Thread: For all the farmers complaining about deer, goats and other pests

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

Numbers aren't high around here as we still have waro

U mean u have hale haha

PM sent flock....

Originally Posted by Padox

U mean u have hale haha

Sure do just over the road, can't quite see his place fro here but that's only because trees block the view.

Yip thought as much

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

The deer issue needs to be regional, not per farm. Last week I found 13 flattened spots in one of my hay paddocks, then again the next morning. So not trusting my shooting abilty to take out 13 reds in a single shoot up I grabbed a local guy to give me a hand the following morning. We did the 1k walk to the site in the dark, all set up looking into the area at 5.30 dawn. But nothing there. And no sign they have been back since.

So the properties with very high numbers can be hunted easily but a lot of us farmers have transient populations and can spend many hours looking without seeing anything, then other times seeing heaps of deer (almost exclusively when the rifle is still in the safe). I've had lots of people (including forum memebrs) come look over this place but so far not a single one of them has shot a deer here. Blaming farmers as such is not really fair either. We can all tell stories of losing stock (or farm gear) to poachers, and once people know there are deer about I'm told this poaching problem just gets worse, not better.

A drone could probably cut half the amount of time looking and put more hours into shooting.

Originally Posted by Rusky

A drone could probably cut half the amount of time looking and put more hours into shooting.

A drone with a thermal would be good. A drone with a mounted SLR maybe even better....

Thanks Phil Know what you are saying, not into building an empire, just a meat animal a year.
I'm easily satisfied, same goes for sex no wonder I get so excited.

Originally Posted by thatguy

Maybe this is a bit cheeky but I think about anyone on this forum will offer this service haha.

100%

Happy Jack, how much WARO is happening out of Hanmer? I didn't think there had been any for quite a while.

I think there is a significant difference between quality pest control and causal hunting access. The former suggests you will put significant effort in when the farmer needs you rather than the odd Sunday arvo when family and work permit. I have had a standing request to rid an Otorahanga area farm of turkeys for the last 18 mths. And yes shoot all the rabbits and hares you want, bed and breakfast provided and by the way we also have a block with a goat problem. I've managed to get there twice from Auckland. Lockdown, family and life intervenes.

So I am pretty careful as to what I commit to. I have an offer to help deal with a deer problem "out the back of the farm " in Taumaranui area. 15 mths ago. Have not been able to get there yet. Next year I intend to change that. But I won't be offering a pest service. Just respect, safe practice and hopefully some meat in both freezers.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

A drone with a thermal would be good. A drone with a mounted SLR maybe even better....

That service can be done if you need it I know a couple of guys who I work with that have thermal drones here in HB.

I shoot a farm recreationally for rabbits. It's disheartening when rabbits 300 or more metres away get a glimpse of a human and scarper instantly to safety. Why do they do that? Well, I spoke to the farmer bout this, and he mentioned that there are a few people that also come out to shoot rabbits. I then replied 'you may want to vet these people a little as all they are doing is educating the rabbits and not getting the numbers needed'. He saw my point.
Everyone likes to think that they are a great shot, but the reality is- every shot missed is an educated rabbit.
Personally, I try to be pragmatic and hunt and stalk them the same as I hunt deer. And if I think I may miss, I do not shoot.
Rabbits cost farmers alot of lost profit, but folks don't really care bout that. The pigs head goes on and away they go bangin up like its world war three for fuck all else other than feeling like sly Stallone. Ive watched it time and time again.

Originally Posted by kidmac42

I shoot a farm recreationally for rabbits. It's disheartening when rabbits 300 or more metres away get a glimpse of a human and scarper instantly to safety. Why do they do that? Well, I spoke to the farmer bout this, and he mentioned that there are a few people that also come out to shoot rabbits. I then replied 'you may want to vet these people a little as all they are doing is educating the rabbits and not getting the numbers needed'. He saw my point.
Everyone likes to think that they are a great shot, but the reality is- every shot missed is an educated rabbit.
Personally, I try to be pragmatic and hunt and stalk them the same as I hunt deer. And if I think I may miss, I do not shoot.
Rabbits cost farmers alot of lost profit, but folks don't really care bout that. The pigs head goes on and away they go bangin up like it world war three for fuck all else other than feeling like sly Stallone. Ive watched it time and time again.

The rabbit population is quite puzzling. I've been hearing about how bad the HB numbers are, yet I don't see many at all on my farm. Cape Kidnappers region is allegedly overwhelmed by rabbits, but less than 10kms away I don't see them. So I was starting to think this was a bit of a tall story, until 2 weekends back I took my 17yr old for a stroll up to Bell Rock, a bit inland from Tutira N of Napier. As we went up the road the number of rabbits slowly increased, until we suddenly hit a patch where there were rabbits everywhere. On the way back I counted, we counted over 100 rabbits just on the road edge of Pohokura Road in the 4-5km or so from the Bell Road Loop down to the kiwi sanctuary. Then beyond that the population reduced considerably to just one or two every km, back down to Tutira. This was the first time in my life I have seen this, almost like an invisble barrier over which there were suddenly masses of rabbits. It owuld be interesting to know why this occurs.

Originally Posted by turtle

Don't think this farmer is complaining, but I think the numbers are out of control here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXynj3u3kgQ

now that is classic of what NOT to do...three young stags damaging fence...trying to get in,close enough to harvest ALL the meat..bang bang bang.....clean them up,offer one to cockie ...THEN go for look see. proove to cockie you have HIS interests at heart.

Vid is ok,but the head banging music sure spoils it even for a olda pensioner.