Thread: $150 For Your Deer Heads - Southern Kaimanawa Survey Project

$150 For Your Deer Heads
Southern Kaimanawa Deer Survey Project

OSPRI have contracted Landcare Research to carry out a survey project in the southern Kaimanawas to determine if TB is present in the wild deer herd in this area. The survey involves helicopter shooting of deer in the Remote Experience Zone (REZ) as this area doesn’t receive high hunting pressure because of the access and hunters are encouraged to supply samples outside the REZ.

In the area surrounding the REZ Landcare Research have agreed not to aerial shoot this area as it is an easily accessed and popular hunting area. They are encouraging hunters to supply samples of the deer we shoot in the area and to help cover the cost of your hunt Landcare Research will pay you $150 per sample supplied and they will do a draw for a free helicopter flight back into the area every time they reach a total of 10 deer shot by recreational hunters. For fact sheets on this project go to the NZDA Taupo web site, http://nzdataupo.org.nz/news, and download the pdf titled Kaimanawa Deer TB Survey Fact Sheet.

If you are keen to be involved in supplying samples download the pdf titled Kaimanawa Survey Project Getting Hunters Involved, highlighted in yellow. This fact sheet explains what you need to do and has the map of the area involved. A sample involves taking the head, windpipe, lungs and heart of each animal shot and handing it in to the local Landcare Research representative in Taupo, all details are on the fact sheet.
You must contact either of the two Landcare Research representatives on this fact sheet before you go on your hunt so you know the correct procedure for a valid sample. Any sample must be from the DOC land indicated on the map.

This is a one year trial using recreational hunters, the project runs for three years so we encourage you to get involved and show recreational hunters can be relied on to do their part, if all goes well Landcare Research will continue to rely on our support for the remainder of the project.

What a great initiative

That certainly is a step in the right direction, hope it all pans out well.

Hope we get a chance in the Kawekas too.