# Hunting > Taxidermy >  Native bird mounts?

## JoshC

We had a wood pigeon (Kereru) hit the house window and break its neck and die recently. One of several who've misjudged their flight paths this year, the only one that has died fortunately. It's in a freezer at the moment. 

Has anyone had a NZ native bird mounted? What are the rules? Haven't asked any taxidermists yet, but the couple of people at DoC we asked weren't helpful at all. I'd imagine its either not allowed, or surrounded in red tape? 

Cheers
Josh.

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## Puffin

> I'd imagine its either not allowed, or surrounded in red tape?


Following the official channels you'd need to apply to DoC and be granted "authority to hold absolutely protected wildlife", pursuant to section 53 of the Wildlife Act 1953. Seldom given, but worth trying. If successful then approval is accompanied by a tag with a unique specimen number printed on it that stays with the mount. Taxidermists would be liable for prosecution if they worked on a bird without a tag, so it is unlikely any would take the work on without it.

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## JoshC

Awesome thanks mate. I've sent some emails to DoC requesting further info.

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## 7mmwsm

Less hassles to just eat it and say nothing.
I have handed a few birds in that were injured thinking I was doing the right thing. Might be just the little hitler types I seem to strike, but they can't help letting you know that you could be in serious shit for possessing native birds. I definitely wouldn't bother again.
Can't imagine they would let you keep a mounted one.

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## Woody

Same experience, plus "hand it over, or else".
Why?
""Cos we might preserve it ourselves".

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## Cigar

You need a permit, Eugenie will be fining you $100,000 or sending you to jail for 6 months for having it in your freezer (see near bottom of link). It sounds like contacting the Hamilton DOC office might be your best chance of finding the right info. Getting a permit sounds like a bit of a drama.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved...with-wildlife/

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## DavidGunn

Years ago a local wanted to get a dead owl stuffed, it was allowed so long as finished bird was given to a school for display.

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## JoshC

> You need a permit, Eugenie will be fining you $100,000 or sending you to jail for 6 months for having it in your freezer (see near bottom of link). It sounds like contacting the Hamilton DOC office might be your best chance of finding the right info. Getting a permit sounds like a bit of a drama.
> https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved...with-wildlife/


It's in "a" freezer, not sure where at the moment  :Wink:

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## DavidGunn

I had a woody catch both legs in gin trap set in a blue gum tree where I was targeting possums, I euthed it by wringing it's neck and mounted it on an oven dish.

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## JoshC

:XD:

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## Gibo

Workmate of mine, Maori elder from Te Puke area, few years back cooks up a bird in the staff room oven. I says to him, wtf is that bird Berny?' he says, 'its a seagull boy'. 'Bullshit' I says, 'they dont have meat that colour do they?' 'sure do' he says......left it at that. Comes up to me the next day grinning like fuck with his one tooth, 'it was a kereru boy'  :Grin:  shhhhhhh ha ha same guy that puts blue nose eyes on his toast  :Grin:  good bugger

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## woods223

> I had a woody catch both legs in gin trap set in a blue gum tree where I was targeting possums, I euthed it by wringing it's neck and mounted it on an oven dish.


Fom my memories of back in the 60's early 70's I'd have to be bloody hungry before I'd eat another one.

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## doinit

> Fom my memories of back in the 60's early 70's I'd have to be bloody hungry before I'd eat another one.


C'mon mate they aren't that bad if they are done properly eh...every Friday night  was woody nosh time  :Have A Nice Day:

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## DavidGunn

> Fom my memories of back in the 60's early 70's I'd have to be bloody hungry before I'd eat another one.


They are known as "flying pork" for a good reason...as a youth working on a farm in Northland we ate them on a regular basis, ours were taken from a flock of over 120 resident birds.

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## Daithi

I know an old Maori fella who always has them in the freezer, weka too. Loves them. Always trying to give me some.  He's often given tui, but aint too keen on it , reckons it's too much plucking and not that tasty.

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## Kiwi-Hunter

Wood pigeon (Kereru) is supposed to have full protection since the 1930s
I lost a boat once and was in survival mode for three days, this given scenario can be excepted as reason for eating these birds.
But other than that they remain protected, not sure on the grey area of Iwi?
KH

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## DavidGunn

> Wood pigeon (Kereru) is supposed to have full protection since the 1930s
> I lost a boat once and was in survival mode for three days, this given scenario can be excepted as reason for eating these birds.
> But other than that they remain protected, not sure on the grey area of Iwi?
> KH


I lost a wife once, bitch ran of with my best friend, could I use that as an excuse to harvest pigeon?...or is a boat closer to the heart....any pigeon I ever shot had no protection, only feathers.

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## Cigar

> Customary rights bro.


Customary rights maybe, but not legal customary rights, a senior Māori figure got prosecuted not long ago, think they found three in his luggage at Invercargill airport?

https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/79813...rcargill-court

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## tiroahunta

There was always talk of in the area I grew up in. Never have wanted to try it myself. Plenty else to eat out there...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## 2post

How did we get from how to legally have a protected species taxidermy to eating them.
It’s illegal to possess let alone eat one.
I’m all for mounting an already dead bird but it has to be done following the letter of the law.

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## Cigar

> How did we get from how to legally have a protected species taxidermy to eating them.
> It’s illegal to possess let alone eat one.
> I’m all for mounting an already dead bird but it has to be done following the letter of the law.


Because investigating eating of protected species by forum members will mean the police won’t have time to do armed raids looking for bunny guns  :Psmiley:

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## 264 magic

> Fom my memories of back in the 60's early 70's I'd have to be bloody hungry before I'd eat another one.


the best time to pluck them is around july after gorging on miro berries

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