Molesworth

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Originally Posted by Puddleduk

Utterly incorrect, more like 30,000. It's bad in parts and DOC do a skim through in a 500 occasionally, expensive and in the big picture ineffective. The last time goats were reduced to low numbers in there it was because of foot cullers

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There are still ground hunters working in there regularly taking 300-700/ block /trip.

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Originally Posted by rimubay

@cb14 I think I have a copy somewhere. Will have a dig around and let you know.

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Thanks! Appreciated.

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Originally Posted by woods223

Big assumption there. According to someone involved in operation they shot animals as they came across them. Were meant to leave big stags but that sometimes goes by the wayside in the heat of the moment, mindful of flying costs/efficiency. There’s way too many deer in places on the station. Head quality has gone down over the years since DOC management restructuring. Jim still has to run an economic farming operation while catering to public access expectations.

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In terms of head quality did it used to be open to the public pre the restructuring? There definitely a bunch of deer and pigs when I've been in there.

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Originally Posted by woods223

Yes, chopper shooting is very effective but also expensive. $6 was good coin back in ‘68. About 13 year’s ago Nokomai stations Hughs 500 cost something like $374/hour to sit in the hanger let alone fly. So you try and maximise animals shot per hour.

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That dude on the shottie was on point. Hardly a one got away from him. Excellent YT footage.

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Originally Posted by Shearer

There are still ground hunters working in there regularly taking 300-700/ block /trip.

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DOC shooters, six I think, flew into Molesworth on morning of 04/11/24. They used the same chopper as us before we flew out of Upper Spray. We used to see bugger-all goats over most of station in the 80's-90's, bit different now. There's always been heaps of goats in the Clarence. Rafted down the river from Accomodation House back in 80's, we all ran out of ammo from memory before we got to Gibson Stream. Two .222's, one 270 and a 308 in the group from memory. Good times.

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Originally Posted by Stocky

In terms of head quality did it used to be open to the public pre the restructuring? There definitely a bunch of deer and pigs when I've been in there.

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Limited numbers allowed to hunt station before re-structure. Now it's hunted relentlessly if the booking system calendar is anything to go by.

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Originally Posted by woods223

Limited numbers allowed to hunt station before re-structure. Now it's hunted relentlessly if the booking system calendar is anything to go by.

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Aint that the truth. Hardly ever a empty slot. Booked, booked and more booked.

I suspect that not a lot of those hunters are in there doing population control tho. More than likely stag focused.

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Notice the area that was shot is almost closed off to hunters. It's only open for a few weeks a year in mid winter with difficult access if there's snow. No wonder they needed to reduce the numbers.

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Originally Posted by kukuwai

Aint that the truth. Hardly ever a empty slot. Booked, booked and more booked.

I suspect that not a lot of those hunters are in there doing population control tho. More than likely stag focused.

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You’re probably right. Hardly hear of hunters doing any control shooting, they seem too focused on ‘trophy’ stags.
Countrywide, hunters as a group have to realise that leaving females does fuck all but lead to too high population levels. Taking out inferior stags and even a few trophy stags does bugger all for population control or improvement of the gene pool. Remember too that for every animal you see there’s often another five or so that you don’t. Flying an area in a chopper or even a plane soon reinforces that.

I've shot plenty of hinds in the blocks I've had in there this year. You all should too.

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Originally Posted by r87mm

Notice the area that was shot is almost closed off to hunters. It's only open for a few weeks a year in mid winter with difficult access if there's snow. No wonder they needed to reduce the numbers.

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If you’re talking about homestead area that’s closed to hunting pretty much. Travellers hunting block is easy walking from Lake Sedgemere area if you’re keen and put the effort in, assuming you can get over Island Saddle which is snowed in occasionally or through Rainbow Stn. for a gate fee. Used to be some good stags in the lower Alma area.