Introduction by Bill O’Leary, President of the New Zealand Deerstalker’s Association and NZDA HUNTS National Coordinator. Endorsed by the NZDA for the NZDA HUNTS hunter-training program.

Graeme Marshall was actively involved with hunter training courses within the Nelson branch of NZDA during the 1980s. Partly as a resource for newcomers to hunting he wrote The Young Hunter, a basic guide to hunting, in 1987, which is now long out of date.

To assist him, especially with more technical aspects, he has teamed up with experienced South Canterbury hunter and regular contributor to NZ Guns and Hunting magazine, Don MacDonald to produce an up to date and relevant guide to hunting.

The Modern Hunter does not intend to take the place of publications such as the NZDA HUNTS Manual or Mountain Safety Council material and recommends that aspiring hunters refer to these for more detailed information, especially to do with specific aspects of bushcraft, firearms handling and modern equipment.

This is a book that provides an overview of the current hunting scene in the country today in response to a huge upsurge in interest in the sport as animal numbers have improved due to a lessening in commercial hunting activity. It should be seen as a companion guide to a wide range of more detailed and often more technical publications. If it is instrumental in encouraging the safe and ethical harvesting of our wonderful game animal resource it will have succeeded.