4 Record Bulls Taken In 1 Year

Hunting and Wildlife Magazine - Issue 226 - Spring 2024

Words By: David Keen

Over the last four months, I have been privileged to measure four of the best bull tahr heads ever taken. It is extremely rare to measure one tahr of the calibre that I have in the last months, but to measure four is almost unheard of. Interestingly, none of these tahr have come out of the management units, including one well outside the traditional tahr range.

The first was taken by Flynn Carter, scoring 48 ¼ DS.

The second Bull Tahr trophy-scoring 48 ¼ DS

Hamish Norton, a fellow member of my local South Canterbury NZDA branch, took the second. This head was officially scored at the NZDA National Conference in Lower Hutt, where it was part of the record-breaking entry from the South Canterbury Branch, which won the Norman Douglas Trophy for best-combined-branch entry consisting of one set of Antlers, Horns and Tusks. Although this had shrunk slightly and lost a little on the official score from my initial measurement, this is still a magnificent trophy-scoring 48 ¼ DS and placed 2nd for the Mt Cook Trophy for best tahr. This bull was also awarded a gold medal and now sits well in the record book for the top tahr trophies ever taken.

Hamish had this to say about his hunt: “After a morning of hunting, looking for a red stag, I had only seen three tahr and no deer, so I decided to turn back for home. I walked out the same way I had come in, stopping at a ridge where I had previously shot a 13" bull for a lengthy last-ditch glass. At around 10am I was very surprised to catch a glimpse of tahr mane at 130 yards, partially obscured by thick scrub. I had no idea how big it was except for a few key features that convinced me it was a mature bull tahr. When I approached the dead bull, I was blown away. I passed a big group of trampers on the way out who had no idea of the life long, sought-after trophy I was carrying out and the huge personal achievement I had accomplished.”

The Third measured 49 1/4 DS with horns 15 1/2 inches long and 9 1/8” bases.

NZDA National Life member and Patron of the Douglas Scoring System, Brian Witton took the third. I have had the privilege of working alongside Brian on the NZDA National Douglas Scoring Panel for at least the last 10 years. Brian phoned me to say he was in Geraldine and would love to pop around and visit. Half an hour later, he was walking up the footpath with one of the best bulls I would ever have the pleasure of measuring. I only had to take one quick look at this head and knew it was a monster. Brian’s bull measured 49 1/4 DS with horns 15 1/2 inches long and 9 1/8” bases. This head was placed first for the Mt Cook Trophy for tahr and first for the Egmont Trophy for the best of all horned species at this year's NZDA National Conference and was awarded a gold medal. This head is the highest-scoring bull tahr ever to be taken by an NZDA member. Brian is a true gentleman and an absolute legend. It had been 40 years since he last shot a bull, and at 85, it’s great to see him out in the hills still doing what he loves. I look forward to seeing this head on his wall next to his historic Red Deer trophy, taken in 1965 in the Tuke Valley, scoring 330 3/8 DS and featuring in the book ‘Great New Zealand Deer Heads Vol II’ by the late D. Bruce Banwell.

The new number one New Zealand record!

Peter Hogg took the fourth bull. This bull was 10 years old and officially scored 50 ½ DS, making it the New Zealand number one. This was the first time Peter had ever shot a tahr, and he was out pig hunting at the time.

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