Stag Doo review

Known as Mighty Mel, retiree Mel Simpson splits his time between the magical Mangawhai Heads and Henderson, West Auckland. He dabbles in caravans, BMW cars and DIY. He’s a devoted father to Penguin publicist, Rebecca — and to the memory of Rebecca’s elder sister who left them too soon. A great storyteller himself, Mel loves nothing more than spending a morning in bed reading a good yarn.

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Book review - Stag Doo by Al Lester

Stag Doo consists of a collection of narratives around recreational and commercial hunting in the NZ high country bush.

I had never read any previous works by Big Al Lester…I live in the suburbs; I am not a hunter, so was hoping to get a shot of adrenaline to better understand what really motivates these folk, to head out in all weathers and become hunters of stags.

The book is a compilation of escapades, a few of them funny, about himself, his close mates, and some other acquaintances that he has met along his journey.  The stories have been gathered up and retold from many, many hours spent in huts, pubs and Mai-Mais.  

The yarns were long... I did however get a feel for the remoteness of the bush, and learnt something about stags, chamois, Tahr and hunting dogs...

I gained insight into the importance of reliable mateship, crucial to not only surviving the balls-ups and rigours of the hunt, but also later coping with the ritual unwinding and windups that occur in the pub afterwards.

The story of the quaint ‘white baiting’ couple and the ‘steep creek’ incident were good. I would definitely recommend it as of interest to trophy hunters and venison eaters.

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