

If you are a hunter or a fisher you will have heard of Poronui Station. Situated off the Taupo / Napier highway, it is a sportsman’s paradise stretching over 7000 ha.

In the mid-eighties one of the godfathers of driven shooting, the late Simon Dickie, founded the lodge on the property and it became a world renown fishing destination.
 

Fast forward nearly twenty years and another driven pheasant legendary couple Bridgette Karetai and Jeff Niblett, have established a shoot that has the opportunity to become a world renown destination in its own right.
 

On arrival you are greeted by Clair or Lisa and shown to your cabin or to the stunning Blake House. One of the joys of shooting at Poronui is that you arrive, unpack, and relax knowing that you will be looked after superbly for the next day and a half and both nights, without

the hassle of driving back home or to offsite accommodation. 

 

Shoot days are both relaxed and exhausting. The topography lends itself to some incredible drives with native beech forest as a backdrop. In essence Poronui is situated in a broad valley with the Taharua River running through the middle and the Mohaka River on the back boundary. On either side of the valley rise mountains that look as though they were sculpted for driven game. You can expect to see birds of varying heights that will satisfy all levels of expertise. Green Hill and the Quarry Drives have already reached legendary

status. You are guaranteed fast, exciting shooting.
 

The team of three keepers lead by Ben might be young in years but the quality of birds they are presenting shows skillsets that belie their age. It is a pleasure to see birds fly so well across the whole line. As with virtually all of our shoots in NZ, food has become the hero for

many, and here at Poronui it has taken lunches and dinners to levels rivaling the quality of the birds on the Quarry. Everything from breakfast to elevenses, to lunches and dinners are served with style and enthusiasm from the whole Poronui Team.
 

Jeff and Bridgette are constantly looking to improve the experience, so keep an eye out for some developments next year.

Charlie Adair and his wife Emma arrived in NZ from the English County of Dorset about 10 years ago. They came with the dream of building a life for themselves in a better climate.

 

What they left behind in Dorset can readily be seen in the movies or on television. The stunning Jurassic Coast features the outstanding scenic landmarks of Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, and Old Harry Rocks. Historic ruins such as the famous Corfe Castle which dates

back to the 10th century. The magnificent Dorset coast is also famous for its holiday villages and iconic ports. Traditional foods are also sought after by locals and tourists alike. Dorset Knobs are a popular fare. They are celebrated as ammunition in an annual local tossing

festival (I’ll leave you to research this). 

 

I know it seems difficult to understand why Charlie and Emma left this behind, but they saw something in NZ that a lot of us don’t….opportunity.

Charlie came from good English farming stock and soon found work as a farm assistant in Rotorua before moving on to management in Northland. He next added took on contract milking in the same area. He is one of those rare entrepreneurial spirits who can see potential

around every corner. He quickly set about building his empire. Buying and selling stock was, and still is, a core element to his success.
 

In 2019 Charlie and Emma began purchasing property in the area around Whangarei. In 10 short years the Adair family now have several landholdings which they have developed into beef fattening farms as well as significant Dairy operations. This family is busy!

 

Just over two years ago, when in a rare quiet moment while enjoying a beer and a chat with a friend, the subject of Driven Pheasant shooting came up for discussion. The idea piqued Charlie’s interest. His friend said a project like this would take 3 to 5 years to establish

as a commercial venture. The following year Charlie released 4,500 pheasant poults under the care of an enthusiastic Josh, and Northmere started their first driven shoot programme.
 

 Charlie recognised his own limitations and realised that the shoot was going to need a far greater level of expertise than he and Josh could provide. He also knew he needed a larger supply of pheasants, if he was going to build Northmere into a leading shoot in NZ.
 

Back to England he went and ordered incubators and all other necessary equipment to set up a large breeding and rearing operation. He also set about securing the services of an experienced Gamekeeper. While waiting for this all to arrive Charlie started planting cover crops. These crops are huge in every direction, particularly in height and density. I asked Charlie “Why so big?” His answer was of no surprise really, “I’m a farmer and I grow things”.

Gamekeeper Reece duly arrived and immediately began getting Northmere set up properly as a first-class Pheasant Preserve. They are now well into their first serious season and from all accounts they are going extremely well. All reports I have received have been very positive with all guns already booking pegs next year for themselves and friends.

 

So much for a 3 to 5 year establishment schedule!
 

If you would like to try a shoot at Northmere (Whangarei), don’t hesitate, contact:

Charlie Adair - 02108253144

Reece is another English keeper but this time a true Dorset man. He was born in Dorchester, a historic market town, in the heart of the English County of Dorset.
 

While the area around the town was first settled in prehistoric times, it really came into significance when the Romans invaded in AD 43.

As well as establishing a garrison fort the Romans built a seven mile long aqueduct to supply clean water to the town. This was constructed with neither a cultural assessment report, a resource management approval, nor a work safe policy document. It was strangely built under budget and well within original time estimates. Hard to believe.

 

In 1685 the Pitchfork rebellion took place in Dorchester. This was an attempt to depose the ruling King, James 2nd. The rebellion failed and its leader James Monmouth lost his head. A further 1000 supporters were also executed or deported. It didn’t pay to be on the

wrong team.
 

The area was also home to the Tolpuddle Martyrs. They were a group of six farm labourers who, in 1834, tried to form one of the first Trade Unions in England. They failed and were rewarded with a cruise to Australia and an enforced stay in the Penal colonies that

had been established there.

Reece was not deported from Dorset, he came of his own free will. 

His grandfather was a Gamekeeper so his connection to our sport is genetic. While his father did not follow suit, he still maintained an association with the outdoors while pursuing a career as a landscaper.

 

Reece let school and found work as a 15 year old underkeeper at Cruxton Manor Farm just outside Dorchester. Here he spent 2 years learning the skills required to rear 60,000 pheasants. About 18,000 of which were released on the Cruxton Manor shoot. Reece quickly

learnt what it was like to be busy.
 

After 2 years here “itchy feet” syndrome saw him on the move to Wiltshire to take on the role of Beat keeper at the historic Old Fonthill Abbey Estate. Reece was promoted to Head Gamekeeper at this shoot when he was only 20 years old. Reece spent 13 years here working under 2 different bosses. Paul Yates initially, and then Stephen Morant.
 

It was last year that while idly browsing through “Jobs for Game keepers” that Reece noticed an advertisement placed by Charlie Adair. Reece sent off his C.V. and before long found himself with a new role here in NZ. Many believe the key qualification Reece had in his arsenal was the fact that, like Charlie, he too came from Dorset.

 

Reece was married to the lovely Molly in December and they are now both settled into life in the winterless north. We wish them both every success in their new adventure.

The odd opportunity is still popping up, so keep checking the Peg Vacancy page on our website.

Google NZ Game & Conservation Alliance, Click Menu,  Click Members 
and finally click on Peg Vacancies. 

I am still seeking the best story of the season. Remember I will be awarding one bottle of fine HB wine to the story teller and one bottle to the Victim. You know the sort of silliness I am looking for. The story teller can be kept anonymous if that is your preference. 

Send your story to robbiedanks@hotmail.com

Remember this is your newsletter too. If there is anything you wish to promote, don’t hesitate, let me know what’s happening in your world. Send details to robbiedanks@hotmail.com