Thread: want to buy some wild game

Hi there,

I am an animal lover who has great respect for animals. Though I eat meat, I try to do so as ethically as possible. For me, this means buying meat in such way that harm and distress to the animal are minimised, and only buying meat from animals that lived as natural a life as possible.

I have ethical issues with the farming of most animals. This presents issues when buying meat, even from a good butcher. Even the best butcher selling cage-free, hormone-free, grass-fed meats doesn't really know how the animals were generally treated on the farm or what they endured at the slaughterhouse (including transport to the slaughterhouse).

Some of you are probably reading this and thinking "So learn to hunt and kill your own wild tucker!" I am the first to admit I would struggle to kill an animal, yet I still eat them.

I decided to join this forum to ask for your help. Are there any hunters in the Canterbury area who would be happy to sell me small amounts of venison from time to time? I am based out on Banks Peninsula.

If you can help me out, I'd be happy to hear from you.

Thanks for reading.

It is illegal for a "normal" person to sell wild game without the necessary certs etc. Something you may need to consider. Someone may just give you some though, I give a lot away to friends and family.

Cheers Josh, I wondered if there might be some restrictions. Thanks for the tip.

Bartering isn't a no no though, maybe swap for something the hunter needs? Good luck!

Yep meant to say that too

Unfortunately, technically it's illegal to sell, barter and depending on interpretation give away game under S23 of the Wildlife Act.

It's ridiculous but there you go.

Sale of game and sale of shooting rights prohibited

(1) Except with the prior consent of the Director-General, no person shall—

(a) Buy or sell any game or the eggs of any game:

(b) For sale or for hire, gain, or reward, or hope thereof, hunt or kill any game or have any game or the eggs of any game in his possession:

(c) Induce any other person to hunt or kill game for the purposes of sale or have any game or the eggs of any game in his possession for the purposes of sale:

Provided that it shall be lawful for any person, pursuant to the prior written authority of the Director-General, and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed therein, to propagate game or to buy or sell game held for the purpose of propagating game or reared pursuant to any such authority, or to take and sell or to buy the eggs of any game to which any such authority relates.

Good to know Tim

Then how do the guys sell the rabbits to the processors down south?

Its a pity you are all the way down in Canterbury DHLady. I often have more venison than my partner and i can eat through and i end up giving quite a bit away.

Originally Posted by Gillie

Its a pity you are all the way down in Canterbury DHLady. I often have more venison than my partner and i can eat through and i end up giving quite a bit away.

I've got a shitload at the moment

Originally Posted by Dougie

I've got a shitload at the moment

Get used to it Dougie!
I not long ago dropped about 300 red and fallow sausages in my fathers freezer for him to eat / give away as he saw fit. I dropped that stuff with him as i had to make room for the salami, mince and sausages i had coming back from the butcher!
Mostly i don't mind giving it away as i enjoy getting it but i tend to only give it away to people i think will enjoy and appreciate it.

Thanks all for the helpful replies and kind offers. Pretty crazy to think that if you hunt and then give some of it away, you're breaking the law! Could go on a big rant about society here, control of supplies, and how we humans are forced into a capitalist system, etc... ; )

Makes me wonder...I guided on the Hollyford track many years ago and we used to feed guests whitebait when in season, and also venison that one of the staff occasionally shot. I guess we were breaking the law??

Pats for Dougie's pooch...so handsome!

Whitebait is an exception I think,They looked at trying to tax peoples earnings from selling it but for every 1 person making 100k+ a season there is thousands of others spending maybe a couple of grand on food accomadation travel etc to catch a few pound and claim a loss.

Welcome aboard. Don't tell Dougie her dog is cute too often.