Thread: Newshub attacking Sika

Originally Posted by stagstalker

On the topic off Helisika - all the private blocks are about money. Whether that is the iwi or DOC or helisika I don't know but if you look at the landing fee, plus the fee per night per person on top of the helicopter fee and then add in to the equation the fact that its generally only one animal per person and one for the group its no wonder people don't go there (me included - bloody rip off) and no wonder there's too many deer.

Its been said a few times over as I've scrolled through these pages. Rec hunters just don't shoot enough. People need to get comfortable with shooting to waste and not being so precious about the seasons and what the hinds are doing in that season. Mountain lions don't give a shit about the fawns, nor do bears or wolves. Obviously this is very location dependant and some places don't need this attitude.

The problem then continues where the actual reality IMO is that even if more rec hunters did what I said above, it still won't be enough. Just listen to the deer wars podcast and how full time ground cullers still did not dent the overall deer population. Yes the population then was higher therefor the reproductive cycle was higher but if you compared how many the cullers shot in comparison to the population id hazard a guess that on a percentage basis it works out not far off our current population and what rec hunters would/could shoot (although still probably less).

The stark reality is that we need a legitimate management plan by area for the country and it needs funding and resourcing with a mutual understanding from all parties. Something that strikes that balance for each individual ecosystem and herd where the deer are good and healthy and so is the environment they live in. We are making great progress in getting here, the FWF leading the charge and the Sika Foundation doing some great work too. The missing link is that understanding from the top that drives everything across the country.

The disconnect at the top is on the right track now(in my opinion) although there is still a lot to do.
I see one of the major issue being ill informed recreational hunters who have no idea about sensible game management. They class any research effort as "DOC driven".
I've always been a supporter of the Sika Foundations jaw programme. When I've tried to encourage hunters to collect jaws the response has often been "DOC will just use the information against us, why would I give those..... s anything".
A lot of hunters are too one eyed to anything but their own opinion.
I admit to being part of the problem. I have issues with leaving deer to rot. I would never shoot a hind which I knew had a young fawn. Leaving a fawn to starve to death is not a lot different to poisoning it in my opinion.
I have no problem with shooting a hind before she drops. At least the fawn dies quickly.