NZ Hunter – August 2019

Big Game Licence

WRITTEN BY ~ POINTSSOUTH

It seems the vast majority of New Zealand

hunters respect our big game animals as the

resource they are, and the resource they were

intended to be when they were originally

brought here

Recreational hunters are a hugely diverse group, some of which think

of hunting as a kind of birth right in this country, but the reality is that

hunting only remains available to us as long as the general public believes

it’s still relevant from a recreational and commercial perspective, and that it

plays a role in conservation. To have a say in the future, we need to pay.

The history

We and all our visitors have enjoyed

free hunting here since 1932 when

all management of big game animals

ceased. This occurred because of

population increase and the "science" of

the day pointing to deer as the cause of

erosion in the high country.

Animal numbers are now nothing like the

populations they once were, and the sky,

or should I say the high country, hasn’t

fallen in. But what has happened is that

hunting has grown hugely in popularity

and the industry around it has blossomed

Despite this growth, any management

we currently do have is built around

these animals being regarded as a pest,

although it’s clear to most that they

are a valuable resource. The onslaught

against this resource is endless; with the

stroke of a pen our current government

can and has attempted to remove tahr,

seemingly they are happy when 90% or

more of an iconic deer herd succumbs to

poison. Concessions are given for largely

unrestricted WARO, heli-hunters get

more access than kiwi hunters (in terms

of the ability to aerially access land such

as National Parks and Wilderness Zones).

There are also concessions granted for

bull tahr to be shot from the helicopter

for their skins only, and chamois for pet

food. And all the while hunting access to

our public land for kiwi hunters has never

been more of an issue.

DOC quite readily put commercial

interests ahead of recreationalists with

such things as WARO and AATH, and it’s

apparent that DOC isn’t set up to manage

recreational hunting, nor do they have

the funding. How is it that a wealthy

international hunter can heli-hunt in our

wilderness areas, when the average Joe

kiwi can’t even land there?

Why do we need

it?

Hunters are a relatively small

proportion of the population from a

political standpoint, unfortunately

the politics are what matters. We

are held in the lowest of regards by

the current Minister of Conservation,

seemingly to be always the lowest priority

when it comes to decision making. Why?

The answer is simple. We as a “body” are

completely disjointed and lack political

clout. But now for the first time since 1932

we have a statutory body, charged by the

government to represent our interests.

This is the Game Animal Council (GAC)

which currently is 90% volunteer run.

For the GAC to create change, hunting

needs funding, funding to help push our

interests. Funding to employ professionals

to lobby against full-time staffed

government organizations. Funding for

our own research and monitoring.

Now before you all roll your eyes, I don’t

want to see hunting become anymore

restricted, but without advocacy it seems

that’s the path we are already on.

Looking back at the recent tahr issue we

have seen how effective a statutory body

supported by all hunting organisations

and hunters, both recreational and

commercial, can be. The only reason we

could stop the tahr cull was because of

organization and funding. At the moment

that funding wouldn’t be there if it was to

say stop the Department of Conservation

deciding to wipe Whitetail out, or poison

the Greenstone Fallow. We were lucky the

target was an internationally recognized

and commercially valuable resource and

was able to attract such support.

WRITTEN BY ~ POINTTSSOSSOUTHUTH

Why do we need one?

60 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~August / September 2019

Events

& Politics

It seemsthevast majority ofNewZealand

huntersrespect ourbiggame animalsasthe

resourcethey are,andtheresource theywere

intendedtobe whentheywere originally

broughthere

Recreationalhuntersarea hugelydiversegroup,someofwhichthink

ofhuntingasa kindofbirthrightinthiscountry,buttherealityisthat

huntingonlyremainsavailabletousaslongasthegeneralpublicbelieves

it’sstillrelevantfroma recreationalandcommercialperspective,andthatit

playsa roleinconservation.Tohavea sayinthefuture,weneedtopay.

The history

Weandallourvisitorshaveenjoyed

freehuntingheresince 1932 when

allmanagementofbiggameanimals

ceased.Thisoccurredbecauseof

populationincreaseandthe"science"of

thedaypointingtodeerasthecauseof

erosioninthehighcountry.

Animalnumbersarenownothinglikethe

populationstheyoncewere,andthesky,

orshouldI saythehighcountry,hasn’t

fallenin. Butwhathashappenedis that

huntinghasgrownhugelyinpopularity

andtheindustryaroundit hasblossomed

Despitethisgrowth,anymanagement

wecurrentlydohaveis builtaround

theseanimalsbeingregardedasa pest,

althoughit’scleartomostthatthey

area valuableresource.Theonslaught

againstthisresourceis endless;withthe

strokeofa penourcurrentgovernment

canandhasattemptedtoremovetahr,

seeminglytheyarehappywhen90%or

moreofaniconicdeerherdsuccumbsto

poison.Concessionsaregivenforlargely

unrestrictedWARO,heli-huntersget

moreaccessthankiwihunters(interms

oftheabilitytoaeriallyaccesslandsuch

asNationalParksandWildernessZones).

Therearealsoconcessionsgrantedfor

bulltahrtobeshotfromthehelicopter

fortheirskinsonly,andchamoisforpet

food.Andallthewhilehuntingaccessto

ourpubliclandforkiwihuntershasnever

beenmoreofanissue.

DOCquitereadilyputcommercial

interestsaheadofrecreationalistswith

suchthingsasWAROandAATH,andit’s

apparentthatDOCisn’tsetuptomanage

recreationalhunting,nordotheyhave

thefunding.Howis it thata wealthy

internationalhuntercanheli-huntinour

wildernessareas,whentheaverageJoe

kiwican’tevenlandthere?

Why do we need

it?

Hunters are a relatively small

proportion of the population from a

political standpoint, unfortunately

the politics are what matters. We

are held in the lowest of regards by

the current Minister of Conservation,

seemingly to be always the lowest priority

when it comes to decision making. Why?

The answer is simple. We as a “body” are

completely disjointed and lack political

clout. But now for the first time since 1932

we have a statutory body, charged by the

government to represent our interests.

This is the Game Animal Council (GAC)

which currently is 90% volunteer run.

For the GAC to create change, hunting

needs funding, funding to help push our

interests. Funding to employ professionals

to lobby against full-time staffed

government organizations. Funding for

our own research and monitoring.

Now before you all roll your eyes, I don’t

want to see hunting become anymore

restricted, but without advocacy it seems

that’s the path we are already on.

Looking back at the recent tahr issue we

have seen how effective a statutory body

supported by all hunting organisations

and hunters, both recreational and

commercial, can be. The only reason we

could stop the tahr cull was because of

organization and funding. At the moment

that funding wouldn’t be there if it was to

say stop the Department of Conservation

deciding to wipe Whitetail out, or poison

the Greenstone Fallow. We were lucky the

target was an internationally recognized

and commercially valuable resource and

was able to attract such support.

WRITTEN BY ~POINTTSSOSSOUTHUTH

Why do we need one?

60 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~August / September 2019

Events

& Politics