Thread: Wapiti in Fiordland: Herd of Special Interest (HOSI) process begins

Last year I got bailed up in a hut by one of those older lady F&B types because Id seen 20 animals that day and hadn't shot any. She was decidedly unhappy and told me the only reason they are there is to be killed and I wasn't doin my part.

yes they tend to be very brainwashed - not scared to send emails and write nasty letters either

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

what happened to the crown herd of Waps were they not on a farm somewhere - just imagine if they let some back out into Fiordland how good that would be for the gene pool - and before any one says it would not be allowed yes the Minister of Conservation could sign it off absolutely -

Ended up mainly in private ownership I think, so will have been amalgamated into commercial herd(s) I'd suspect. They were steadily sold off from 'public' ownership as 1) I understand the terms of their ownership being transferred to a collective of hunting groups was that they never be re-released; and 2) they were costing a lot to farm and the group made losses, so had to cash them in.

They had novel North American genetics introduced to increase antler/trophy potential. Just a personal thing, but for me that immediately removed their value to the wild herd. I think the great thing about our wild wapiti is they are a direct link with the original animals introduced and then hunted in the past. It's heritage, and 'heritage genes' now after all this time - I'd hate to see that 'contaminated' as size of antlers isn't the only important thing. BUT - that's my personal opinion and YMMV I wouldn't argue if FWF decided to try and soup things up although that doesnt seem to be their ethos

EDIT TO ADD: Maybe some are still owned by FWF, found this:

When the New Zealand deer farming industry crashed in 1998 the cost of maintaining the herd became prohibitive and the 383 animals were reduced considerably. Today the Crown Herd is owned by the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation and is being farmed in the Te Anau Basin on a share farming contract.

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Last year I got bailed up in a hut by one of those older lady F&B types because Id seen 20 animals that day and hadn't shot any. She was decidedly unhappy and told me the only reason they are there is to be killed and I wasn't doin my part.

Bloody hell! Should have told her to get a FAL, buy a rifle and get in to it.

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Im actually not sure, does F&B activity contribute too trapping and pest control Initiatives? Or are they solely advocacy?

There are various local initiatives led or contributed to by F&B, mainly predator trapping, planting etc - only ungulate control I'm aware of is a small block in the Catlin where they shoot a few goats from time to time

I had permission to shoot the F&B block in the Catlins once. They were horrified to hear there was a single deer on their land, yet it was full of deer because they wouldnt normally allow anyone to shoot on it. Which of course they didnt know because they really never went into it. They didnt seem to walk any tracks further than two hundred metres, even their own.

I have come to think of Forest and Bird members as people who have very strong opinions on places they have never been to.

about my impression to John when Ruakituri was made a wilderness area I was talking to a Twig and tweeter at Waikaremoana she was a member of a group called firiends of Te Urewera as well I said how disgusted I was that hunters could no longer fly in to Ruakituri - her view was well its nice to have areas like that - she had never been in there was to old to walk in and yet she thought it a great idea that no helicopters be allowed

Originally Posted by gimp

There are various local initiatives led or contributed to by F&B, mainly predator trapping, planting etc - only ungulate control I'm aware of is a small block in the Catlin where they shoot a few goats from time to time

Cheers. Is it fair to say between the wapiti and sika foundations that hunters have the biggest citizen initiatives?

This is a slight off-track post. My impression of the twig and tweet brigade is that they would prefer that, as well as animals; it would be better if humans weren't in there either.
worship from afar, so to speak

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Cheers. Is it fair to say between the wapiti and sika foundations that hunters have the biggest citizen initiatives?

Difficult to say. Depends how you cut it. Sika Foundation got a J4N grant that pays for their main active management so how much is it really a citizen initiative vs govt ? Not to diminish the good work done by volunteers

MSRT did a bunch of ungulate control in the Sounds, partially community funded. But sort of a one off

FWF is really the only long term, mainly standalone example of a good management program I can think of

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

I have come to think of Forest and Bird members as people who have very strong opinions on places they have never been to.

About right I reckon!