By Corina Jordan, NZGAC CE

There are some difficult conversations happening across the country right now about the place of game animals in New Zealand, their presence in national parks, and the role of hunters in their management.

Rising deer numbers across several regions show that the current system for managing game animals is not fit for purpose. New Zealand is at a crossroads. We can either continue down the current path, or we can embrace a management system that values game animals. That empowers hunters to be at the table and lead management initiatives. And to see hunting and game animals secured for future generations.

The GAC is working to achieve the latter, by seeking a leadership role in the sustainable management of game animals in New Zealand.

Now more than ever, it is important that the hunting sector remains united. A values-based management system where hunters are at the table is a shared aspiration across the sector, and while there may be a range of views on how best to progress toward that outcome, I hope we can continue to place emphasis on common purpose and a shared commitment to working together in the interest of the broader outcome.

In late January, the NZ Tahr Foundation facilitated an international auction for a bull tahr hunt opportunity in Westland Tai Poutini National Park. This auction was available worldwide and raised NZD $50,000 to carry out hunter led tahr management in the national park. I also attended the Reno Sheep Show (at my own cost), to champion New Zealand as a world class hunting and fishing destination; to connect with other statutory hunting and fishing organisations, sharing ideas and resources; and to support the NZTF.

This type of initiative hasn’t been done before in New Zealand, and there have been some key learnings for both the NZTF and myself as a result. I acknowledge the importance of transparency and communication across the sector and that due to very tight permission time frames beyond the NZTF or GAC’s control, this didn’t happen how it should have.

At present, the Department of Conservation is the statutory manager of tahr. Under current law, DOC is required to eradicate tahr in national parks and controls access to those areas. DOC culls to waste and provides concessions for aerially assisted trophy hunting (AATH), while recreational hunter access remains limited.

The future of tahr and hunting is uncertain if there are not changes made to this system, and the auction presented a strong opportunity to demonstrate:

  • The value of these animals (consequently $50,000 for one bull tahr)
  • Financially sustainable hunter led management opportunities, and
  • The current access challenges for recreational hunters in national parks.

The auction has enabled much needed advocacy and conversation to facilitate solving these issues.

The rapidly changing nature and extremely tight timeframes made it challenging to effectively communicate the auction across the sector. This has resulted in an information vacuum, leading to perceptions of unfairness. I would like to reassure the sector that the GAC continues to actively prioritise domestic recreational hunter access to New Zealand’s game animal resources and are committed to ensuring NZ hunters have a greater say in the management of a sustainable tahr herd.

Thank you to those that have provided feedback and engaged with the GAC and NZTF over this process. Hunter led organisations across New Zealand are contributing significant voluntary efforts to secure a future for hunting and game animals in New Zealand and I encourage you to continue supporting them, particularly as we enter a period of significant change.