Thread: Time to re-introduce a paying for deer/goat tail scheme?

Ive always said bring in a bounty on the possums. Doesn't matter where it comes from its still a dead possum

InfIll with Barry on this one. If you shoot a certain proportion of goats in an area it follows that the remaining goats have more food and are thus in better condition, with more successful matings than in overpopulated areas.
To abouts this you need to smash an area hard and get the population right down then maintain it. Otherwise you're just making life easier for the remainder, and the pig population explodes.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

but 30 well fed goats will on balance eat less vegetation than 100 skinny hungry ones or even 40 hungry ones. pig population explodes...yes they go in cycles,Bill Westwood adressed that on the telly a month back...when lots of easy pigs you get lots of hunters out n about,the numbers drop and it becomes hard,the less dedicated drop out of it. numbers slowly creep back up if the guys still chasing them dont keep at it.... and yes pigs get released as without pigs to catch,your dogs wont hunt.... the big 1080 drops free up large amounts of feed and pigs do well from it PLUS hunters will shun the area as unsafe for dogs for 6-8-10 months so double jeopardy.
the ultimate LONG TERM solution is a smaller well hunted population of just about everything..we cant eliminate them,nearly 100 years of trying has proven that...so we need to manage them...as cleverly and cheaply as possible. to my mind flying a chopper/fixed wing plane up a gorse encroached track and spraying a 10mtr wide zone every 5 years to maintain good access into a block just has to be cheaper than poison drop every 10 when populations explode due to low hunter numbers in area due to poor access.

Yes, the "cobra bounty" story is interesting. As usual "greed" takes over.
But a fox bounty of $10 seems to work in Victoria. (AU) ($10 currently buys abt 5ltrs of diesel)
Its enough to create an incentive but certainly not enough encourage breeding. There was a period where people were shooting them interstate and handing them (masks) over to the Gov in Victoia for payment. (I think only Vic has a fox and dog bounty)
Do blokes make a profit out of fox bounties? I doubt it, but for those with all the gear and efficient it would perhaps cover costs with a bit of beer/ammo money left over.

keas,hawks.......both were brough to very low numbers due to bounty payment
pleased someone mentioned the foxes....

I think a small say $5 bounty on possum tails would be a good idea, as the guys doing fur/skins would most likely go from being barely profitable to making it a bit more financially viable hence being out there more catching more possums.
I don't think DOC alone would be able to implement this it would need to come from a variety of stakeholders ie AHB/DOC/OSPREY? I doubt it would work for deer or goats but for possums I think it would help, if for nothing else would keep people employed for longer and not necessarily relying on a benefit for example. In the current climate that cant be anything but beneficial?

Bounties on rabbits stopped because , among perhaps other reasons such as funding, rabbit cullers left the occasional rabbit warren alone to ensure they got to cone back and get paid the next year. Was a case study in 5th form social studies when I was at school. So long ago I'm lucky I still remember it I guess. Myxomatosis was brought in later instead, iirc first by desperate farmers then under a govt prog. That hasn't worked either.

Rather than a bounty, how about encouraging hunting and shooting as heritage NZ outdoor sports. Value them nationally by making the sport more accessible, fund ranges, clubs, training etc etc. And remove the public stigma. Promote hunting as a valuable and endorsed public service even. But I'm not holding my breath...

What’s happened to the “follow the money” brigade? A bounty would turn into a costly administrative junket. Paying a bounty for culling fringe dwelling animals and top end populations would be poring money down the dunny for a feel good factor. I would go so far as to say a bounty would not increase the pest kill very much at all. Those who currently can, do. I wouldnt expect new entrants because of a bounty that realistically would hardly cover costs.

Honestly I would rather the money go into strategic professional culling and horror upon horror poison application.

perhaps a little heads up here on how DOC gets its money may clarify things as to why a bounty is a no brainer and a no show - DOC starting around Jan Feb start to formulate the next years business plan - okay so as a Program Manager I would be aske to cost out next years operations this would include any new projects - these go to Conservancy where the first no yes takes place - these then go to head office - and again yes no - they will have some idea what Treasury has in store as to a possible budget next financial year - once a project is approved this is then negotiated with treasury and if all go added to business plan - now projects are a purchase of staff hours and operating dollars with treasury - they have time lines and have exactly what the DOC will deliver for that project - projects have to be time bound and have clearly measurable out comes - money once allocated to an approved project cannot be taken for other projects in another division of DOC - - a bounty would not even get past the very first stage -why because its outcome will be zilch - it would have no impact what so ever be it deer goats or possums - yes nice for a shooter but as for effective control nah nyet non - cant spell it out any clearer - to control any animal population one needs to control over 90% of the population or better - and then keep that up - not going to happen guys -volunteers in a small area maybe

which just goes to proove how stuffed that model of funding is....... and again it cannot be a zilch result..and dead one is a dead one LOL.

well you Mickey Duck will be happy especially if it was 1) edible and 2) ya pulled of a great shot so all is not lost - its a lot better model now than it was back in very early days - 70.s 80.s with FS and Lands and Survey - we had no idea of what the budget was - we asked for dollars to say paint a hut and were told by Boss yes or no - bloody hopeless -

Currently doc are more concerned with your ability to do paper work rather then your hunting ability or experience.

yes sadly with DOC if a local Area Manager has a strong drive to service Rec hunters then they may get a good deal in that area - but Nationally they are lacking in support - lets hope for a good Conservation Minster this round

you could still have those certain areas culled by professionals but bring in a bounty will encourage your average joe blow to get involved.
Like a $1 a tail for a goat, 50cents a possum not a get rich scheme tax free
On a block i work the council come every two or three years for possums. its a waste of time. time they get back the numbers are back up. Even on the hawkes bay boundary they get them down to a certain level then leave rather then keep going with bait stations etc

Different agencies have different mandates. Doc are only concerned with ecological values on the public estate. ospri are only interested in pest populations that carry TB or are likely to and to infect cattle. That’s getting less and less. The last possum or deer is of no interest to them. Regional Council are cash constrained and only really have a collaborating role with doc and ospri in regards to pests.
Good luck to coordinating, administrating and funding a bounty across that lot.