Thread: Hunting in NZ, is it too easy?

I'd argue that it's naive to think that increased charges will benefit all New Zealanders. New Zealand hunters certainly wouldn't see any benefit from it. I don't think anyone at grassroots level in the tourism / hunting industry would benefit. I also don't think it'd deter many people at the end of the day.

Net effect? Less NZ'ers gainfully employed, more at the top lining their pockets, local hunters still "disenfranchised".

Depends what rules are put in place.
If every loopy hunter had to hire a guide by law, like I believe they should, there would be no problem.

I think that until NZ powers that be start treating the game as animals as a resource, and not simply a pest that has to be destroyed at all costs, nothing will change with regard to overseas hunters.

Hire a guide? Sure - I don't disagree with that. Provides more people with jobs, people with knowledge of the terrain, fauna and flora - need more people who know their land. Win/Win.

Originally Posted by Pengy

I think that until NZ powers that be start treating the game as animals as a resource, and not simply a pest that has to be destroyed at all costs, nothing will change with regard to overseas hunters.

Are they really treated as a pest?

Originally Posted by Ryan

The point I'd like to emphasise is that by these people coming here, they don't just come here and take something away from other New Zealanders by default by bagging something for the pot that a Kiwi may have got. They pay for accommodation, they pay for helis, they pay for food, they buy clothes, they buy drinks - like I said, they keep people in business.

That's a true point but they can still do that without shooting our animals for free.
How many of these tourist hunters load up there suit cases with meat or do they eat it before they leave.
There are plenty of game farms and private places for them to hunt with a guide or if they are lucky somebody will take them for a hunt.
I have no idea on numbers but I don't think there would be to many country's in the world who would let any tourist hunt for free.

Originally Posted by Ryan

Are they really treated as a pest?

I believe so. Ask DOC.

Originally Posted by Ryan

Are they really treated as a pest?

Ryan they kill them with mass drops of 1080 poison that's not how you handle a resource.

Originally Posted by Zamkiwi

Ryan they kill them with mass drops of 1080 poison that's not how you handle a resource.

OK. I understand.

Originally Posted by Zamkiwi

That's a true point but they can still do that without shooting our animals for free.
How many of these tourist hunters load up there suit cases with meat or do they eat it before they leave.
There are plenty of game farms and private places for them to hunt with a guide or if they are lucky somebody will take them for a hunt.
I have no idea on numbers but I don't think there would be to many country's in the world who would let any tourist hunt for free.

OK, but if they went into the sticks unguided, should they pay a premium? After all they're really not much more than a hiker with a rifle?

It's not just hunting, trout fishing as well. We bumped into some foreign fly fisherman up a river, while we were chatting to them a chopper turned up & dropped some heli-fisherman in, shit they got grumpy about it, "bloody heli fisherman taking all the good spots" quite ironic I thought...lol

i find it very ironic and a bit sad that this type of attitude exists amongst a fair amount of the kiwi population.

as a nation that is famous for enjoying the benefits and rewards of extensive travel and work in other parts of the world, why does this attitude still exist ?

how many kiwis live, work, and play all over the world ?

globalisation is a reality - unfortunately, some people only want it to be a one-way street...

exactly ebf, its a global market and we are giving it away for free.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

exactly ebf, its a global market and we are giving it away for free.

I think you mean "throwing it away"

i find it very ironic and a bit sad that this type of attitude exists amongst a fair amount of the kiwi population.

as a nation that is famous for enjoying the benefits and rewards of extensive travel and work in other parts of the world, why does this attitude still exist ?

how many kiwis live, work, and play all over the world ?

globalisation is a reality - unfortunately, some people only want it to be a one-way street...

Lots of us have (or still do) but we still can't hunt / fish in these "other countries "for free or just the cost of a licence. Nor would they rescue us "for free" if i were required.

I have no problem with overseas hunters or fisherman coming over here. Hell I have taken my guests hunting and fishing, they were all surprised to find they could "just buy a licence" and off they could go"

Can a tourist (with out paying a mandatory guide) just rock up in UK or US get a licence and go trout fishing..................um no, game-bird hunting in the US...................um no, big game hunting in the US........................um no, big game hunting in Africa............um no BUT hunting Tahr in NZ Alps with no experience (foolish but entirely possible)....................hell yes

But hey I also think PLBs should be Mandatory to carry in all NP's just to cut down the cost of actually "finding" you when you are lost or broken as it would mean more $$ available for other "hunts for other people"

NZ is a tourism destination which is great for NZ. I agree that they should pay for the right to hunt / Fish, we all do through our taxes. But then what would happen long term? most NZers can't afford to take there families to the tourism spots in our own land because the costs are geared for the oversees dollar. The govt will work out there's money to be made and then who knows what might happen to our so called free hunting.
How many of us have seen all off our beautiful country? Most people I know have seen more of the world than there own country, they are happy to pay the money to do all the things overseas and then come back and complain about the cost of seeing the sights in NZ.
Not sure what I'm trying to say but what really pisses me off is seeing them on a fishing charter and taking / catching a heap of fish which you know they aren't going to eat or send home.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

exactly ebf, its a global market and we are giving it away for free.

yes and no VC. NZ is at the bottom end of the world, it is not cheap getting here. as Ryan has pointed out before, every single tourist that gets here, does spend money in other ways. without tourist $, most of the small south island towns would simply cease to exist. have you seen what Te Anau looks like when the Milford road is closed ?

do we really want to reduce or increase the number of tourists ? how are you going to control access to public land ? will each "foreign" visitor wanting to do do one of the big walks have to pay extra ? how are you going to distinguish a tramper from a hunter or fisherman ? are you going to employ a horde of rangers just to do checking of permits ?

i used to do a lot of travel in Namibia. they significantly raised the national park fees for non-residents (to the point where it was ridiculous - hotel price for a tent site), I simply ended up going somewhere else ... it would be interesting to see how much of NZ's income, especially SI depends of tourism.

it would also be interesting if someone has stats of actual numbers of search-and-rescue for foreigners vs locals. see what the real picture is without the assumption that it is generally some clueless tourist.

and mikee, NZ is unique in that hunting is allowed on public conservation land. that situation does not exist in most of africa (commercial game farms). where you can hunt national parks, the fees are ploughed back into conservation, with such high prices that none of the locals could ever afford it (the extreme other end of what you have here). not sure how it works in mruca...