Last year, more than 5,500 pests were removed from local OneFortyOne forests through the company’s hunting and pest control programme. Between April and December 2025, hunters cleared 3,357 pigs, 1,699 goats, 264 deer and 188 other pests from forestry blocks across the region.
The numbers highlight the vital role hunting plays in maintaining healthy forests. The results were achieved by about 400 hunters, including professional pest control contractors, forestry workers and members of the public with hunting access permits. Each hunter is required to log their kills before booking their next block, which ensures accountability and supports safe, managed access to the forests.
For local hunter and OneFortyOne harvest planner Stoph Riedel, hunting is about much more than pest control. “It’s an opportunity to provide meat for others and to protect young trees in our forestry blocks,” he says. “Last year my hunting partners and I gave venison and pork to 20 families, who were very appreciative. Controlling pests like possums and goats also protects young trees. Possums chew the tops out of saplings (young trees), and goats, especially in their first couple of years, can cause serious damage.”
Stoph, short for Christoph, has been hunting most of his life. “When I was eight, we were living in South Africa. The laws around gun safety and licensing were different there. I started shooting, with a pellet gun, a very pesty bird called a weaver. They arrived in large flocks, stripped crops and caused real problems.” His family moved to Tasman in 2002. “We didn’t do much hunting while we were getting settled and my father sorted his firearms licence,” he recalls.
Once settled, they began hunting on both DOC (Department of Conservation) and private land, and Stoph got his firearms licence and permits. Hunting, Stoph says, offers more than just environmental benefits. “It’s a chance to get out of the office, connect with others and contribute to pest management while providing meat. You get exercise, social time, and to clear your head, whether you’re out with a mate or on your own.”
With OneFortyOne’s public hunting season kicking off on 3 April 2026, Stoph encourages anyone interested to get involved and experience the benefits of responsible hunting and pest control for themselves, helping the forests, connecting with the community and putting meat on the table.
