Book Review
“The Hollows Boys” by Peta Carey, published by Potton and Burton. Price $39.99. Reviewed by Tony Orman
“The Hollows Boys” is the story of the commercial venison industry in Fiordland, infamously known as “The Deer Wars” told around three brothers, all famously some would say legends and each in his own right.
Gary, Mark and Kim Hollows – the Hollows Boys – are the trio.
In an interview in Southern Lakes newspaper “Mountain Scene” author of “The Hollows Boys” Peta Carey gave one piece of advice to would-be readers, “You’ll probably need some tissues.”
And it’s true, I reflected during reading this recently published book.
Sure I might’ve had some connection because I met Gary Hollows and his son Heath, when I lived near Motueka. Gary was a thoroughly nice chap and I always remember him telling me of irregular behaviour by a Forest Service officer overseeing venison recovery. Poaching was always happening with venison recovery and Gary told me that the officer who had a deer farm would individually approach each local helicopter operator and say along the lines of “If you drop every fourth or fifth live capture deer onto my farm, I’ll make sure any poaching complaints against you don’t see the light of day.”
Gary was perturbed by this underhand behaviour by a public servant. So Gary had principles and commonsense in what was right and wrong.
But here’s where the contradiction comes in about commonsense. Yes chopper operators did poach but in flying and shooting for recovering deer they took enormous risks and some died in accidents. Gary was one of many fatalities.
Consequently interviewing Kim and Mark Hollows was a tough assignment for author Peta Carey – and for the two brothers – for in September 1989, Gary was killed in a helicopter incident in the Cameron Mountains of Fiordland.
Author Peta Carey, settles down in engaging style to depict the Fiordland “Deer Wars” through the eyes of the three brothers, the Hollows family at large and other helicopter pilots.
In the “Mountain Scene” interview Petra Carey said she wanted to provide an accurate portrayal of the venison recovery era in Fiordland.
“Every other book that had been written about it was kind of, oh look at us, jolly-ho, we’re the cowboys, aren’t we legendary,” she said.
Then she added, “there’s nothing legendary about it.”
I couldn’t agree more.
It was just nuts and it’s difficult to comprehend why anyone would knowingly take the risks and flirt with danger and even death, but I guess the adrenalin-saturated addiction was irresistible.
Some involved in near death incidents couldn’t wait to go back hunting the next day.
As I said “just nuts.”
Not surprisingly the book is full of daring flying, near escapes and inevitable crashes and death.
Frankly the book begins in staccato fashion but it quickly settles down to a very personal insight into the three brothers, all colourful characters and very skilled each in his own right. It is a candid, sensitive and skilfully crafted read that author Peta Carey has woven – at times deeply absorbing, gripping and poignant.
Very highly recommended.
Those Fiordland “Deer Wars” were crazy. At the peak of venison recovery there were 50 helicopters competing for deer in the southern South Island. It was bedlam and dangerous. Many adopted illegal and often dangerous tactics, so much so that two RNZAF Iroquois helicopters were sent to the region to try to prevent poaching of deer from Fiordland and private properties. The book is a very good read.
The Three Great Human Fallibilities:
(1) Greed;
(2) The Desire for Power and Control; and
(3) The Drive to Procreate.
These are so deeply interwoven into the very fabric of our being .. that the only surprise about human behaviour that is “just nuts .. and difficult to comprehend why anyone would knowingly take the risks and flirt with danger and even death” .. is that anybody is still surprised by it.
The human mind and body readily adapt to any experience .. so that anything we regularly do, quickly becomes “the norm”.
If we regularly climb a hill .. then that becomes the norm .. and a nearby, slightly higher hill is only higher to the extent of its increment.
If we regularly exercise .. then that level of exercise becomes the norm .. and a higher level of exercise is only higher to the extent of its increment.
If we regularly take a risk .. then that level of risk becomes the norm .. and a higher level of risk is only higher to the extent of its increment.
If we regularly participate in adrenaline-releasing activities .. then that level of adrenaline becomes the norm .. and we must seek higher levels of adrenaline, to get the same “buzz”.
That is how people generally come to participate in activities others regard as crazy.
To them, it’s just normal .. and they cannot understand why everybody doesn’t want to be doing it.
And everybody dies, in the end.
Nobody doing crazy stuff .. expects it will be today …
For a time, back in 1970s, 80s and 90s, it seemed like every man and his dog were chasing deer in helicopters and capturing them in any way possible. It was a wild west show.
The idea that it was needed because deer were munching the foliage and tussock, was ignorant of the fact that several sub-species of moa browsed the vegetation from lowlands to snow-grass tussocks. The vegetation over millions of years was adapted to browsing whether by deer or moa.
Meanwhile ignorant governments and bureaucrats failed to organise any harvest of deer and instil game management and let bedlam reign and lives be lost. Shameful.
I was given a copy for Xmas. Read it, enjoyed it then lost it. The next keen hunter I knew wanted to borrow it and at last check it’s with its fourth pair of hands now. As you state Tony it’s a very good read which is why I will probably never see the book again.
I’m looking forward to this, I knew of the Hollow brothers when I was meat hunting in Southland, looking forward to reading this book, hasn’t been a good read about the venison recovery days since Bennetts Venison Wars