Thread: Southland Hunters; hunting in the Longwood?

Southland hunters may not be aware that there's quite a large area of the Longwood forest (try 26500 ha) that is Maori-owned - and managed by a Forest-Management firm based in Tuatapere;
After meeting their Operations Manager yesterday (nice chap), he shared with me that they were having to be extra vigilant - several of their workers currently cutting a road through the forest were abused by 'hunters' the day before (Saturday). (Yes, technically I was trespassing and put it all to rights this morning)

Hunters simply need a permit from the management company - who are very good to deal with - I honestly hadn't realised my DoC permit didn't cover all of the native areas. I'd hate our access to lovely forest be spoilt by some guys failing to show some basic respect.

Naturally I dislike us all being tarred by the same brush - so if any members are hunting in the Longwood, PM me and I'd be happy to pass on contact details so you too can be permitted and spread the word that we are the decent ones.

and no, the reds ain't moaning yet . . . (and they won't be until I get mine lol)

Si

That's interesting about them pushing a road through, I take it the way your talking it's going through native?

yes - maple beech is the main milling timber - that's where the timber for our brush handles (and the the new Supreme Court in Wn) came from!!!!

On principle I was 'opposed' to logging natives etc - but confess after seeing the evidence I'm not too unhappy - creates nice clear zones where it's not total 'jungle', and the regeneration is occurring. Standing timber is looking good too. This isn't clear-felling that's for sure. (OK the road itself was obviously).

There is some crap through those Longwood blocks left over from the clear felling days.

yes - observing a work site a few months ago made me realise their practice is quite different to the 'old days'. I just have to see that stag now!

Never been into the Longwoods but sounds like it could be worth a look.

Busy place the Longwoods, especially this time of year.

It is solely up to the hunter to ensure he/she has the right permissions to be on the land they are hunting on. wams.co.nz is a good starting point for boundaries etc.

Good reminder mate, cheers for putting it up.

As for native logging, not many places it is still happening, but it is still happening. Providing the tracks and roads do not re grow in gorse (often spread by machines ex agriculture/scrub clearing/etc) the native regen comes away very quickly. Within 5 years bulldozed tracks are often impassable because fern and native seedlings are so far established. In those years of regeneration the logging tracks can make for some exciting hunting. By selective logging and removing mature trees it opens up the canopy and allows light through to encourage new seedling growth. Often where a dozer has pulled a rimu out and disturbed the soils, in its place there will be many young rimus coming through the regen fern (which grows first). It doesn't take long. I have grown up surrounded by native logging, and have experienced it first hand both with ground based and heli-logging and it has always surprises me how fast the regrowth establishes itself when I revisit those areas.

thanks for the link to WAMS - I never knew it existed!

and you're right about those old bulldozed tracks - very exciting!

Originally Posted by JoshC

(often spread by machines ex agriculture/scrub clearing/etc)

And this is a MAJOR problem here. Why the hell wash downs etc aren't compulsory around this country has me beat. Get the machine in to cut tracks after it's been on gorse clearing else where. Yer. That's real brainy. :rolleyes:

Yep I agree. Some places I know of that were previously gorse/thistle/broom free are now littered with the crap.

Thankfully native plants are quite resilient and will outgrow gorse (eventually) and will shade it out. Same deal in commercial forestry.