"There are few hunts in New Zealand that involve jogging, running, crawling, using a long knife and perhaps even climbing a tree, but boar hunting behind dogs requires all of that. It is an adrenalin rush and recently is attracting a bit of a following with visiting North American hunters. Most hunting outfitters in New Zealand don't own pig-dogs, but the one or two who do can go pig hunting at the drop of a hat and are finding willing clients ready to experience the whiff of danger and sense of unpredictability this adventure creates. In addition to the excitement and being a great safari add-on, there is also the possibility of taking a trophy size boar.
"Brendan Matthews of Matthews Trophy Hunting is the main outfitter who has noticed and is satisfying this spike in boar hunting interest. He is based in the South Island three hours south of Christchurch, which has an international airport. Over the last big game hunting season Matthews had several clients from North America who chose to upgrade their hunts to include the boar hunting option. The reason was simple. They saw the boar tusks hanging on Matthews wall, observed the scars on his dog pack and saw the photos in his album. Upon hearing the lurid descriptions of these hunts they wanted to experience the hands-on `pig-sticking' nature of it for themselves. Once `blooded,' so to speak, many describe the experience as the highlight of their trip.
"Pigs originally arrived in New Zealand in the 18th century with the English explorer Captain James........(continued)
