Gert and Christine Vermeer have been involved professionally
in the business of wild game recovery since 1970, including meat
hunting, live deer recovery, and the fur trade. For almost 30
years Gert has offered his services as a hunting guide. Gert
and Christine are members of the Safari Club International, and
Gert is a qualified SCI scorer.
Gert had spent some time locating a suitable block of land to
establish this venture, and was pleased to be able to purchase
Okau Station in 1987. The Station has been a traditional sheep
and cattle station, but held numbers of wild deer and other game.
Gert recognised that the coastal hills of the Wairarapa provided
a broad and ideal habitat for wild deer, and that the red deer
on the property showed significant indication of descendency
from Windsor Park strains, known for their top trophy potential.
The property was purchased for the express purpose of developing
a wildlife park, and since 1987, the Vermeer's ongoing management
plan has been successful at retaining a real hunting environment,
while seeking to constantly improve the trophy potential of all
species of game on the property.
Gert then patiently waited for deer numbers to build to a sustainable
level, and trophy quality became acceptable, and the result has been a vast improvement in the quality of trophies for both red and fallow deer, through the introduction of new stags every year.
Gert and Christine have now retired from the management and operational deer hunting trips, but still live at Okau Park. Their son Boyd, and his partner Kim have taken over the hunting operation. Boyd has lived most of his life at Okau and has learnt well from his father.
Gert, Christine, Boyd and Kim all like to ensure that the "New Zealand
experience" is very much a part of every hunters trip. Any
hunter who has visited Okau will attest to the genial nature of
their hosts. Many hunters conclude their trip a few pounds heavier
than when they arrived, which is testimony to the ability of
their hosts in the kitchen!
"We provide a real hunting experience in a world where real
hunting is a diminishing resource."
