AHNZL Newsletter
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Well here we are 2010 already with 2009 just a blur it zoomed past so fast, Merry Christmas and Happy New year all be it a bit late folks, AHNZL had a very busy end to 2009 but have enjoyed a pleasant break over Christmas and new year.
We have expanded our fleet again with the addition of another 500E ZK-INO this is a brand new machine and arrived at our base with a total time of 140 hrs. This machine will be staying on line over the fire season. (ooooo-shiney!)
New on the web site: some photos on the hunting page of a few animals snapped out in the open on JD’s travels. We have flown a steady group of spring hunters, the windy weather has been very frustrating and we have had more than one group stranded at base twiddling there thumbs and eyeing up the venison in our deer paddock waiting for a chance to fly, one group posted some footage of a couple of deer feeding on the flats outside their hut…you can’t get much hander than that! A couple of new shots of a track upgrade/metal job and rook operations undertaken at Castlepoint and various other locations in the commercial gallery
Below is a photo of the new machine ZK-INO with Rick & Herb on board, Rick and Herb help out every year with the rook operations and from time to time when we get busy they step up and give a hand out, a couple of good keen kiwi blokes we appreciate there help, thanks guys.
June / July FARMERS Spring is in the air already, a few lambs are making an appearance, AHNZL Ag division have been busy sowing urea and thistle spraying ….. a reminder - have you assessed your thistles……………DON’T leave it to late as AHNZL will not spray thistles sprays in the confines of the Wairarapa Valley after end of August, if you are not sure about your responsibilities re the GWRC clean air plan give us a call and we will advise you on a spray plan for your property. Spring Hunters are starting to call in booking there spring trips, still a lot of snow around AHNZL have completed new track metal for Otaki Forks to Field Hut track. AHNZL were called in to search for two missing trampers (CEO Te Papa and his friend) A ground party found the gentlemen and JD & Jarod found the lady not long after, both of the missing parties were recovered and along with SAR teams were flown out by AHNZL, not a good out come this time and our condolences go out to the families involved. A note of appreciation to the SAR teams that stand along side AHNZL when ever we are out in those very trying conditions. JD & Jarod are to compete in the last of the Central Series Enduro events for 2009 this weekend, Jarod is currently coming 3rd in his grade and has a really good shot at climbing up the ranks even further, he just might surprise himself this time!. JD has brought a new bike YZ 450 Yamaha and will be sponsored by Sargent Motorcycles of Carterton for the 2010 season, the purchase puts JD in a different grade for competition, it is unlikely that he will place in the Central Series this year due to the grade change and he has also missed a couple of rides due to work commitments, but look out next year as he is determined to make his presence felt. Two photos below of JD on a trail bike ride at Martinborough, this was the last time out for the KTM……update…. weekend is over Jarrod came second in INT E3 overall for the Central Series! nice one Jar, JD managed to get forth place in the Central Series INT E3 class overall, and for his first time out on the new bike and in a new grade INT E4 managed to take second place, looking forward to seeing how you do in the next series JD
FARMERS Spring is in the air already, a few lambs are making an appearance, AHNZL Ag division have been busy sowing urea and thistle spraying ….. a reminder - have you assessed your thistles……………DON’T leave it to late as AHNZL will not spray thistles sprays in the confines of the Wairarapa Valley after end of August, if you are not sure about your responsibilities re the GWRC clean air plan give us a call and we will advise you on a spray plan for your property. Spring Hunters are starting to call in booking there spring trips, still a lot of snow around AHNZL have completed new track metal for Otaki Forks to Field Hut track. AHNZL were called in to search for two missing trampers (CEO Te Papa and his friend) A ground party found the gentlemen and JD & Jarod found the lady not long after, both of the missing parties were recovered and along with SAR teams were flown out by AHNZL, not a good out come this time and our condolences go out to the families involved. A note of appreciation to the SAR teams that stand along side AHNZL when ever we are out in those very trying conditions. JD & Jarod are to compete in the last of the Central Series Enduro events for 2009 this weekend, Jarod is currently coming 3rd in his grade and has a really good shot at climbing up the ranks even further, he just might surprise himself this time!. JD has brought a new bike YZ 450 Yamaha and will be sponsored by Sargent Motorcycles of Carterton for the 2010 season, the purchase puts JD in a different grade for competition, it is unlikely that he will place in the Central Series this year due to the grade change and he has also missed a couple of rides due to work commitments, but look out next year as he is determined to make his presence felt. Two photos below of JD on a trail bike ride at Martinborough, this was the last time out for the KTM……update…. weekend is over Jarrod came second in INT E3 overall for the Central Series! nice one Jar, JD managed to get forth place in the Central Series INT E3 class overall, and for his first time out on the new bike and in a new grade INT E4 managed to take second place, looking forward to seeing how you do in the next series JD
Spring Hunters are starting to call in booking there spring trips, still a lot of snow around AHNZL have completed new track metal for Otaki Forks to Field Hut track. AHNZL were called in to search for two missing trampers (CEO Te Papa and his friend) A ground party found the gentlemen and JD & Jarod found the lady not long after, both of the missing parties were recovered and along with SAR teams were flown out by AHNZL, not a good out come this time and our condolences go out to the families involved. A note of appreciation to the SAR teams that stand along side AHNZL when ever we are out in those very trying conditions.
AHNZL were called in to search for two missing trampers (CEO Te Papa and his friend) A ground party found the gentlemen and JD & Jarod found the lady not long after, both of the missing parties were recovered and along with SAR teams were flown out by AHNZL, not a good out come this time and our condolences go out to the families involved. A note of appreciation to the SAR teams that stand along side AHNZL when ever we are out in those very trying conditions.
JD & Jarod are to compete in the last of the Central Series Enduro events for 2009 this weekend, Jarod is currently coming 3rd in his grade and has a really good shot at climbing up the ranks even further, he just might surprise himself this time!. JD has brought a new bike YZ 450 Yamaha and will be sponsored by Sargent Motorcycles of Carterton for the 2010 season, the purchase puts JD in a different grade for competition, it is unlikely that he will place in the Central Series this year due to the grade change and he has also missed a couple of rides due to work commitments, but look out next year as he is determined to make his presence felt. Two photos below of JD on a trail bike ride at Martinborough, this was the last time out for the KTM……update…. weekend is over Jarrod came second in INT E3 overall for the Central Series! nice one Jar, JD managed to get forth place in the Central Series INT E3 class overall, and for his first time out on the new bike and in a new grade INT E4 managed to take second place, looking forward to seeing how you do in the next series JD
April/May
Apologies for the lateness of the news letter, we have decided due to our office lady only having two hands that one news letter combining news over 2 months was better for her disposition (and easier on the china)
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The roar kicked away with Vince Ducket shooting a 15 pts stag in the Atiwhakatu Stream, an escapee which was fighting through his deer fence…. sorry to let the cat out of the bag on that one Vince, it certainly created quite a stir amongst the hunting community; we could tell by the excited speculation and whispers that roar fever was alive and healthy!
Vince’s stag was followed by a true blue head shot by Rick Abbott 15 points, even Jarod got in amongst it producing a respectable 12 pointer.
AHNZL flew a good number of roar hunters with varying success, nearly all got something to top up the freezer. Photos are up on web site
We have a new staff member Damien Bloger, Damien is visiting NZ form and will be working with AHNZL as an on call loader driver. Damien is also a commercial pilot, welcome Daimen we hope you will enjoy your time with us.
JD and Jarod have been out to a few trail bike rides one at Mauriceville and another at Whareama which they enjoyed, nice to get out and do something a bit different, blow out the cobwebs.
Appearing on the web site soon a few snaps of a Fallow deer, a great head shot by
Steve Playle and also his partner Sharon ’s first deer, well done guys.
A new hut has been built over May to replace the old Atiwhakatu Hut, its pretty well completed however due to the wet weather it will be a while until the painting can be finished. This Hut was a marathon effort by the builders - Wellington Residential, Evan Mardell and team put in a sterling effort to get this hut to its current point.
Below: photos of the flying and Atiwhakatu Hut construction site.
Feb / March Autumn is in the air and roar fever is starting to mount we have had an influx of bookings for early April in anticipation of a great roar this year, hunters that we have spoken with are positively itching to get into it. JD is reporting good numbers of animals and plenty of worked up wallows things are shaping up to be a real cracker, good luck guys Only one rescue to report which turned out to be a false alarm of 5 people in the water out at Matikona after a boat was upturned, seamed everyone made it to shore safely, however things got a bit confused when 2 of the party swam back out to try to salvage the boat or belongings One fire at Ngahapae Road / Stronvar, there was a small mention in the news paper however Jason believes this fire had the timing and intensity to be sever, he made the decision early to request extra machines and was assisted by 3 other helicopters, it took some time to gain control and there were some very nervous moments due to the location and the summer conditions. The Gentle Annie track reconstruction / upgrade has been completed and we believe is a vast improvement and worth the time to take a walk, DOC have undertaken other track upgrades this month including the Waiohine Walls Whare track and the track from Otaki Forks to Kime Hut / Tabel Top ( photo below ) What’s new on AHNZL web site: A very nice and even head was shot by pvt hunter Pepe Bell and posted on hunting page, a few photo’s snapped by Jason in his travels on the hunting page, Two recent Bivi upgrades, Mid King Biv, McGregor & current the Tarn Ridge on the huts page, and 3 new photos on the scenic page
Feb / March
Autumn is in the air and roar fever is starting to mount we have had an influx of bookings for early April in anticipation of a great roar this year, hunters that we have spoken with are positively itching to get into it. JD is reporting good numbers of animals and plenty of worked up wallows things are shaping up to be a real cracker, good luck guys
Only one rescue to report which turned out to be a false alarm of 5 people in the water out at Matikona after a boat was upturned, seamed everyone made it to shore safely, however things got a bit confused when 2 of the party swam back out to try to salvage the boat or belongings
One fire at Ngahapae Road / Stronvar, there was a small mention in the news paper however Jason believes this fire had the timing and intensity to be sever, he made the decision early to request extra machines and was assisted by 3 other helicopters, it took some time to gain control and there were some very nervous moments due to the location and the summer conditions.
The Gentle Annie track reconstruction / upgrade has been completed and we believe is a vast improvement and worth the time to take a walk, DOC have undertaken other track upgrades this month including the Waiohine Walls Whare track and the track from Otaki Forks to Kime Hut / Tabel Top ( photo below )
What’s new on AHNZL web site: A very nice and even head was shot by pvt hunter Pepe Bell and posted on hunting page, a few photo’s snapped by Jason in his travels on the hunting page, Two recent Bivi upgrades, Mid King Biv, McGregor & current the Tarn Ridge on the huts page, and 3 new photos on the scenic page
JD & Jarod had a lash at a national enduro ride held at Kapiti Moonshine Road Ackatararuas in Feb (not looking at doing the full series this year due to work commitments. JD was going really well and had lost no time up until the 4th stage when he got a flatty (back wheel) so that retired him for the day, Jarod rode really well and finished the round coming in bang on the 60th minute so he was placed, well done Jar.
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