Thread: Hunting in NZ, is it too easy?

Originally Posted by summitdogracing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrnelZB6x2Y

Is it common for Kiwis to kill Red Stag with Sika antlers and leave the carcass behind?

No one has answered the question as to what "should" a foreign hunter do with the carcass if it can only be handled for private consumption? Is there a network of needy folks looking for venison?

Scotty

Eat as much as you can/want try and give it away.
Or our do as our govt does and leave it to rot, preferably poisoned and in a waterway.

Originally Posted by summitdogracing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrnelZB6x2Y

Is it common for Kiwis to kill Red Stag with Sika antlers and leave the carcass behind?

No one has answered the question as to what "should" a foreign hunter do with the carcass if it can only be handled for private consumption? Is there a network of needy folks looking for venison?

Scotty

In all reality the onus is on you, the hunter. You're the one pulling the trigger. Kiwi, Yank or any other nationality it makes no difference.
If you want to kill an animal, it's your responsibility to deal with the rest.
FYI I know of no shelter or other NGO type organisation in NZ looking for venison or other wild game but it's not a bad idea. Most of us will recover what we can for own own families and sometimes a bit of barter. You can only hump so much out on your back, which is the kiwi way (old school way anyway).
FYI our deer are classified as pest but are not targeted in poison operations (no matter what the tinfoil hat brigade think). Collateral (and convenient) damage is probably a better description. In a country with no game management shit happens and honestly another carcass or two left on the hill is not going to destroy our herd. Dead is dead regardless of what consumes the carcass.
Easiest way to deal with your particular problem is give the forum a heads up where and when you're hunting. I would bet that there will both be a member or three in the area and that at least one of them will be keen for a hunt or at least give you a good heads start. If you look after the meat I will also be sure your host will be able to distribute it for you and might even get you a beer or two for your trouble.
This is all assuming you can outfox one of our kiwi super deer!

Originally Posted by summitdogracing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrnelZB6x2Y

Is it common for Kiwis to kill Red Stag with Sika antlers and leave the carcass behind?

No one has answered the question as to what "should" a foreign hunter do with the carcass if it can only be handled for private consumption? Is there a network of needy folks looking for venison?

Scotty

are you coming over by yourself? and are you planning on hunting by yourself? I'm assuming you will be getting either dropped in somewhere by vehicle or chopper, give the meat to them after you have eaten what you can.

I am joining the conversation and a non-Kiwi who is highly interested to visit NZ for a number of weeks for hunting, fishing (probably deep sea sport fishing, i.e., catch and release) and scuba diving (along with regular touristy things). Honestly, the initial draw was the openness I thought NZ extended to hunters (it appears from this thread that there is a great deal more hostility towards auslaenders than I knew about.)

I would not have an issue with paying a reasonable non-resident license fee but I do not want to be required to have a guide for several reasons. 1) I want to use my hunting skills to locate, stalk and track my game. 2) I don't want to be just taken for a guided "shootfest". 3) In my experience, when guide requirements are implemented there quickly develops a near monopoly on access to land - even to the exclusion of locals.* 4) I want to "be the hiker with a gun" and not have someone yipping in my ear trying to entertain a guest with anecdotal tales. 5) Guides make the cost too excessive for me. One point for those on this thread to consider about a requirement for foreign hunters to use guides, the guides will likely take the hunters to the "best spots" (much like the trout fishing experience) because the guide wants to have happy clients who had a great time and likely provide a nice financial tip at the end.

* That is what has happened in California for the large game. Anyone can get a license and boar tags but there are not many public areas where one can go and hunt boar. The elk tags are provided to Ranchers who, in turn, sell them to the guides for stupid money.

It is my understanding that the red deer is seen by DOC as a pest. See: Deer: Animal Pests

https://geog397.wiki.otago.ac.nz/ind...in_New_Zealand

I don't have enough information to be able to evaluate the numbers of foreign hunters come to NZ, how many animals they kill, and if there has been an overall impact on the quality and quantity of animals. No one on this thread has provided such empirical data. From what I read on the above sites, recreational hunting is not enough to moderate the population of non-native ungulates in NZ. None-the-less, it is certainly possible that continued unregulated hunting "could" result in overhunting as has happened in many countries. Again, as an outsider without any empirical data I have no idea how far along NZ has gone down that path.

Is there a great deal of animosity towards foreign hunters in NZ?

Scotty

No summitdogracing, you won't find much animosity directed at you. You will generally find us friendly and welcoming. It's not your fault that we manage our affairs poorly. You will hear animosity directed at bureaucrats and politicians who do things we don't want and don't do what we do want.

Well I've had a coffee n might need another one to read all the discussions ......


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@summitdogracing ;
I have no real issue with hunters coming to NZ to hunt under their "own steam" provided they are prepared for the conditions and can look after themselves in the conditions. (We have a large number of Tourists here (hunters included ) who totally underestimate our outdoors and end up needing to be found then rescued)

I suspect most NZ hunters might feel similar

I actually enjoy taking people fishing (and this would stretch to hunting if I had any hunting skills to speak of ) for NO financial gain at all. I like to meet others from other parts of the world who share similar interests.

My issue is that it appears foreign hunters can enter the Ballots for blocks alongside NZ hunters at the same cost and in some cases NZ hunters miss out on the ballots thru shear numbers of the foreign applicants or the way foreigners (an locals ) organis their entry for maximum possible result.

I believe that PREFERENCE should be given to these Blocks being primarilly for Local hunters at the peak times.

I think it would be sad to prevent free hunting, to residence. Maybe non residence could buy something akin to a fishing licence for public land other than ballot blocks.

However I do not think that non residence should be aloud to go in ballot blocks free hunting, they should do so via a guided system or invite by resident (could be scamed by non residents I guess)

I do not want to loose my right to hunt, fish, walk freely in any way or form. I consider it a fortunate right to be able to put free lean organic meat on the table, and have reasonable access to country side.

I think that DOC and Government need to rethink the management of game, it is a resource to be looked after not destruction and total eradication of pests.

I also think they need to provide better science and control over poisoning, and also work with industry groups and other stake holders to develop other options for pest eradication like possums, develop stronger markets for the possum by products and ease up on the poisoning of the larger game animals and other native invertebrates. After all these animals are also a resource.

One aspect of this discussion has been the numbers of tourists requiring sar to get them out of trouble.
Here are some numbers, and although a little out of date, they are not likely to have changed dramatically.
Year 06_07
People assisted 1774, of which 300 were tourists. @17%

Year 07_08
2067 assisted. 158 were tourists. 8%

Year 9
08_09
Total assisted 1991 of which 245 were tourists. 12 %

These figures are a cross the board and will include tramping, hunting, boating etc.
I suspect these numbers are lower than most would imagine.

Sorry. No offence intended, but this data is quite meaningless unless we have total number of NZrs involved and total number of foreign involved. Or percentage of kiwis needing help and percentage of foreign visitors needing help. Just as a ridiculous eg. if in year 07-08 there were 500 visitors involved in the outdoors that's 50% needing help. But if there were 1000 involved thats only 25%.

Maths is not my strong subject, but I would have thought that if, for instance, there were 1991 people assisted, and as stated, 245 were tourists, does it not make sense that the remaining 1746 were most likely kiwis. Or am I fik

Thanks pengiun, much as i suspected

Bloody ill-equiped, clueless LOCALS

Originally Posted by ebf

Thanks pengiun, much as i suspected

Bloody ill-equiped, clueless LOCALS

Now you gone dunnit

Thank you to all who have taken the time to read my first post, and follow the instructions and stick to the topic.
To be clear, i doubt many Kiwis have any problem with foreigners in our back country.

Had a few coffees and here are my opinions.

A - Yes, if hunting resources are not managed correctly (better than they currently are) then kiwi hunters may eventually start to resent the ease that foreign hunters can come here and deplete further a resource that will end up in decline.
The population of NZ is only going to grow, there will be more hunters, more pressure on wild game animal populations and less to go round for everyone!
B- I think in 10, 20 or 30 years time that there could be regret in 1080ing the shit out of every living wild mammal and allowing heli hunting on public lands to decrease game animal populations to a level that a kiwi hunter struggles to find an animal to put meat on the table...I think that foreign hunters are the least of New Zealand's problem as far as animal numbers are concerned and I think that other factors are of much grater concern - Ballots are a different thing entirely and there will probably need to be a regulated number of places allocated for foreign hunters to prevent kiwis loosing out unfairly.
C - I think a ballot system on all public land would be detrimental to NZ on the whole as this would restrict a lot of potential tourism and local economies would suffer. Increasing the cost of licensing would be a better idea and foreign hunters would still pay as long as it is kept reasonable.
D - Just restrict where they are allowed to hunt periodically, foreign hunters are used to a LOT of rules and regulations regarding hunting seasons for different sexes and types of animals and would generally be very understanding because of all the rules that they already put up with in their own countries.


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