Good, keen Bay of Plenty hunters, who camped out in the remote Motu region in appalling weather were rewarded by winning the top prize in the Polaris Big Four Competition.

Winner of the Polaris Big Four 2014, Gary Sobye, Clive McKenny, Brett Rawson and Graeme Juno, team 'On the Way”.

Gary Sobye, Brett Rawson, Clive McKenny and Graeme Juno of team 'On the Way” weighed in the big four of stag, pig, pheasant and trout, each of which came closest to the average weights of the game entered by the 75 teams that took part.

For doing so, the team won two black Polaris Sportsmen, Stoney Creek Limited Edition ATVs valued at a total of $23,000.

'We haven't worked out how we'll share the Polaris between the four of us, but they are a great machine and I need another ATV,” says Gary.

Using the average weight to decide the winners is the fairest way to run such a competition, says Gary, as it rules out cheating.

Organiser Ken Griffin says team entries were slightly down on last year, perhaps because there were other hunting competitions in the previous four weeks.

But the event was a great success, with hunters bringing in game from both the North and South Islands and competitors coming from throughout the country and even Australia.

'The heaviest stag ever entered was shot by an Australian hunter called Nick Dundee. The stag weighted more than 147 kg.”

Ken says all the major prizes from a total package worth around $80,000, were won.

Hunting and fishing in the competition began on Tuesday, June 24, and weigh-in was on Saturday, June 28 at Te Puna, where close to 9000 people turned up to see the animal, birds and trout and enjoy the entertainment provided.

See more photos from the event here.