Bemused overseas tourists watched as hunters in the Cromwell Hunting Competition unloaded deer, pigs and rabbits for weigh-in at a hotel car park in the town yesterday.
The tourists had been taking photos of the vibrant autumn colours on display at the vineyard across the road from the Golden Gate Lodge when they noticed the crowd of people gathering in the hotel car park.
Their attention was diverted to the hunting competition, with dozens of stags strung up after weigh-in.
The event is in its third year and is an annual fundraiser for the Kidsfirst Cromwell Kindergarten.
It was hoped about $3000 would be raised from this year's event and the money would be used for a new playground, contest organiser Jo Ridder said.
"Every cent we raise goes to the kindy.''
More than $10,500 in prize money was proving a big incentive and the number of entrants this year - 123 - was "well up'' on last's year's figure, she said.
The contest began at dawn on Friday and weigh-in began at noon yesterday.
The winner of the Big 3 section, for the heaviest combined weight of a red stag, fallow buck and boar, was a team called "Beggers Creek''.
The total of their three animals was 265.5kg.
Another notable entry was the 95.7kg boar killed by "Team Strath''.
Young hunters are also encouraged, with a junior "critter bag'' competition.
The aim is for the bag to contain a rabbit, hare, magpie, possum and fish.
