Latest news with #NewZealandGameAnimalCouncil
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Concern 1080 will lower deer numbers
The use of 1080 poison where white tailed deer live could severely reduce the numbers of the "iconic" game animal, a hunting advocate says. New Zealand Game Animal Council chief executive Corina Jordan has recently returned from a trip to Stewart Island/Rakiura, where she talked to community members about the recent Department of Conservation aerial 1080 operation. The operation is part of a plan to save the endangered southern dotterel (pukunui) that is being preyed upon by wild cats. In phase one of the operation, 1080 bait with and without deer repellant was dropped on about 6500ha, earlier this month. Phase two of the operation will cover about 40,000ha and is scheduled to start next month. About five days after the drop, three dead white tailed deer were found with 1080 pellets in their stomachs in a hunting block where deer repellant had been used. Miss Jordan said if plans to remove predators from the whole island went ahead in 2026, the deer would not be wiped out, but their numbers would be significantly reduced. "That would put a stop to hunting on the island for quite a substantial period. "Hunters aren't going to want to visit an island that's been impacted by intrusive predator control." This would also affect the economy of the island, she said. While the council supported predator control and conservation, the use of the poison in areas where deer lived was concerning. The poison was not "authorised to be used to control deer". "It's inhumane. "There's animal health or well-being issues using 1080 on deer." The island's white tailed deer were special in that it was only one of two small wild populations. "It provides an outstanding hunting opportunity." Many people made an annual trip to the island to shoot the deer, which were not easy to hunt. "They're really intelligent and they're quite secretive." White tailed venison was also prized. "The meat in relation to quality, taste and texture is arguably some of the best." New Zealanders needed to have a "courageous conversation" about the use of 1080 to kill predators in areas where deer live and whether deer repellant should be used in the bait, she said. There was little research done on how white tailed deer responded to bait with deer repellant added. However, Sika deer research showed 10% died when deer repellant was used and 70-80% died where no repellant was used. The council was in favour of managing the resource, which had happened with Fiordland's wapiti deer population. "You can have quite substantial conservation outcomes while maintaining the hunting resource." After the discovery of the three dead deer on the island last week, ZIP operations director Duncan Kay said the operation was an opportunity to measure the effectiveness of deer repellant in reducing the impact of 1080 on white tailed deer. "It is acknowledged that deer repellent is unlikely to prevent all deer deaths."
Otago Daily Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Game council lauds wapiti application
The New Zealand Game Animal Council says protecting wapiti deer would preserve an unparalleled opportunity for a hunting icon. The council, said in a statement, it congratulated the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation on successfully submitting its wapiti "herd of special interest" (HOSI) proposal. Minister of Hunting and Fishing James Meager was considering formally designating wapiti as a HOSI in Fiordland National Park. To support the wapiti HOSI, the government will also introduce a Bill to Parliament to clarify the designation of HOSI in national parks, through a small amendment to the Game Animal Council Act 2013. If passed, the Bill will clarify that HOSI can be established in national parks as was originally intended and clarify the existing legislation. This move was criticised by Forest & Bird, which said it amounted to letting a North American species use a national park as a "vege patch". "The value of Fiordland wapiti is recognised in the Fiordland National Park management plan, representing one of the few truly wild wapiti herds outside their native range, and providing an unparalleled hunting opportunity in one of New Zealand's most remote and rewarding landscapes," Fiordland Wapiti Foundation chairman Grant Dodson said. "The herd holds historical significance and is a New Zealand hunting icon, given to New Zealand by United States President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905. "In 2011, the Wapiti Foundation began managing Fiordland wapiti under a community agreement with the Department of Conservation. The foundation has achieved sustained management of wapiti that protects Fiordland's unique biodiversity first, and provides for hunting purposes second, at near no cost to the taxpayer." He said the foundation actively managed the wapiti population to reduce impacts on the environment. It also managed six back-country huts and more than 500 predator-control traps, protecting native birds such as kiwi and blue duck. It had recently established a charitable trust enabling hunters to give the venison they harvested to foodbanks. "The annual wapiti hunting ballot attracts thousands of domestic and international hunters, bringing with it an estimated $1.3million spend per year. Additionally, wapiti hunters contribute thousands of hours to conservation initiatives. "The Fiordland Wapiti Foundation are recognised globally for how hunters and conservationists can work together to achieve shared goals, which is something to be celebrated and supported. "Designating a wapiti HOSI will safeguard the long-term gains already being made for conservation, hunters, the economy and the wider community and ensure they endure, independent of shifting government priorities or resources "The minister's ability to designate a HOSI has existed since the council's establishment by legislation in 2013. However, no HOSI has ever been created," he said. "The reasons for this are complex and include political considerations and lack of a formal process for considering proposals and developing a herd management plan. "The council looks forward to supporting the minister, the Department of Conservation and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation in the next phase of the HOSI process." — APL
