Hunter For Hire (1965) by Rex Forrester and Neil Illingworth

This is a second-hand copy of the book Hunter For Hire (1965) by Rex Forrester and Neil Illingworth. 

Condition: This is a used book in very good condition. The dustjacket is worn with creasing and rubbing - see photos. A previous owner has written their name inside the front cover.

Publisher: A.H. & A.W. Reed
Year: 1965
Format: Hardback with dustjacket
Pages: 187
Condition: Used (Very Good)

When Rex Forrester decided to become an author he was already a professional deer culler and a pioneer in NZ Safari-type tours, introducing international groups to the country's unique hunting, shooting, and fishing opportunities. His own huntiing experiences began when he was 12 years old and he advanced to become a professional hunter for deer skins, then as a Government culler of the species to reduce the growing number of introduced animal ": pests." By 1956 he recognised that NZ's varied wild animal population, including deer, pigs, big-game fish, and trout would be attractive to tourists. His sport safari idea caught on quickly and drew many hunters and, fisherman from overseas countries including Britain, USA , Australia, and Europe. When considering compiling this book Forrester was busy with his safari expeditions so joined forces will journalist Neil Illingworth who, he said, "was responsible for sorting out the thousands of words I have written into something that at least looks like a book.," In that book about half the text relates to Forrester's early stalking days and those he spent as a professional hunter and as a Government culler, with most of the remainder dealing with the safari days, with its ups and downs but with many humerous incidents too. He also deals with the controversial deer (and other introduced feral species) control issue in which extremists demanded extermination, while the hunter lobby favoured culling and sport shooting. In his final chapter Forrester contemplates the future of hunting in NZ. It is headed "Paradise Threatened" and includes the warning "We live in a hunter's paradise and we should never forget the fact, otherwise we might wake up one day to find that it's all gone." "Hunter For Hire' marked the beginning of a series of popular Forrester hunting/fishing books and many of the observations he made then remain valid today.