Wilderness

The lady and the trap

My trap line is one of many around Ohinetonga Scenic Reserve which borders Tongariro Forest Park and with clear blue skies, today was a perfect day to check it.

I smiled as I slid a once-beloved pair of BBQ tongs into my backpack. After a year with my local conservation group, Owhango Alive, my kitchen utensils have taken on an all-new purpose. Together my trusty tongs and I have cleared out the remains of unlucky rats, the occasional stoat and the springtime rabbit.

Alongside the tongs I have found a cast-iron stomach to be essential, particularly in the summer months when much of the traps’ kill becomes fodder for

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