A large-scale managed hunt in Nelson Lakes National Park has removed more than 200 animals from a remote alpine area, as hunters, conservation staff and community groups worked together on deer control.
The New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) organised the hunt on the tops of the park’s Matakitaki Valley. Thirty-nine hunters were flown by helicopter into 13 blocks across the remote tops for a week, removing 202 deer and six chamois.
Nelson branch of NZDA’s Dave Haynes says the hunt delivered benefits on several fronts.
“It was a win for the national park by helping keep deer numbers managed, a win for recreational hunters who got access to a zone that is otherwise difficult to reach, and a win for the community.”
As part of the operation, venison from the hunt was processed and donated to a Blenheim foodbank.
“We were able to donate 192kg of mince, sausages and patties, thanks to grants from the Blenheim Lions Club and Lotteries for the processing costs. The meat will make a difference for the community.”
Dave says hunting in the area is hard yakka, but it was an absolute privilege to be there.
“We were blessed with amazing weather. It was very cold at night with frozen tarns and frost on the tent, but when the sun came up you were down to a t-shirt.
“Most hunters are conservationists by nature as well. We want to see native environments thriving, as being out in pristine wilderness adds immeasurably to the hunting experience.”
Department of Conservation Nelson Lakes operations manager John Wotherspoon says the collaboration with NZDA has been a strong one.
“It’s a great relationship, and everyone gets something they value out of it. We all want to see a healthy environment, and we can get more done by working together.
“DOC contributed to the helicopter costs and granted permission for the helicopter landings in an area where they are generally restricted, given the benefits these hunts have to conservation.
“As well as the animal control, the hunters give us lots of valuable data that really helps our understanding of the area.”
John says that while recreational hunting alone is not enough to keep on top of rising deer numbers, it makes a significant contribution alongside other management tools.
Dave says this was the third managed hunt NZDA has run in the area and the group hopes to run more in the future.
“It’s been great to see the community get behind us. We worked closely with Murchison Helicopters, were given grants for processing the meat, and were supplied handheld thermal devices from Advanced Optics, which made a big difference spotting deer we might not have otherwise seen.”
