Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/769056
ram at 354 yards, certainly the outer limit of my comfort zone. I missed low with my first shot but anchored the ram with my second. A very nice sheep, and a totally unexpected bonus on my hunt. I was learning quickly, however, that getting more than you expected is par for the course at this extraordinary lodge. A fter lunch Mark and I headed back out, not to hunt, but to simply sit high on a ridge on a beautifully crisp and sunny afternoon and glass for monster red stags. I saw four that made my jaw drop. In addition to red stag and sika deer, you can also hunt for fallow, rusa deer, and sambar deer on the property, as well as wild sheep and feral goat. Great hunting, however, is only part of the Poronui experience. Keeping in mind that the seasons in New Zealand are opposite of those in the northern hemisphere, March through July are the key hunting months, with fishing available from October through May. Mid-summer, our January and February, is the most popular fly fishing time frame, with lower water and heavy terrestrial activity on the top. If you descended from the top of a hill on our way back to the lodge. Mark saw an older ram that had a broken leg, though he managed to keep up with the rest of his gang pretty well. With winter on the way, Mark felt it best to shoot the injured animal. Oddly enough, the ram seemed to sense our intention and broke off from the other sheep, heading uphill for heavy cover. If he had stayed put he would have been safe, but he chose to leave the thicket and make a break for the top of the ridge, exposing himself on the grassy slope. Mark ranged the S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S • 229 Top: A pristine river glides through Hawke's Bay on New Zealand's North Island. Above: The beautiful Taharua River flows past Poronui's main lodge and guest cabins, which evolved from what was once a rustic fishing camp. Opposite: The lounge and other rooms in the spacious lodge reflect a truly upscale ambience, but with a cozy, down-home feel.