Over 80 hunters took to the bush on Aotea over the weekend for the island’s two-day pig hunting competition. The family-friendly event resulted in dozens of wild pigs culled across three hunting blocks managed by DOC and private landowners.
Wayde Blackwell and his team took top honours during the weigh-in, securing wins for both the heaviest boar and the biggest tusk. Barney Scott and his team claimed the prize for the heaviest sow, while Waikari Wii and his team won the under-18 heaviest pig category.
The weekend also featured a hāngi and a Pork on a Plate cooking competition to round out the community event. Evander Sykes won the adult cooking category and also took home the adult hard luck story prize, with Nixie Davenport winning the youth hard luck category. Phoenix Beazley won the youth cooking section, and Jarred and Michael Beazley placed first and second respectively in the children’s cooking event.
DOC Aotea Operations Manager Fletcher Beazley says the event was hugely popular and highlighted the dual benefits of the hunt. “We had a great response to the event with over 80 hunters signing up,” says Fletcher. “We were hoping to have a few more organisers, but everyone just wanted to enter the competition!”
He noted that managing pest populations is a crucial part of the island’s conservation efforts. “Keeping wild pig numbers in check supports the overall forest health, so the competition helps us to reduce pig numbers whilst supporting the hunting community,” says Fletcher. “It was really centred on the community – there were kids as young as four getting into the forest with their whānau.”
Fletcher says the community feast added another layer to the weekend’s success and brought everyone together. “Sharing kai and showcasing culinary flair with the Pork on a Plate event meant we could get even more of the community involved.”
Local hunter Tahi Reid took his kids out for day and evening sessions and said “it was awesome” to get them involved in the sport. “We went down some very steep terrain today,” he says. “With everyone out hunting this weekend it was tricky to find somewhere no-one was going.”
He noted it was exciting to see a large-scale hunting tournament return to the island. “Last time we had a pig hunting competition over here, down at Claris club, I was only a little grom,” says Tahi. “No sleep tonight – gotta do round two for hunting.”
There are three hunting blocks on Aotea where hunters are encouraged to enjoy the bush during the open season from 15 February to 15 December. Hunters must seek a permit and can bring dogs into most areas if they hold a current kiwi avoidance training certificate.
