Prizes All Round As The North Canterbury Swan Hunt Comes To An End

Fourteen lucky game bird hunters walked away with prizes totalling $7200 last weekend at the conclusion of this year’s Great Black Swan Hunt organised by North Canterbury Fish & Game.

Hunters who had harvested swans during the game bird season were required to keep pairs of swan legs and enter them in the competition.

Above Right: Steve Coates collects the Benelli M2 shotgun he won.

One hunter entered 170 pairs of legs alone to maximise their chances of winning.

Sponsored by Christchurch International Airport Limited and Hunting and Fishing NZ stores (Central City, Tower Junction and Rangiora) prizes included two Benelli M2 shotguns and were drawn by lucky draw at a prizegiving held at Coes Ford on Sunday.

Entries were split into sections based on the number of legs hunters entered, the first category was for 1-10 sets of legs, then 11-30 legs and finally 30 and greater.

Left: Fish & Game Field Officer Dirk Barr with the prize table.

Then five lucky random draws were made with the major prize being a $500 voucher from Hunting and Fishing NZ.

Steve Coates and Colin Hewson (pictured right) walked away a brand new Benalli M2 shotgun each and Isaac Eaton won a $500 Hunting and Fishing NZ voucher.

638 birds were entered in the competition, all of which helps keep the North Canterbury swan population under control and travellers at Christchurch International Airport safe by reducing the risk of a bird strike.