Disclaimer

Readers are reminded that articles printed in this publication are the personal opinion of the writer and may differ from the official views of the Sambar Deer Management Foundation Inc.

1997 Season Report

This years season report will be following a similar format as past years. For the public ballot last year we received 910 applications. This is a similar number to previous year. Our thanks to the Forest Managers, Rayoiner NZ Ltd, Ernslaw One Ltd, Justice Department and Department of Conservation for the access granted to the lands they administer. Without this access we could not have balloted 111 blocks and 15 reserve positions. The number of blocks was up on the previous year as we put 6 extra hunters into Waitarere forest to try to reduce numbers in this forest at the request of the Forest Owners. Of the reserve hunters all but 3 were given the chance to take up a block. These would also have had a chance with some hunters not hunting and not advising the Foundation that they would not be on their block. In addition to the 111 public licences we issued 162 licences to hunt on private land. This gives a total of 273 legal hunters, 36 more than the previous years. The interest in Sambar hunting continues to grow.

Returns this year were disappointing to say the least. We received 184 returns that we could identify who they were from and an additional 36 that had no form of identification. The last return received only 4 weeks ago. It is a requirement of the licence that returns be forwarded by the end of October each year. We are looking into taking a hard line on the hunters not sending in returns as the information provided is important to the continued management of the Sambar heard. The reason not being able to identify sum returns was due to a change in the format of the return and this will be corrected this year. (we try to make it easier for hunters to do the return but sometimes errors happen).

Due to the low percentage of returns the details given appear different from previous years. This season 469 animals were seen compared with 752 the previous year. However at this point we do not believe that there has been that big a drop in Sambar numbers. During the season public land produced 13 animals, Moutoa Flax Reserve 4, Waitarere 3, Harakeke 2, Santoft 2, Tangimoana 2.

Time spent hunting was 3171 hours with 995 additional hours spent in research. The quickest hunt was 15 minutes and again this was on a ballot block. This year hunters estimate they spent $38972.00 while on their hunt. However this amount is considerable underestimated. The actual figure is most likely in excess of $150,000.00.

Memories

Like Warwick I look back on the last season with generally good memories. We had some problems but these always seem to come up. This year they tried to be a bit more difficult and unusual but in general were all solvable. I started a note book of reminders, phone calls and events when the last news letter went out and by the end of the season had filled two. We do get some odd things happening. We have key access to some blocks, each person is asked to return the key immediately after their hunt so it can be sent to the next person. One key sent out for the first weekend was not returned until after the season was over.

Foundation monitors who give up their time freely and do running around at their own cost are often put under a lot of pressure by hunters who do not read the licence conditions or follow instructions given on maps or by Foundation members. My request to ALL hunters is read the instructions, stay on your block or allocated area and use common sense (something that seems to disappear with the sight of a Sambar!). Last year Warwick and I probable covered well over 3000km either on survey or monitoring during the season. My poor Telstar (yes the same brown one) ends up in the strangest places especially with comments like “You’ll get through there easy!!” from the passenger seat. Although this year I did get a “I think that this is far enough” while trying to get up one track. We were lucky it had not been raining. All this to try to find a hunter and see how they are doing.

Chairman’s Report 97-98

The weight of this years activities has been towards research projects which we hope will help to maintain the Sambar herd on public and private land so as to give future generations of New Zealander’s a unique wild animal in better numbers, health, and range.

Poaching is simple, if there are no Sambar left then we all have failed. Poachers have been able to shoot animals and have them processed to meat products that have been hard to identify as having come from a Sambar. We have entered into an agreement with Ag-Research (Invermay) to develop a DNA data base which identify blood, meat, skin and hair samples as coming from a Sambar deer (Cervis Unicolor). With this we will be more able to bring poachers and black market meat processors to court. Any information on these activities will be treated in the strictest confidence.

TB has been present in cattle and other animals within the herds range. The Foundation helped MAF sample animals taken, for the presence of TB for two years. There was no TB in any animal sampled. MAF did not request or require sampling in 97. MAF’s veterinary officer, at that time stated that the sampling undertaken showed that there was little likelihood that Sambar carried TB. Although it was admitted that the only way to be 100% sure was to sample 100% of the animals. However there has been a request to reactivate sampling, subject to the availability of funds, in the 1998 season, as there have been more reactors in cattle herds, within a small part the Sambar range. We are aware that its a double edged sword that is being wielded with sampling, but it should also be noted that Possums and Ferrets are still considered to be the main vectors. As such they represent a potential risk to the Sambar herd as well as cattle herds.

Tree Damage may be a function of deer numbers or it may not, but some forest owners make the assumption that increased numbers of deer will result in increased damage, (other than that caused by cattle, horses, sheep and people, all of which are in the forests.) Hence to maintain an increasing herd size we need to show that the deer don’t cause the level of damage they are accused of or else find management techniques for both deer and forests that allow them to co-exist without a financial penalty to the forest owners. It is to this end that we are in negotiations with the Veterinary Dept of Massey University to put in place a three part plan to address this issue.

For those lucky enough to have shot a Sambar, you will remember that there was a request for the location the animal was shot and its lower jaw. These jaws have been collected and measured. Specific teeth have been sectioned and using dentine deposits the animal has been aged. (This is similar to the aging of trees by their growth rings.) The amount of data, from those jaws is now getting to the point where we can get the statistical analysis undertaken to give a nutritional/growth index for animals taken within separate geographical areas. For example if an area is producing animals with shorter jaw lengths, relative to their age, we can make assumptions as to the level of feed available. If this area is also effected by bark stripping we could then look at the rumen sampling work, undertaken by Dr K Stafford, to see if there is a correspondingly high level of bark in the rumen of animals taken from that area. This may lead to other questions and eventually to management decisions such as planting supplementary feed plants, reducing numbers by increasing balloted hunter numbers, or letting the situation progress. ie The trees may have reached a stage that they restrict vegetation growth, to the stage that animals will be forced to move anyway. Continued collection of the jaws and correlation of the data will enable us to see changes in herd health area by area. So please send in your returns whether you are successful or not and please help us get the jaws, tissue samples and locations if you are successful, be it on private or public land.

On behalf of the Foundation I would like to take the opportunity to thank both Hunting and Fishing - Palmerston North and Swazi Apparel - Levin for their generous sponsorship by donating the prizes for last years raffle. The Foundations’ fund raising had a dramatic boost due to both theirs and your willingness to support us through the raffle and we thank you for that support. We also ask that if you are in the market for gear, that you consider supporting these companies.

I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank the committee, executive and members for their support throughout the year, especially as their time is given voluntarily for the benefit of all.

Neil Hammer
(Chairman S.D.M.F.)

Summary of Sambar Licence Conditions

1. The hunting season for Sambar deer shall comprise six consecutive weekends commencing on 16 August 1997.

2. Shooting is allowed only during the hours 6.00 am to 6.30 pm inclusive.

3. Applicants for licences must nominate the property on which they have permission to hunt and provide the name of the occupier. Licences will be valid only when countersigned by the land owner or occupier for those properties nominated. If permission to hunt on other properties is obtained, licence holders must have their licences countersigned in advance of hunting.

5. A limit of one Sambar deer per hunter may be taken during the entire hunting season.

6. The use of any dog, vehicle, vessel, aircraft, artificial light or beater while hunting Sambar deer is prohibited.

7. No person shall hunt Sambar deer with a firearm of a calibre smaller than 6.5 mm (.264”), with a cartridge case less than 51 mm (2.008”) in length and with a projectile weight less than 130 grains. Where black propellant is used the projectile must not weigh less than 300 grains and at least 90 grains of powder must be used to give a minimum muzzle energy of 1500 foot pounds. The use of smooth bore weapons is prohibited.

8. Bow hunters must use a hunting bow with a minimum peak draw weight of 22.5 kilograms and broad head arrows comprising no less than 2 cutting edges. The arrow head shall be unbarbed and the distance between cutting edges at the widest part shall not be less than 25 mm (1”). The use of arrows with any poison, explosive, or other chemical substance on, or in, the head or shaft is prohibited.

11. The sale of Sambar deer or their by-products is prohibited.

12 All Sambar deer taken must be checked through a monitoring point within 24 hours of being taken. Autopsy material and return information must also be submitted at the monitoring point.

13. Any wounded deer must be located and dispatched humanely. Wounded deer which cannot be located by the hunter must be reported to a monitoring point as soon as possible.

15. No person shall act in contravention of any authorisation or condition stated upon a licence to hunt in the specified hunting area or other lawful direction issued by the Director-General of Conservation in respect to wild animal control in the specified area.

16. The $20 fee paid by the licensee is a condition of the grant of licence.

17. This licence may be revoked at any time at the discretion of the Director-General of Conservation.

A full list of the conditions is printed on the hunting licence or can be obtained by writing to the Foundation.

Hunting Tale

On the Saturday evening I spotted a hind and (4-6mt) fawn feeding in grassy patches between big gorse bushes across a steep gully. I enjoyed watching them after deciding not to shoot. Next morning I spotted the same animals only 70m away from where they’d been the night before. After thoroughly checking the area for a stag for an hour or so I left my bag and rifle and sneaked closer for a photo. I disturbed some birds which alarmed the alert deer. Eventually they moved off and another hind followed and also a 6 point stag! I had to settle for a few photos. However they weren’t to scared and I spotted them again later, this time with my rifle in hand. I got to 25m of them without them seeing me. The lead hind got suspicious and moved off after 15 seconds. The fawn then stared at me for 30 seconds before cocking up its tail and following. It was very attractive with its furry bib being backlit by the morning sun and the scope gave me a fantastic view. I knew the stag would follow and sure enough he paused side on. The shot was good but he still went 75m. I was rapt as I had a head skin for my big 29” x 30” trophy from 2 years ago. I thought it’d take me 10 years to get a head skin! He was a big boy but still probably 150lb lighter than the big stag. I had 3 hard trips to the car to get him out and resembled a pin cushion with all the gorse prickles. A great day and keep up the good work.

Tuberculosis, a problem in the coastal sand country between Turakina and Foxton.

The time has come to update members of the Sambar Deer Foundation on Tuberculosis and the risks associated with bovine tuberculosis. This subject is of equal importance to managers of either farmed herds or a feral herd like the Sambar deer.

Many participants of the annual Sambar deer hunt will remember the surveys MAF Quality Management (MQM) carried out with their help on behalf of the Animal Health Board (AHB) in 1995 and 1996. At that time Tuberculosis was present in farmed stock in the coastal area north of the Rangitikei River between Bulls and Turakina, and evidence was accumulating that the problem extended south of the river.

In 1995,1996 and 1997, feral animal surveys were performed targeted at possums, ferrets and deer in both these areas. All deer examined in the hunter survey were clear of infection, but several ferrets and one possum were infected with Tb. The proof of this feral animal infection triggered a vector control operation in the area north of the Rangitikei River in 1997. The 1998/99 financial year will see the vector control operation extend down to Foxton. This coastal area under vector control will be defined as a vector risk area and domestic cattle and deer require an annual Tb test.

Most Sambar deer live in a habitat where Tb is emerging, and they are exposed to the same risk as the farmed cattle and deer herds. To date infection has not been seen in the deer, and with the ongoing vector control operations, Tb will hopefully be eradicated from the ferrets and possums in due course.

The AHB might ask MQM to seek cooperation from the hunters this year to participate in a survey. If that goes ahead, information as to the how and where and when will be provided in the information packs supplied to the hunters that obtain a ballot. We appreciate the cooperation you have shown us in the past and we hope you will be equally as supportive this time.

If you have any questions please phone the Palmerston North MQM district office and ask for Harvey Pearce or myself.

Helen Benard, Veterinary Officer Palmerston North and Wanganui districts 06-351 7930

Sambar Deer evolution from swamp to forest

by Richard C.T. James.

In the late forties when I first became interested in hunting Sambar Deer along the Manawatu west coast they were true to their description as being nocturnal. At that time it was most unusual to see a Sambar Deer out of the areas where they retired to during the day, which was usually almost impenetrable to humans, either flax swamps surrounded by water and bog or gorse islands within the swamp. With the increase in pine tree planting in the 1950s particularly along the coastal sands, Sambar gradually moved out of the swamps into these forests. The first time I came upon a mature Sambar Deer which had obviously been daytime feeding in relatively open cover was while peasant hunting at 2 p.m. one afternoon in 1 952. Up until then the only successful way to hunt Sambar Deer was to somehow shift them from their daytime hideouts. To do this you needed to be cross between a duck and a water rat because to approach these hideouts one needed to wade waist deep through muddy water. The reason for this was, I believe, the practice of hunting Sambar with dogs which had forced the deer to shelter in areas surrounded by water. In water a Sambar can be a match for any dog. Moving them out was achieved by what was known as driving, by entering their domain on foot with the wind behind you. Horses were also used after the deer were moving on to the drier more open areas. The armed members of the party would be stationed well back down wind. When spooked, Sambar tended to race out for the first 300 metres or so then quickly slow down and sneak along. While sitting on a low hill over 2 k.m. from where the hunt had begun a spiker came within twenty paces of me before I realised he was there. As the safety catch was eased off my rifle he stopped stone still searching the direction of the click he had obviously heard. After gutting my prize I waited on the hill for another hour before the beaters came through on horse-back to where the animal was shot. When a young man on' a pony arrived I stood up, he called out "haven't seen anything?" "I shot a spiker" I answered. "Bullshit I never heard a shot" was his reply. "Look ten metres in front of you in the lupin." Still unconvinced he rode off the low hill he was on into the cover and his pony almost threw him off when it shied at the carcass. We tied a rope on the back legs of the spiker then hitched it to the saddle and between the pony and two of us dragged it about twenty metres into the open where it was later loaded onto a vehicle. Pre decimal currency I received the equivalent of fifty dollars for that skin, enough to keep me in both .22 and .303 ammo for some time.

The Pole Stag.

by Richard C.T. James.

I believe a second reason for Sambar Deer slowly becoming day time feeders was the constant harassment they were receiving from spotlight shooting. The first few years of spotlighting one could almost guarantee they would be completely held by the light until a kill was made. One dark windy night two of us steadily walked over one hundred metres closer, while keeping the light on our target. In all that time including climbing over a fence the mature poled stag never moved from where we first saw him standing in the f lax. This particular stag took two of us almost four hours to field dress and pack the meat 600 metres to the vehicle, three trips a piece. My share of the venison required the purchase of a bigger freezer. However Sambar Deer quickly learned and it was not long before one had a very brief time to fire a shot after the light was on the animal before it would move its head rapidly up and down then disappear at pace.

(This article is pre Moratorium and controlled hunting)

Sambar Deer Hunting

by Richard C.T.James

The Idiot.

One Thursday evening in August I was phoned and invited to a Sambar hunt planned for 9a.m. Sunday morning. Armed with my ex army .303 1 arrived along with a companion and the Manager on the property at 8-45a.m. I was allocated a low hill in the open paddock about 1 00 metres down wind from a rough block of trees where a stag was thought to be in residence. We had just got settled into position when a big handsome dark coloured Sambar Stag appeared skylined on a knob just outside the trees 75 metres in front of us. He stood stock still surveying all around him. Unfortunately in direct line of fire between me and two houses plus a public road beyond. My friend and I lay flat on the ground trying to look inconspicuous waiting for him to move off the hill to give me a safe firing background. Taking the safety catch off my rifle I thought "come on you beauty, come over the hill and you!re mine." I looked at my friend face down with only her hat showing above the grass and thought "the stag won't know we are here even if he gets real close. By then he will be committed to coming up the gully and even if I don't get a shot someone further up certainly will." All of a sudden a bloody moron stationed some distance behind us jumped up on the hill he was on and shouted "shoot, shoot, what are you waiting for? Shoot!" The stag quickly retraced his steps and disappeared back into the trees only to reappear at speed almost 300 metres further round the plantation giving no one a decent shot.

I fired three shots at him in frustration and disgust saying to my companion if I have hit him it will be more by luck. After that fiasco when we all met up again the Manager demanded to know from this guy why the hell he had called out? His pathetic answer was he had thought me and my friend were asleep and hadn't seen the stag. The Manager pointed out even from where he was stationed he could see it would not be safe for me to shoot, besides if the stag had slipped by he and another chap further back again were covering his escape route. As it turned out the stag raced back through the trees and came out only fifty metres from a herd of dairy cows grazing in a paddock which he raced through the middle of giving none of us a chance at a shot.
The idiot in question was never again invited back on that property.

Sambar Hunting 1930 Style

One of our members was working through some old papers and came across an old Sambar (Sambur) hunting licence. We have reproduced a copy below. This licence cost 2 pounds. In 1930 this would have been about 2 weeks average pay. Two weeks average pay today is over $1000.00. Think about it!

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