The Motu Boar and Stag Hunt is on the move with the 2016 prize giving to be held at Matawai instead of the Motu Domain.

Daryll Downer of the hunt's organising committee says the domain has been a great venue for the past four years, but moving to Matawai, next to the Hard Drive Cafe, offers more facilities.

Seven-year-old Hikurangi-Anaru Niwha carrying a pig entered in the Motu Boar and Stag Hunt.

'The new location is only 15km up the road from the domain and we'll have power there, and be able to put up a marquee, as well as have the cafe close by. It will be good to have more shelter, as the weather's never very kind in July.”

This year's competition, held from July 25 to 26, attracted 50 entrants who weigh-in
what Daryll describes as an outstanding number of animals.

'Usually we expect about a third of the entrants to weigh-in animals. This year there were 18 deer and 16 pigs at the weigh-in which was pretty pleasing.”

The annual event does attract hunters from outside the Motu region, but the majority are locals and the boar hunt in particular is appreciated by farmers.

'It's coming up to lambing and farmers who have a lot of pigs on their boundary are pleased if numbers are reduced through the competition, taking pressure of their new born lambs.”

The competition has a strong family focus with a Big Little Three event for children in which entrants must weigh-in a possum, magpie and rabbit or hare. There's a junior pig hunting contest for 12 to 13 year olds too.

Weigh-in day has a number of novelty events including a possum throwing contest for children and pig carrying challenge for both men and women.

Daryll says the contest is popular with women hunters too with local women among the major prize winners.

Competition results are:

2015 Motu Stag and Boar Hunt:
Boar - Adult Section;
First Christian Paenga 155.551lb;
second Brodie Parsons 143.87lb;
third Denver Palmer 143.36lb.
Average Weight Boar: Allie Woodward 119.09lb.
Best Jaw: Jenna Trafford.
Mystery Weight Boar: Michael Kemp 103.7lb.
Stag:
First Mike Gebert 301.03lb;
second Nathan Seymour 242.83lb;
third Ben Skipper 235.45 lb.
Average Weight Deer (includes hinds): Tapu Dixon 147.97lb.
Best Stag Head: Nathan Seymour.
Boar Kids Section:
First Finn Henstock 66.04lb;
second Monica Harnett 53.83lb;
third Zania O'Neill 48lb.
Big Little Three:
First Pagan Waikari,
second Savarnah Jones,
third Brianna Edwards,
fourth Haeora King.