Father's Day Hunting Memories

This week we’re celebrating the dads who head for the hills with their kids — passing on skills, sharing stories and keeping traditions alive.

Toa Owen Boynton

@toahuntergatherer

“One of my most favourite memories was hunting in the roar of 2019 with my daughter Evie, she was 8 years old and was her first roar. We were hunting an Eastcoast Station after a big day crutching sheep.”

“We started our mission from the back of the station where the forestry met the furthermost paddocks. A stag was roaring in the Eucalyptus forestry going hard. I could see Evie was excited and nervous as we approached the roaring and getting closer and closer and thinking back now we were a wee way from home and was nearing the last light of the day. We crept to the edge of the gum trees and on every roar we inched closer. There he was 60m away, a big stag sitting down neck stretched roaring away to the heavens.”

“Evie sat still while I stalked in closer. Boom! The shot the stag ran past me and jumped ahead of where Evie sat toppling over 20m past her. I looked back at her and her face made me smile. Stunned, excited, and still processing the whole situation. It took us a few trips to rally the quatres to a better area for the side by side which I left Evie with the meat while I walked back to retrieve the 4x4. Getting back to her in the dark I remember feeling so proud of her braveness.

Over the years Evie girl has been on many adventures and there's so much more to come. One day no doubt she will share her own stories with us all. Toa... #Hunt.Gather.Provide”

Aaron Stahl

@ats083

“There’s nothing I enjoy more than sharing the outdoors with my kids, teaching them what nature and hunting can bring to your life. I’ve made so many unforgettable memories with them that I will cherish forever, but one of the highlights has to be watching Beau take his first fallow buck & red stag. Everything I had taught him over the years shone through in those hunts. Very proud moments as a father. I can’t wait to see Paige evolve as a hunter in the coming years.”

“My favourite hunt with dad was my first fallow rut and when I shot my first red stag. I still have the fallow anthers and my red stag mounted at home.” - Beau

“I love going away hunting with dad and providing venison for home. I’ve got so many memories hunting with Dad & can’t wait to create more.” - Paige

Jordan Watson

@howtodadnz

“I've spent every duck hunting season shooting with my old man since the age of 5, and now my kids get to join in with the family tradition too. Duck hunting alone is a family tradition, but it's also full of many mini traditions. Peanut M&M's, bacon & eggs on the cooker, claiming every duck shot as your own, fires, pretending to eat when the shooting goes quiet which will always bring the ducks back around...”

“I'm 37 and still shooting with the old man, and now have the kids along too, watching, observing, absorbing traditions, absorbing too many peanut M&M's - Happy Fathers Day lads, have a good one.”

Lennon Bright 

@lennonbright

“From Aurora’s first rabbit hunt at three years old to her first deer hunt at eight. One of my favourite parts of being a Dad is teaching my kids not only how to hunt but what it means to be a hunter and the role we play in society, passing down the skills and knowledge to the next generation of hunters!”