Thread: For all the farmers complaining about deer, goats and other pests

Numbers aren't high around here as we still have waro

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

Numbers aren't high around here as we still have waro

U mean u have hale haha

Originally Posted by Padox

U mean u have hale haha

Sure do just over the road, can't quite see his place fro here but that's only because trees block the view.

Yip thought as much

PM sent flock....

Happy Jack, how much WARO is happening out of Hanmer? I didn't think there had been any for quite a while.

I think there is a significant difference between quality pest control and causal hunting access. The former suggests you will put significant effort in when the farmer needs you rather than the odd Sunday arvo when family and work permit. I have had a standing request to rid an Otorahanga area farm of turkeys for the last 18 mths. And yes shoot all the rabbits and hares you want, bed and breakfast provided and by the way we also have a block with a goat problem. I've managed to get there twice from Auckland. Lockdown, family and life intervenes.

So I am pretty careful as to what I commit to. I have an offer to help deal with a deer problem "out the back of the farm " in Taumaranui area. 15 mths ago. Have not been able to get there yet. Next year I intend to change that. But I won't be offering a pest service. Just respect, safe practice and hopefully some meat in both freezers.

I shoot a farm recreationally for rabbits. It's disheartening when rabbits 300 or more metres away get a glimpse of a human and scarper instantly to safety. Why do they do that? Well, I spoke to the farmer bout this, and he mentioned that there are a few people that also come out to shoot rabbits. I then replied 'you may want to vet these people a little as all they are doing is educating the rabbits and not getting the numbers needed'. He saw my point.
Everyone likes to think that they are a great shot, but the reality is- every shot missed is an educated rabbit.
Personally, I try to be pragmatic and hunt and stalk them the same as I hunt deer. And if I think I may miss, I do not shoot.
Rabbits cost farmers alot of lost profit, but folks don't really care bout that. The pigs head goes on and away they go bangin up like its world war three for fuck all else other than feeling like sly Stallone. Ive watched it time and time again.

Originally Posted by kidmac42

I shoot a farm recreationally for rabbits. It's disheartening when rabbits 300 or more metres away get a glimpse of a human and scarper instantly to safety. Why do they do that? Well, I spoke to the farmer bout this, and he mentioned that there are a few people that also come out to shoot rabbits. I then replied 'you may want to vet these people a little as all they are doing is educating the rabbits and not getting the numbers needed'. He saw my point.
Everyone likes to think that they are a great shot, but the reality is- every shot missed is an educated rabbit.
Personally, I try to be pragmatic and hunt and stalk them the same as I hunt deer. And if I think I may miss, I do not shoot.
Rabbits cost farmers alot of lost profit, but folks don't really care bout that. The pigs head goes on and away they go bangin up like it world war three for fuck all else other than feeling like sly Stallone. Ive watched it time and time again.

The rabbit population is quite puzzling. I've been hearing about how bad the HB numbers are, yet I don't see many at all on my farm. Cape Kidnappers region is allegedly overwhelmed by rabbits, but less than 10kms away I don't see them. So I was starting to think this was a bit of a tall story, until 2 weekends back I took my 17yr old for a stroll up to Bell Rock, a bit inland from Tutira N of Napier. As we went up the road the number of rabbits slowly increased, until we suddenly hit a patch where there were rabbits everywhere. On the way back I counted, we counted over 100 rabbits just on the road edge of Pohokura Road in the 4-5km or so from the Bell Road Loop down to the kiwi sanctuary. Then beyond that the population reduced considerably to just one or two every km, back down to Tutira. This was the first time in my life I have seen this, almost like an invisble barrier over which there were suddenly masses of rabbits. It owuld be interesting to know why this occurs.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

The rabbit population is quite puzzling. I've been hearing about how bad the HB numbers are, yet I don't see many at all on my farm. Cape Kidnappers region is allegedly overwhelmed by rabbits, but less than 10kms away I don't see them. So I was starting to think this was a bit of a tall story, until 2 weekends back I took my 17yr old for a stroll up to Bell Rock, a bit inland from Tutira N of Napier. As we went up the road the number of rabbits slowly increased, until we suddenly hit a patch where there were rabbits everywhere. On the way back I counted, we counted over 100 rabbits just on the road edge of Pohokura Road in the 4-5km or so from the Bell Road Loop down to the kiwi sanctuary. Then beyond that the population reduced considerably to just one or two every km, back down to Tutira. This was the first time in my life I have seen this, almost like an invisble barrier over which there were suddenly masses of rabbits. It owuld be interesting to know why this occurs.

Not many out Cape Kidnappers anymore, lucky to see a single one. An eradication project has been started out there which I am fortunate enough to have been a part of.

Yeah out the back of Tutira there is a handful of farms with high numbers but I'm picking over the next couple of years that will change. Those farms have had high numbers on and off for a very long time. They seem to spread really slowly outwards, like an invisible barrier as you said.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

The rabbit population is quite puzzling. I've been hearing about how bad the HB numbers are, yet I don't see many at all on my farm. Cape Kidnappers region is allegedly overwhelmed by rabbits, but less than 10kms away I don't see them. So I was starting to think this was a bit of a tall story, until 2 weekends back I took my 17yr old for a stroll up to Bell Rock, a bit inland from Tutira N of Napier. As we went up the road the number of rabbits slowly increased, until we suddenly hit a patch where there were rabbits everywhere. On the way back I counted, we counted over 100 rabbits just on the road edge of Pohokura Road in the 4-5km or so from the Bell Road Loop down to the kiwi sanctuary. Then beyond that the population reduced considerably to just one or two every km, back down to Tutira. This was the first time in my life I have seen this, almost like an invisble barrier over which there were suddenly masses of rabbits. It owuld be interesting to know why this occurs.

Local gene pool immune to virus?

Vid is ok,but the head banging music sure spoils it even for a olda pensioner.

This will be a gold mine for lawyers one day.

Farmer (business) makes verbal agreement (contract) with "Back Country Pest Control" to provide pest control service on his property. "Back Country Pest Control" come along, accidentally shoot the top performing cow, gun explodes, drive the ute over the cliff, someone of the "crew" breaks their leg and can't go to work for 3 month, leave a dead deer in the stream where the neighbor get's his water from, ...

Farmer gets in the shit with ACC, WorkSafe and his insurance laughs while slowly walking away backwards. Where does he go to recoup the costs - the institution he made the contract with. Surely they have H&S plans, regular vehicle, gun and gear checks, staff training and even a liability insurance, yes! How else could you provide a service like this theses days? Ups, "Back Country Pest Control" is actually not a registered company. WTF? But the flyer suggests it is and they even had references from previous customers, says the farmer. Farmers lawyer suggests to him to runs for the hills and guess what? NewbieZAR personally will be held liable for this little Red Tape episode.

Sadly there is a big difference between letting a friend on the farm to shoot a deer for the freezer and something like NewbieZAR and his "Back Country Pest Control" service is trying to do. Nothing personally, it's just the crazy world of regulations, laws and society we live in these days.

He's right tho even a verbal contract makes the farmer liable for it

Jasa....YOU might choose to live in that world.....the rest of us do not have to....a mans word is his bond still applies in some places. I fcuk it up I fix it up...end of story.