New Zealand has a similar place and hunting hero. Lord John Jellicoe, governor-general from 1920 to 1924, spent much time hunting the upper Rakaia headwaters of the South Island, and his preferred quarry was the Stoke Park bloodline red deer stags that lived there. The antlers of these animals were famous for mass, point number and overall span and spread. Amongst the alpine peaks and forests, the stags grew tremendous racks that in a short time became superior to the Stoke animals they derived from.
Recently, this famous region has become accessible to trophy hunters again. Jellicoe hunted Manuka Point Station, a large, high-country ranch named for the native tree that grows profusely there. Manuka Point Station encompasses the heart of the trophy-producing Rakaia area. Today, Rakaia is producing trophies even larger than those taken by Jellicoe. With the end of indiscriminate shooting of deer from helicopters, there has been a revival in trophy quality here. Plentiful food, healthy stock and quality genetics have resulted in a return to the glory trophy days of old. The fact that 18,500-acre Manuka Point Station is also in the hands of an excellent trophy hunting operation is the icing on the cake. The future is only going to get better, as game management policies help the quality bloodline that still exists here.
The owners of Manuka Point Station are Don and Julie Patterson. Don Patterson has been a successful recreational hunter all his life, is a member of Safari Club International, a member of the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association and he uses as his professional adviser the widely respected hunting outfitter Gary Joll (now retired). Soon after purchasing the property in 2002, Patterson was granted a government permit to conduct guided hunting on Manuka Point, and........(continued)
