Thread: Thar extermination

Yes tahr need managed. I hate the word culled. Their numbers are too high in some areas.

On my last trip we saw about 150 over a two and a half day trip, in three catchments and we walked over 75kms. There were five of us and we shot 18 tahr and took meat off them all.

Management involves liaising and listening to interested parties, our values and opinions as recreational hunters are being ignored.

Their estimated tahr population range following the latest survey is 17,500 to 53,000.

The numbers they are talking of culling will exceed the lower population estimate, so these operations will essentially eradicate the tahr from some ranges. That is the scary part.

No, they won't get all the tahr, particularly in South Westland, the bush will protect a few, but the East Coast blocks will easily be cleaned out.

Sage has made it clear that under her office, recreational hunting will have no purpose on the public estate. She is outright anti hunting.

Yes we've had it good, but that is about to change. No question.