Thread: Pheasants and Turkey as pests on Private Property [Regulations Needed]

Hi everyone, I need help with understanding the regulations for this:

A good friend of the family owns a large property and land down near Whitianga, and are having trouble with Turkey's and Pheasants.

They don't have a firearms licence only an air rifle, and are not particularly adequate at controlling pest numbers - by any means. They mentioned they are happy with a friend and myself going down their to attempt to reduce numbers (they have no use for these birds), but I am concerned as they are considered game bird - it's out of season - and not F&G licenced.

So if someone can lay the law down before any of us do anything we will later regret will be HIGHLY appreciated. I very really deal with game bird except duck in season and licenced, so regulations off season I am unfamiliar with, I have been trying to decipher the Wildlife Act 1953, but anyone here with real life experience and knowledge is 10x more useful.

Thanks in advance!

I'm pretty sure you could deal to problem pheasants with a special out of season destruction order like they do on parries, but you get alocated a certain amount to destroy and they cant be taken for the table.

I have to ask, who actually has a pheasant problem? Leave them for the shooting season and really knock them back.

Originally Posted by Pointer

I'm pretty sure you could deal to problem pheasants with a special out of season destruction order like they do on parries, but you get alocated a certain amount to destroy and they cant be taken for the table.

I have to ask, who actually has a pheasant problem? Leave them for the shooting season and really knock them back.

You would be surprised but that is a good point, could leave it til the next season. On that note, does the same apply for turkeys?

Turkeys are not a gamebird so have at them! Same with peacocks.

Got a mate in Whitianga who also has a Peacock problem but is too busy farming (and fishing) to deal with them. I know he has a couple of locals cull them from time to time with no issues

Originally Posted by Pointer

I'm pretty sure you could deal to problem pheasants with a special out of season destruction order like they do on parries, but you get alocated a certain amount to destroy and they cant be taken for the table.

I have to ask, who actually has a pheasant problem? Leave them for the shooting season and really knock them back.

No bugger that I know of up that way bothers with the pheasants. Heaps of them around the area.

If you start cleaning out the turkeys the pheasants will probably move out on their own. The only problem with the turkeys they will be crap to eat over the summer months.

Originally Posted by tetawa

If you start cleaning out the turkeys the pheasants will probably move out on their own. The only problem with the turkeys they will be crap to eat over the summer months.

Still good eating this week tho!

Originally Posted by stretch

Still good eating this week tho!

Never kept them during any months with "R" in them.

Originally Posted by tetawa

Never kept them during any months with "R" in them.

That rule was made as the down feathers are really hard to get out during those months.

Originally Posted by tetawa

Never kept them during any months with "R" in them.

Yep. I was cautious too. Took one bird last week. Tasted great. Took three more this weekend. I think the guide about months with an R in them comes from the US. Opposite seasons, opposite saying. I understand they ONLY take them in a month with an R in it, since Thanksgiving is in NovembeR. That would exclude May-June-July-August. Someone reversed the saying for NZ, but that would mean we should only be eating them May-June-July-August. That excluded 8 months of the year, vs 4 months excluded in the US. Seems a bit extreme to me. Crickets aren't chirping yet, so Turkey = Tasty.

Are there any places that might like the Turkeys as feed for something? Three times I did turkey culls next to zion lion park and took thirty odd birds and feed them to lions, tigers and cheetah. Awesome fun all round

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Originally Posted by stretch

Yep. I was cautious too. Took one bird last week. Tasted great. Took three more this weekend. I think the guide about months with an R in them comes from the US. Opposite seasons, opposite saying. I understand they ONLY take them in a month with an R in it, since Thanksgiving is in NovembeR. That would exclude May-June-July-August. Someone reversed the saying for NZ, but that would mean we should only be eating them May-June-July-August. That excluded 8 months of the year, vs 4 months excluded in the US. Seems a bit extreme to me. Crickets aren't chirping yet, so Turkey = Tasty.

Yeah, just check what is in their crop, if its full of grass and seeds you qre good to go, full of crickets then chuck it in the drain!

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Turkey breast goes well in a mixed meat salami as well.