Thread: The state of pest populations in NZ

Firstly, let me say that this thread could easily be hijacked and turned into an anti govt rant space.
I'd rather not have that happen, but then again, I have to look in the mirror and acknowledge that I was anti govt in my posts this year.

So if it does, then so be it.

Mods, if you feel it really belongs in the "Firearms law changes section", then please move it.

So to my question:

What are the state of pest populations in NZ? specifically, Are deer, pigs, wallaby,hare, rabbit populations expanding, staying the same, or declining, and also, what do you think they will be like in a year's time?

I have a suspicion that in the past, recreational hunting has held them in check at least partially, and if people are put off heading into the hills by the drama of 2019, the balance of things will change.

Carpet bombing with 1080 only works so far, the closer to farm pasture, the more collateral damage, so to speak.

Round wanganui the rabbit numbers are way up in last 12months

Parliament is full of the buggers!

Heard plenty of talk that wallaby numbers are getting out of control already


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by NZAlpine

Heard plenty of talk that wallaby numbers are getting out of control already


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wallabies are spreading, saw one bowled over on the road near burke's pass a couple months back. Old man does heaps of work on them but it's a never ending battle, toon a couple thousand off a big station up near Omarama a while back but Doc didnt want to stump up the money to have an adjacent Doc block done... pretty disheartening to come back and find hundreds of them on the station again as they filter back out from the Doc land. The opposite is often true also, will do a Doc block and nearby farmers dont want to have them done and it's almost a waste of time. Doc and farmers really need to start working together to make any headway on these problems, same goes for rabbits in Otago.
Red deer are in pretty good numbers in places also, dad got asked to "knock any deer over on the crop paddocks" on one place back in winter while he was doing wallabies as apparently there was "one or two about"....... after the first night he got a chiller truck out from local heli operators and ended up with about 60 deer in it just ground shooting over the next few nights, this is South Canterbury down to around Central Otago area hes operating.
The other day I nearly ran off the road as I drove past the golf course in Roxburgh, there was literally thousands of rabbits on it!
One thing I havent seen much of lately around here is possums, have literally seen one possum that's basically tame anyhow and hangs out in our workshop and that's it the whole time we have been down here (west otago) havent seen any at all in pine plantations around the place.

Noticeable amount of hares down here, maybe the time of year but I’m sure they’re more numerous than other years.

Deer have certainly increased in population since I started hunting, I know I do my bit for reducing the population but cant say the same for others......as I dont know. (I know some others do that i know of)

My opinion assuming you are talking about the Christchurch incident has not and will not change the way I hunt.

I also strongly believe we as recreational hunters can not and will not keep the population under control. Ways to help is to shoot hinds, and lots of them. Aside from that we are not going to be able to do it without help. The likes of the Thar cull etc would likely be seen across other pests.

Hamish

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

In my neck of the woods pests are definitely up in numbers. I'd guess because a considerable percentage of the shooting groups who'd kept them in check are sick of bad press and publicity associated with being out in public as a LFAO.

Given the right environment deer populations can double every 3 years or so.

As Hamish says we need to shoot more hinds.

Recreational hunters have never been able to control pest numbers and likely never will. People being too lazy to get off their arses will be having a greater effect on pest populations than the new gun laws which I think will be negligible.

Originally Posted by HNTMAD

Deer have certainly increased in population since I started hunting, I know I do my bit for reducing the population but cant say the same for others......as I dont know. (I know some others do that i know of)

My opinion assuming you are talking about the Christchurch incident has not and will not change the way I hunt.

I also strongly believe we as recreational hunters can not and will not keep the population under control. Ways to help is to shoot hinds, and lots of them. Aside from that we are not going to be able to do it without help. The likes of the Thar cull etc would likely be seen across other pests.

Hamish

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Too many people want a lot of deer around when politically, environmentally and eating wise a lower number of deer but higher quality animals is much preferable all round to all parties.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Given the right environment deer populations can double every 3 years or so.

As Hamish says we need to shoot more hinds.

Recreational hunters have never been able to control pest numbers and likely never will. People being too lazy to get off their arses will be having a greater effect on pest populations than the new gun laws which I think will be negligible.

Whilst I agree, it's not from lack of effort, miles walked and general trying from my part!!!

Semi autos will probably only have an effect on goats where effective recreational shooters were doing goat control missions for fun.

Most people I know let goats walk in the hopes that a deer pops out when we should be bombing them up every chance we get.

Rabbits and hares are up a lot in HB, and HBRC biosecurity guys have told me the deer numbers are now at record highs, passing the previous high of the 1950's/60's. Over the last few years I had noticed a significant increase in gunshots from semi-autos in the district (presumably goat/deer culling), but hardly any gunshots at all since the law change. Feral goats on the coast are getting out of control, and lots of pine planting in the region is not helping. I'm picking a massive population increase of everything until such time as the problem becomes insurmountable and then someone will wake up to what a stuff up this has all been. This is certainly a key feature of my P pest control application!

I can see in future there will be some rules around deer numbers on private property. While they are paying money for goats numbers will be kept in check where they are able to be mustered. As will the possums' all those easier blocks numbers will say the same only if fur price stays above $100. I believe there are only a couple of full time trappers doing it for a living in gisborne
Gisborne council are no longer doing pest control in the region so means numbers will come back on those farms.
Also we have had mild winters here the last few years and even now the grass is still growing.

Rabbit numbers in the lower North Island seem to have exploded this year. I am seeing them everywhere.

Originally Posted by ebf

Rabbit numbers in the lower North Island seem to have exploded this year. I am seeing them everywhere.

If that is not due to "gun control", what is the likely cause?

Can someone tell me where these massive wild deer populations are anywhere near the waikato?i consider myself a decent sort of hunter but I still average 1deer every 3 hunts on public land(pureora ,lake tarawera and clements mill rd)much the same as 10yrs ago and I’m not spooking large numbers of deer,I usually bump 2 on a hunt ..