b'HUNTING Godzone reader Atawhai Colmer shot her first deer, a fallow hind on a private Whanganui block.Fallow deer are one of the most widespread species availableS tarting out hunting and I shot my first deer, a for hunters in Godzone and are welcomed fare for the table. good-looking common fallow spiker with a reddy-brown coat and white spots.It was on farmland out the back of Wainui, north of Auckland and it was in top condition, feeding up on spring grass and it provided stunning steaks for the bbq over summer.Fallow venison is sure hard to beat being so lean and tasty as they tend to eat more grass being found near farms, where as a bush raised red is forced to live on less nutritious tucker than his fringe city fallow cousins who dine out on the lush stuff.It seems fallow have easily adapted to living close to Godzones largest city with their population growing rapidly in West Auckland and out to the South Kaipara, and down to the top of the Waikato. Being a relatively small deer species, with males between 900-1000mm shoulder The melanistic strain is the mostheight and 60-85kg, with females much common colour encountered bysmaller at 850-900mm and just 50-50kg.Kiwi hunters. Typically, a brown-black back with paler grey-brownThey can live in quite small pockets underside and neck, with no spots. of scrub or bush if left alone or even Photo credit: Pawel Strykowski simply unnoticed.90FISHING IN GODZONE NOV/DEC 2022'