Thread: Wild deer roaming Whanganui! C'mon people, where's the hunters?

The local bow hunters must be happy.

The article says it's 15km to the nearest DOC land

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Just wait until wallaby’s come to town, they’ll probably be a cute addition until they eat the wrong stuff lol

Originally Posted by TeRei

Certain iwi dont mind the fees obtained from trout licence sales for doing nothing let alone the spin off from tourism promoted trout fishing. On Xmas day at Te Pohue saw 2 stoats running in tandem across the Napier Taupo highway. What destruction to our native wild life will they do.They are NZ's best killers by a country mile.

Everything comes down to money it seems.

Originally Posted by Eat Meater

The article says it's 15km to the nearest DOC land

Deer didn't get the memo!

I dont see anything extraordinary or alarming in the article. Just a problem to be managed. People expressing legitimate concerns - they can be a bugger in domestic situations, countered by they are nice to see. Local Authorities restricted by what they can do, both money and authority wise. DOC a bit hamstrung.

Deer moving through from local farmland. Not a bad idea to get NZDA involved (I think it's an affiliated hunting club in Whanganui?) - perhaps a role back program can be facilitated with the local farmers using local hunters? Maybe a HUNTS course opportunity? Looks more like an opportunity than a problem.

There are way too many Fallow from Whanganui to Raetihi.

The DOC spokesperson is talking through a hole in his arse. The Wild Animal Control Act 1977 delegates powers to DoC to be in control of all feral animals not held behind a legal enclosure.
Part 1
Wild animal control
4Wild animals to be controlled
(1)

This Act shall apply to all land, having regard to the provisions of any Act applying to the land, and shall be for the purposes of controlling wild animals generally, and of eradicating wild animals locally where necessary and practicable, as dictated by proper land use.
(2)

This Act shall be administered, having regard to the general purposes specified in subsection (1), so as to—
(a)
ensure concerted action against the damaging effects of wild animals on vegetation, soils, waters, and wildlife; and
(b)
achieve co-ordination of hunting measures; and
(c)
provide for the regulation of recreational hunting, commercial hunting, wild animal recovery operations, and the training and employment of staff.
Section 4(2)(c): amended, on 1 October 1999, by section 3 of the Wild Animal Control Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 80).

The act also says that all feral animals are property of the crown unless legally held or taken,
Ownership of wild animals
(1)

All wild animals shall be the property of the Crown:
provided that where any wild animal has been lawfully taken or killed or is lawfully held pursuant to this Act, it shall cease to be the property of the Crown, and the animal shall be deemed to be the property of the person by whom it was so taken or killed, or by whom it is held:
provided also that nothing in this subsection shall have effect so as to impose any obligation or liability on the Crown in respect of damage done by any wild animal.

The upshot is that DoC could control the animals in the Aramoho area on the farmland that adjoins the suburb, but they won't. Several reasons 1) they are scared of their own shadows or anyone criticising them, and (2) they probably don't have staff with firearms licences or firearms. They could get contractors in, but they have no money left of their $830M budget?

Originally Posted by smidey

Just wait until wallaby’s come to town, they’ll probably be a cute addition until they eat the wrong stuff lol

They have been in Timaru before.i have seen them in standrews...

If local council can shoot rabbits and possums in local parks,they can just as legally shoot a deer.

Originally Posted by Ruger7mm

The DOC spokesperson is talking through a hole in his arse. The Wild Animal Control Act 1977 delegates powers to DoC to be in control of all feral animals not held behind a legal enclosure.
Part 1
Wild animal control
4Wild animals to be controlled
(1)

This Act shall apply to all land, having regard to the provisions of any Act applying to the land, and shall be for the purposes of controlling wild animals generally, and of eradicating wild animals locally where necessary and practicable, as dictated by proper land use.
(2)

This Act shall be administered, having regard to the general purposes specified in subsection (1), so as to—
(a)
ensure concerted action against the damaging effects of wild animals on vegetation, soils, waters, and wildlife; and
(b)
achieve co-ordination of hunting measures; and
(c)
provide for the regulation of recreational hunting, commercial hunting, wild animal recovery operations, and the training and employment of staff.
Section 4(2)(c): amended, on 1 October 1999, by section 3 of the Wild Animal Control Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 80).

The act also says that all feral animals are property of the crown unless legally held or taken,
Ownership of wild animals
(1)

All wild animals shall be the property of the Crown:
provided that where any wild animal has been lawfully taken or killed or is lawfully held pursuant to this Act, it shall cease to be the property of the Crown, and the animal shall be deemed to be the property of the person by whom it was so taken or killed, or by whom it is held:
provided also that nothing in this subsection shall have effect so as to impose any obligation or liability on the Crown in respect of damage done by any wild animal.

The upshot is that DoC could control the animals in the Aramoho area on the farmland that adjoins the suburb, but they won't. Several reasons 1) they are scared of their own shadows or anyone criticising them, and (2) they probably don't have staff with firearms licences or firearms. They could get contractors in, but they have no money left of their $830M budget?

The article acknowledged that, but implied a reluctance to do it. Your last para probably sums it up. Honestly, if I was DOC I would hesitate to use the Act to enter private land against a farmers' wish. It would make your job hell.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

They have been in Timaru before.i have seen them in standrews...

See a few hoppers on the SH1 there at St Andrew's too. The deer have definately come further down the valley here, when I was a kid there would be the odd one in the lower reaches of the Marewhenua behind duntroon but not really anything further down. You know where I live @Micky Duck my sister works across the road there and they are often right down low, they even saw one of them right in the middle of the big "A" on the hill. Forestry planting has definately been a factor in the spread of deer giving them little "islands" of safety to travel from one place to another.

Indeed I've seen them,and a decent boar from road on other side of the valley from you. Yes there are more around but sure aren't in plague proportions in South Canterbury public huntable land.

I'd worry more about all the roaming mastiff type dogs up there than little old Bambi mowing the berns for free

Originally Posted by SneedFeed

I'd worry more about all the roaming mastiff type dogs up there than little old Bambi mowing the berns for free

That's Whangarei isn't it?

Originally Posted by Tahr

The article acknowledged that, but implied a reluctance to do it. Your last para probably sums it up. Honestly, if I was DOC I would hesitate to use the Act to enter private land against a farmers' wish. It would make your job hell.

Bang on. I have a mate who used to provide pest control services to Doc, for situations exactly like this but has chucked it in.
Too hard, too confrontational.
Doc still need to consult with landowners, the Health & Safety work is significant, and obviously the more built up the greater the risk.
People get very emotional when talk of firearms and killing deer they consider cute, theirs, on their land.
They had stakeholder meetings where they (Doc staff) needed police escorts to and from the meetings.
Then if Iwi or Iwi land is involved, there is another whole layer of comp land cost.

The last year he did it, they spent 75% of the budget behind the desk. Not a pest removed. $680,000 from memory.