Thread: Newshub attacking Sika

It's not just the Sika doing the damage - yes Sika are a part of the problem but it some parts of that area I recall a lot of storm damage from a few years back as well as a bit of a rising issue with pigs and goats. I have no idea what the possum situation is now, haven't been through there for a long while (too long damn kids and life getting in the way).

There's also the other issue with invasive plants like the wilding pines, there was an area there that we used to go to where the pines were a uniform 1.5-2m high and clearly visible through the native, I bet that area hasn't had any control and the pines are winning. One of the better things I saw was helicopter recovery of cut pines, except the weather delayed the recovery flight by a week or two and the bloody trees were loaded with cones! Rotor downwash, pine cones, yeeeeaaaaahhhhhhhh not a good combo. Also temperature and environmental shift won't be helping the native regen.

It all adds up to a environmental shift which isn't helpful - in itself singling out one part of the problem and framing it as the sole cause isn't helpful and doesn't do F&B credibility any good.

hughs 500 and a good crew doing search n destroy and leaving any good looking stags is a win win when population is too high.... the "who pays for it"??? bit is always the fly in the ointment

I would suggest that everyone who isn't already a member, join the Sika Foundation.
At least that will put one more number on our side.
Far better than just whinging and bitching on the Internet and wondering why hunters don't get listened to.
Search some of the research data on the Foundations website. Some very interesting stuff regarding sika.
Quite a lot of hunters don't have a clue about various areas carrying capacity. Some areas in there one deer per square km is overstocked. Hunters hear such and such area has too many deer and go in there expecting to have a bomb up. Then see no deer and next to no sign. Next thing they are on the Internet bagging the "experts" about high deer numbers.

I don’t hunt there, so can’t add anything like many here can.
When I read the story, my feeling was most was probably correct, apart the the CEO of F&B, I think “imminent collapse” is their typical hyperbole.
This sort of exaggeration doesn’t help, their cause, I would expect more of a CEO.

But the answers pretty obvious, we need to get out from behind our electronic devices, and get into the Kaweka’s and do our bit. 7mm SAUM has all but given us GPS coordinates.

I’m going to take my kids into the Boyd over Christmas, we’ll smack what we can.

well if you know who hadnt shat on FALoners from a great height with all the other palava and side issues plus a left leaning MSM who shit stir at drop of a hat ,more people may have been inclined to get out and assist in sorting it .What makes me laugh in my rising 70th year is the battle to control deer ,pigs possums ,goats and thar has been going on in NZ for99%of my lifetime and the campaigns waged were akin to ww3 in some forms.FFS DOC still practises chemical warfare using 1080 banned in the majority of western countries.Add in some of our academics with their ???schemes ,but no the animals still lead the field by a country mile and continue to do so.
seems humanity is frankly delusional when we insist we are the smartest of the species .

Deer numbers are high for sure in places , sadly I don’t think the weekend warrior hunter ( that’s me ) even shooting everything he sees is going to reduce significant numbers , its probably a job for professionals on the ground with good dogs etc. , after that sadly it aerial , shooting or the dreaded. 1080

The targeting of higher order mammals with 1080 is still illegal in NZ, as far as I am aware.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

hughs 500 and a good crew doing search n destroy and leaving any good looking stags is a win win when population is too high.... the "who pays for it"??? bit is always the fly in the ointment

Yeah, you’d think so. But the Sika Foundation appear to be having more success with ground hunters in the Rangitikei? However, DoC seemed happy enough with the results of the aerial S&D program they ran in the Kawekas a few years back?

Suppose they'll have to bring out the 1080 and kill everything so no one can hunt for free food?

Originally Posted by kotuku

well if you know who hadnt shat on FALoners from a great height with all the other palava and side issues plus a left leaning MSM who shit stir at drop of a hat ,more people may have been inclined to get out and assist in sorting it .What makes me laugh in my rising 70th year is the battle to control deer ,pigs possums ,goats and thar has been going on in NZ for99%of my lifetime and the campaigns waged were akin to ww3 in some forms.FFS DOC still practises chemical warfare using 1080 banned in the majority of western countries.Add in some of our academics with their ???schemes ,but no the animals still lead the field by a country mile and continue to do so.
seems humanity is frankly delusional when we insist we are the smartest of the species .

The animals are still in the lead because there’s too much hui and not enough doie
Everyone’s happy to talk talk talk about it, shine some seats, build the ego, feel a little pious, -loving to be gazed upon or even revered

But hardly anyone wants to go out there and actually DO some work
You have to be persistent and consistent because the deer are making more deer, - every year !!

Talk is cheap, always will be

Originally Posted by XR500

The targeting of higher order mammals with 1080 is still illegal in NZ, as far as I am aware.

Geez I’m not sure , anyway that’s an icky topic , bring back some young deer cullers on the ground I say where it’s needed , pretty hard to get the numbers down in heavy bush areas with a helicopter .
Careful what you wish for I guess , most of us have always wanted more deer about , I started in the 80’s and hunting was hard , racing the machines to the clearings only to find gut bags , now we are in a situation that we have too many ….is everywhere like that though ? , certainly most of the stations/farms that back on to the Bush or Parks seem to be the worst for too many animals but access to that is very limited obviously .

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

The animals are still in the lead because there’s too much hui and not enough doie
Everyone’s happy to talk talk talk about it, shine some seats, build the ego, feel a little pious, -loving to be gazed upon or even revered

But hardly anyone wants to go out there and actually DO some work
You have to be persistent and consistent because the deer are making more deer, - every year !!

Talk is cheap, always will be

You organise a concession for me to be dropped off near the Burn with a bag of rice and and sack of ammo for 10 days and I will do my bit

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

The animals are still in the lead because there’s too much hui and not enough doie
Everyone’s happy to talk talk talk about it, shine some seats, build the ego, feel a little pious, -loving to be gazed upon or even revered

But hardly anyone wants to go out there and actually DO some work
You have to be persistent and consistent because the deer are making more deer, - every year !!

Talk is cheap, always will be

sometimes the truth makes for an uncomfortable bedmate too.

Originally Posted by Maxx

Yeah, you’d think so. But the Sika Foundation appear to be having more success with ground hunters in the Rangitikei? However, DoC seemed happy enough with the results of the aerial S&D program they ran in the Kawekas a few years back?

Tell us more about these sika in the Rangitikei?

A picture paints a thousand words. Sika roar 2023.