TESTIMONIALS
“I HAVE JUST FINISHED READING THIS ENTERTAINING, THRILLING AND AT TIMES HUMOROUS BOOK BY LEWIS REID. THIS IS NOT A 'HOW TO' OR 'WHERE TO GO' BOOK. RATHER IT IS A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF EACH HUNT AS LEWIS PERSUES WITH A PASSION EACH OF THE FIFTEEN TROPHY GAME ANIMALS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC REGION.
TRUE ADVENTURE, A DEEP LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS AND THE CAMARADARIE WITH FELLOW HUNTERS ARE AT THE HEART OF THE BOOK. JOURNEY WITH LEWIS AS HE HUNTS THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST RUGGED CHALLENGING AND YET MAJESTIC TERRAIN ONE CAN IMAGINE THE SPLENDOUR OF WHICH HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY HIS COUNTLESS INSPIRATIONAL IMAGES.
LEWIS DOES NOT DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OF HIS HUNT BY THE LENGTH OF HORN OR ANTLER. INSTEAD, EACH IS VALUED ACCORDING TO THE LEVEL OF ADVENTURE, MAGNIFICENCE OF THE COUNTRY AND THE QUALITY OF HIS COMPANIONS.
SIT BACK, RELAX AND ACCOMPANY LEWIS ON THIS TRUE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME, I GUARANTEE THERE WILL NOT BE A DULL MOMENT".
ERROL MASON / AUTHOR / SECRETS OF THE SAMBAR VOL. 1,2 & 3
“I'VE KNOWN LEWIS REID FOR MANY YEARS THROUGH OUR MUTUAL ASSOCIATION WITH SPORTING SHOOTER MAGAZINE AND OUR PASSION FOR NEW ZEALAND'S ALPINE COUNTRY. DURING THIS TIME, LEWIS HAS CONTRIBUTED MANY HUNTING STORIES AND HAS HUNTED AUSTRALIA EXTENSIVELY, NOT TO MENTION NEW ZEALAND AND HIS RECENT TRIP TO NORTH AMERICA. HIS STYLE OF WRITING DEPICTS THE PASSION HE HAS FOR HUNTING AND HIS 'DOWN TO EARTH' NATURE; I DIDN'T NEED TO MEET HIM TO KNOW THAT. HE INDEED, DID IT HIS WAY, AS LEWIS, LIKE MANY OF US LEARNT THE HARD WAY ON MANY SELF-GUIDED HUNTS, BUT EVENTUALLY, THIS QUIET ACHIEVER REACHED HIS GOAL.
IN THIS 176-PAGE HARDCOVER BOOK, LEWIS RECOUNTS IN DETAIL HIS PASSION FOR THE BUSH, THE MANY FRIENDS HE HAS MADE AND THE THRILLING ADVENTURES HE HAS UNDERTAKEN IN HIS PURSUIT OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC'S TOP 15 BIG GAME ANIMALS. HIS PASSION FOR NEW ZEALAND IS ALSO EVIDENT IN THIS BOOK, AS SEVERAL CHALLENGING HUNTS ARE DEPICTED IN THE MANY CHAPTERS THAT MAKE THIS BOOK A PLEASURE TO READ. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED WITH DOZENS OF INSPIRATIONAL, COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS, THIS BOOK - "I DID IT MY WAY" IS A MUST-READ FOR DIE-HARD DEER HUNTERS, WHO BELIEVE THERE'S MORE TO HUNTING THAN JUST A TROPHY ON THE WALL. HUMOUR, HARD TIMES, CHALLENGING TERRAIN AND SUCCESS ARE ALL PART OF THIS BOOK".
TONY PIZZATA / SPORTING SHOOTER MAGAZINE
“RECENTLY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PROCURING AND READING THIS EXCITING NEW BOOK, WHICH WAS STILL WARM FROM THE PUBLISHER'S PRESS. THE LITERARY-TALENTED AUTHOR HAS ELOQUENTLY RECORDED, IN AN EASY-TO-READ AND ENTERTAINING FORM, HIS 23-YEAR PERSONAL JOURNEY IN HUNTING THE PRESTIGIOUS SOUTH PACIFIC 15 RECOGNISED BIG GAME ANIMALS. LEWIS, ACCOMPANIED BY A FEW OF HIS MATES, HUNT SPECIES AS DIVERSE AS BANTENG AND BUFFALO IN AUSTRALIA'S NORTH, TO THE ELUSIVE WHITETAIL DEER ON NEW ZEALANDS STEWART ISLAND. THE PROFESSIONAL EDIT AND VISUALLY APPEALING ARTWORK IS BY LYNNE MASON. FORWARDED BY NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL HUNTING GUIDE, CHRIS MCCARTHY.
DETECTED IN THIS NARRATIVE IS THE AUTHOR'S PASSION FOR THE HUNT, HIS UNRELENTING DETERMINATION TO PURSUE EACH ANIMAL, HIS RESPECT FOR HIS QUARRY AND HIS STEWARDSHIP TO THE LAND IN WHICH HE TEMPORARILY HABITATES WITH THE GAME. INDEED, WHAT IS EVIDENT FROM THE 176 PAGES IS A MAN WHO HAS HONES HIS CRAFT AS A HUNTER FROM ONE HUNT TO THE NEXT, APPLYING HIS CUMULATIVE EXPERIENCES OF COMPLETELY SELF-GUIDED HNTS TO SUCCEED WITH EACH ARRIVING CHALLENGE, BUT HIS PERSONAL SUCCESSES ARE A DISTANT SECOND TO SAFETY AND HIS SELFLESSNESS TO INCLUDE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHICH ARE PLACED AS A HIGHER PRIORITY TO THAT OF SECURING A TROPHY. LEWIS REID IS A TREMENDOUS AMBASSADOR FOR OUR SPORT AND THE MANNER IN WHICH HE CONDUCTS HIMSELF SERVES AS A REMINDER TO THE MODERN-DAY HUNTER OF WHAT THE HUNT IS ALL ABOUT.
A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THIS BOOK HOLDS A COMPILATION OF VISUALLY APPEALING PHOTOGRAPHS, WHICH RECORD VARIOUS ADVENTURES LEWIS AND HIS FRIENDS HAVE EXPERIENCED. EACH PICTURE TELLS A STORY AND THE COMPILATION OF PICTURES IS APTLY TITLED 'MEMORIES IN PICTURES'.
THE STUDIOUS READER WILL FIND AMONG THESE PAGES WHERE AND HOW TO HUNT SEVERAL OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GAME SPECIES. LEWIS HAS UNSELFISHLY REFRAINED FROM OMITTING IDENTIFIABLE LOCATIONS TO HUNT, CARRYING THE TORCH AS A MENTOR TO YOUNG OR LESS EXPERIENCED AND ASPIRING TROPHY HUNTERS, IN THE MANNER IN WHICH HE HIMSELF WAS MENTOURED BY TWO MEN WHOM LEWIS RECOGNISED AND ACKNOWLEDGES IN HIS BOOK. 'I DID IT MY WAY' IS AN INSPIRING BOOK WHICH I AM CERTAIN WILL ENTERTAIN A WIDE AUDIENCE OF HUNTERS AND OUTDOORS SPORTS PERSONS ALIKE".
BRETT COOKE / GUNS & GAME MAGAZINE
“FOR 23 YEARS LEWIS REID FOLLOWED HIS DREAM TO SUCCESSFULLY HUNT AND TAKE THE 'SOUTH PACIFIC 15', THIS 176 PAGE BOOK GIVES YOU INSIGHT INTO THE DEDICATION REQUIRED TO TURN THE DREAM INTO REALITY. a FARMER FOR MUCH OF HIS LIFE, WAS USE TO OVERCOMMING ADVERSITY AND CHALLENGES THROWN UP BY NATURE SO ONE STEP AT A TIME HE HAS COLLECTED THE ANIMALS ON THE LIST UNTIL ACHIEVING HIS GOAL WITH THE TAKING OF THE MATURE HOG DEER STAG. LEWIS NOW GUIDES ON THE SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND FOR CHRIS MCCARTHY OF 'LAKE HAWEA HUNTING SAFARIS', SURELY A MEASURE OF HIS SUCCESS AS A HUNTER. THIS BOOK ALSO SHOWCASES HIS SUCCESS AS A WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER.
ANYTHING WORTH HAVING USUALLY COMES AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF HARD WORK SO THIS BOOK CONTAINS IT ALL, MEMORIES OF WHAT INSPIRED LEWIS TO SET OUT ON HIS QUEST, THE PLANNING REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS ALONG WITH RIVETING ACCOUNTS OF HUNTING THE MORE EXOTIC SPECIES AMONGST THE 'SOUTH PACIFIC 15', ALSO THE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM FAMILY ND HUNTING COBBERS AS THE HUNTING ADVENTURES OF LEWIS UNFOLDED OVER THE YEARS.
'I DID IT MY WAY' WILL LEAVE YOU IN NO DOUBT AS TO WHY LEWIS CONSIDERS THE THAR OF THE SOUTHERN ALPS OF NEW ZEALAND TO BE THE ULTIMATE GAME ANIMAL, AND THE COUNTRY THEY INHABIT, TO OFFER THE GREATEST CHALLENGE TO THE FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED OF A HUNTER TO TASTE SUCCESS, BUT I ALSO GLEANED THE IMPRESSION THAT HIS RESPECT OF THE SAMBAR STAG WAS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE TREE.
LEWIS DOES NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH DOUGLAS OR S.C.I. SCORES OF HIS TROPHIES, RATHER HE HAS HUNTED WITH A PASSION TO TAKE A REPRESENTATIVE MALE OF EACH SPECIES, IN FREE RANGE, FAIR CHASE CONDITIONS WITH THE PROPER RESPECT OF THE TERMINATION OF THE ANIMALS LIFE.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE AUTHOR TAKEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER SUCCESS, AND SPREAD OVER THE 23-YEAR PERIOD REVEAL A GREAT DEAL ABOUT LEWIS. APART FROM THE MATURITY GAINED FROM AGING, THERE IS A LOOK OF SATISFACTION FOR THE KILL ALONG WITH REVERENCE FOR THE ANIMAL THAT SAYS IT ALL. LOVE OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE BUS IN GENERAL AND HUNTERS HE HAS SHARED CAMPS WITH ALL COME TO THE FORE IN THIS ABSORBING BOOK.
OPEN THE BOO TO PAGES 2 AND 3, THE PHOTOGRAPH SPREAD OF LEWIS AND HIS TROPHY THAR, SETS THE SCENE FOR WHAT IS TO FOLLOW. EACH ANIMAL IS AN ADVENTURE IN ITS OWN RIGHT.
DESIGN AND EDITING OF THIS BOOK IS BY LYNNE MASON AND AS YOU WOULD EXPECT IT IS EASY TO READ WITH PLENTY OF LARGE CLEAR PHOTOGRAPHS TO CATCH THE EYE. AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED FLICKING THROUGH THE EXCELLENT PHOTOS, EACH CHAPTER WILL INTRIGUE YOU TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU WILL NOT WANT TO PUT THE BOOK DOWN WITHOUT STARTING THE NEXT.
JUST AS LEWIS WAS INSPIRED TO START HIS JOURNEY, 'I DID IT MY WAY' WILL SURELY DRAW SOME OTHERS INTO TAKING THE FIRST STEP TO ACHIEVING THEIR OWN 'SOUTH PACIFIC 15', IT SHOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO START CHRONICLING YOUR OWN HUNTING ADVENTURES".
WILD DEER AND HUNTING ADVENTURES MAGAZINE
“LEWIS REID TAKES THE READERS OF HIS BOOK 'I DID IT MY WAY' ON A HUNTING JOURNEY AND PORTRAYS IN DETAIL THE TAKING OF HIS TROPHY ANIMALS ALONG WITH HIGHS AND LOWS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH HUNT. THE BOOK ALSO FEATURES A MULTITUDE OF GREAT PHOTOS.
THE SOUTH PACIFIC GRAND SLAM IS ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER GRAND SLAMS BY HUNTERS WORLDWIDE. IT IS A HIGHLY PRIZED ACHIEVEMENT AND IS RECOGNISED BY THE SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL IN THEIR HUNTING AWARDS. FOR A MAN LIKE LEWIS TO ACHIEVE THE TAKING OF THE 15 SOUTH PACIFIC GAME SPECIES IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. HE WASN'T A CHEQUEBOOK HUNTER WHO PURCHASED HIS TROPHIES FROM GAME RANCHES, RATHER, HE SLOWLY WORKED HIS WAY COLLECTING HIS TROPHIES FROM THE WILD OVER A 23-YEAR PERIOD. THE FACT THAT LEWIS HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ON HIS ADVENTURES IS A BONUS TO ALL HUNTERS.
THERE IS SOMETHING FOR ALL HUNTERS FROM THE TAKING OF THE WILD PIGS TO BUFFALO, BANTENG AND DEER. HUNTERS WISHING TO HUNT NEW ZEALAND WILL SURELY BENEFIT FROM READING THIS BOOK. LEWIS CERTAINLY LOVES HIS THAR HUNTING AS YOU WILL DISCOVER BY HIS ENTHUSIASM IN THE PURSUIT OF THIS PARTICULAR ANIMAL. THE AUSTRALIAN HUNTING SCENE IS WELL-COVERED FINISHING WITH HIS MAGNIFICENT SAMBAR AND HOG DEER TROPHIES.
I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE TAKEN THE AUSTRALIAN PART OF THE SLAM AND APPRECIATE HOW DIFFICULT, EXPENSIVE AND TIME-CONSUMING THE TAKING OF SUCH TROPHIES IS.
THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK WRITTEN ON THE SOUTH PACIFIC GRAND SLAM SINCE MURRAY THOMAS'S BOOK, SOUTH PACIFIC TROPHY HUNTER, PUBLISHED IN 1987. WE HAVE WAITED A LONG TIME FOR A BOOK SUCH AS 'I DID IT MY WAY'. THANK YOU LEWIS FOR GIVING US A GREAT HUNTING BOOK TO ADD TO OUR LIBRARIES".
ROBERT HOGGARD / SECRETS OF THE SAMBAR MAGAZINE