In 1970 4 of us did the Olivine Joe River Dart tramp. Coming down the Joe the river gorges requiring an ascent up over a ridge to bypass the gorge. The top of the ridge was devoid of bush cover and had been used as a convenient and accessible area to gut the deer shot in the Joe prior to flying the carcasses out to civilization. The top of the ridge was covered in guts a couple oh meters deep of an area about 50 x 150 m so many deer had been cleaned there that the guts were mummifying. When you see the number of helicopters used and cost of operating them you start to realize the huge numbers of deer that were taken to make it a viable business. I recall seeing deer mobs in the Mt Aspiring park in the late 60’s that numbered in the multiple hundreds, their grazing of the understory made travel in the bush easy, but it was destroying the forest cover, in the steep country massive slips became commonplace. It’s a pity the possums and other feral mammals now destroying the NZ bush are not as easy to control. Thanks for the insight, before this all I saw was helicopters flying down valley high overhead with a dozen or so carcasses dangling from a strop below. An almost iconic item in the 70’s scenery
Just love those awesome machines, perfect choice of music, great edit. 👍
Thanks 👍
I knew Tim and flew with Trevor, a brilliant pilot.RIP
Some memories among that lot.
Yep sure is. Thanks
IDD. Needs no explanation at all. The legend.
To a Legend and Friend SIR TIM WALLIS and also TREVOR GREEN of Tuatapere RIP 🦌🕊
Nailed it!
Thanks
Thanks
HUX was at my bday in 87 with gary hollows at the control's
That’s cool , thanks
Great times, seems so long ago but the sound of those machines is like a great haka..... Goosebumps.
Yep for sure
HTN is no more , nice to have more photos of it.
In 1970 4 of us did the Olivine Joe River Dart tramp. Coming down the Joe the river gorges requiring an ascent up over a ridge to bypass the gorge. The top of the ridge was devoid of bush cover and had been used as a convenient and accessible area to gut the deer shot in the Joe prior to flying the carcasses out to civilization. The top of the ridge was covered in guts a couple oh meters deep of an area about 50 x 150 m so many deer had been cleaned there that the guts were mummifying. When you see the number of helicopters used and cost of operating them you start to realize the huge numbers of deer that were taken to make it a viable business. I recall seeing deer mobs in the Mt Aspiring park in the late 60’s that numbered in the multiple hundreds, their grazing of the understory made travel in the bush easy, but it was destroying the forest cover, in the steep country massive slips became commonplace. It’s a pity the possums and other feral mammals now destroying the NZ bush are not as easy to control.
Thanks for the insight, before this all I saw was helicopters flying down valley high overhead with a dozen or so carcasses dangling from a strop below. An almost iconic item in the 70’s scenery
Cool story, epic tramp. Thanks
I have a pic of the wreck of HDT at the back of Whirlwide H Levels take prob 73/74
There are not cheap
Some nice deer
My brother and I used Dick for our recovery trips out of Tuataperee
Nice photos.
Thanks
Thanks