Thread: DOC not giving out private landowner contact details

I contacted DOC to get the contact details of a farmer to ask permission to cross his land to hunt on public land. DOC said they couldn't do this due to the "privacy act". They did it a few years ago and I think they even had contact details on their website at one point, so something has changed. If a landowner is not amenable to people crossing their land, then fair enough, but I did manage to contact the farmer and it was all good. DOC aren't making it easy.

Originally Posted by MB

I contacted DOC to get the contact details of a farmer to ask permission to cross his land to hunt on public land. DOC said they couldn't do this due to the "privacy act". They did it a few years ago and I think they even had contact details on their website at one point, so something has changed. If a landowner is not amenable to people crossing their land, then fair enough, but I did manage to contact the farmer and it was all good. DOC aren't making it easy.

When I worked for DOC I wrote out hundreds of permits and was asked many times for landowner contact details - we never gave any out as we did not have permission from the landowner to do so - there were exceptions but only where there was an agreed / legal long term access - but even then usually only the address or name of the station nothing else

I think all government departments are on the same page with this. No details are released unless the owner (or whoever) has agreed to it. In DoCs case, I know if I was a land owner I wouldn't want every man and his dog ringing me up.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

I'd say fare enough. If you want to contact them knock on the door.

With farms how do you work out which farm owns which land? DOC should at least be able to tell you which farm if you show them on a map where you want to go so you don't end up having to go around several farms trying to work out which is the correct one. No need for personal details to be given out just which farm.

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

With farms how do you work out which farm owns which land? DOC should at least be able to tell you which farm if you show them on a map where you want to go so you don't end up having to go around several farms trying to work out which is the correct one. No need for personal details to be given out just which farm.

suggest use WAMS mapping and then a visit -

Owaka DOC office has a small whiteboard hanging on the wall next to the counter which has the hunting blocks listed, whoever has booked and what period and the landowner details if they require contact. All done in cooperation with them, relaxed and open.

They do have long serving staff in that office and it shows. Easy to get along with, helpful and can have a chat. Just making things work on a local level, just as it should be.

Why don't Doc start a system like the onX app like they use in USA. I understand that has the ability to contact land owners to retrieve game that's crossed a boundary or to get access through private land. People on here would have used this while over there?

Originally Posted by Sidetrack

Owaka DOC office has a small whiteboard hanging on the wall next to the counter which has the hunting blocks listed, whoever has booked and what period and the landowner details if they require contact. All done in cooperation with them, relaxed and open.

They do have long serving staff in that office and it shows. Easy to get along with, helpful and can have a chat. Just making things work on a local level, just as it should be.

a suggestion - try to contact one of the Wild Animal Control staff at your local DOC office - many of the receptionists have very little knowledge of hunting areas no matter how friendly they are - the Wild Animal Control staff more often than not are hunters who may be able to help - I once went into an office in a new area to me and was disgusted to draw a complete blank from woman behind counter - I asked can you give me no information on this particular area - I was treated a bit like bloody flystrike - a nuisance to her day - so I took great delight in telling her before I left I was DOC for over 25 years at that point - she just said nothing - its nice to hear Sidetrack that some do make an effort - I always tried

As a private citizen talking to a Public Servant you can always try the line " I am tiring of your inability to do your job and as your employer may have to lodge a formal complaint proceeding"

Always gets a change of facial expression, even if nothing else...

Originally Posted by MB

I contacted DOC to get the contact details of a farmer to ask permission to cross his land to hunt on public land. DOC said they couldn't do this due to the "privacy act". They did it a few years ago and I think they even had contact details on their website at one point, so something has changed. If a landowner is not amenable to people crossing their land, then fair enough, but I did manage to contact the farmer and it was all good. DOC aren't making it easy.

I posted earlier to use wams maps (Walking Access Maps ) to be more specific -choose the map entitled land information- and then choose the aerial photo with titles -the faint red lines are land parcel boundary's - now don't be surprised if you see sometimes a bit of cleared or semi clear land or maybe 50 hectares or more outside of private land owner boundary - yes its likely DOC land but although you have the legal right to hunt it if you have permit for DOC land adjacent - the land owner farming it may not have the same view -used to give us all sorts of grief - usually they will have a grazing concession ( not a lease ) and it will state although they have the legal right to graze it any hunter with a permit can hunt it - they have a grazing right only - again they will argue fuck of so permission/ personal visit is always better

A lot of govt depts, companies etc will not give out contact details of staff, etc due to the privacy act. Usually the best option is to ask for them to pass on your contact details to the other person

Originally Posted by Billbob

Why don't Doc start a system like the onX app like they use in USA. I understand that has the ability to contact land owners to retrieve game that's crossed a boundary or to get access through private land. People on here would have used this while over there?

Isn’t there an article in NZ Hunter about an app like that starting up ? I’ll have a look when I get home and put up a link .

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

I posted earlier to use wams maps (Walking Access Maps ) to be more specific -choose the map entitled land information- and then choose the aerial photo with titles -the faint red lines are land parcel boundary's - now don't be surprised if you see sometimes a bit of cleared or semi clear land or maybe 50 hectares or more outside of private land owner boundary - yes its likely DOC land but although you have the legal right to hunt it if you have permit for DOC land adjacent - the land owner farming it may not have the same view -used to give us all sorts of grief - usually they will have a grazing concession ( not a lease ) and it will state although they have the legal right to graze it any hunter with a permit can hunt it - they have a grazing right only - again they will argue fuck of so permission/ personal visit is always better

I have a grazing concession and it says in the contract that I can keep people off it from August to December. I would say that every contract is different.

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yes there are a few with that provision in them