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.

Chairman’s Report 1998-99

This year has rocketed around with the new season upon us before we know it. All the while the committee and executive have been on-going with dedicated hard work on behalf of the SDMF. I would like to thank these people who make our hunts possible.

The 1998 season saw 43 animals taken, ( 32 stags and 11 hinds.) and we are hoping for a similar season in 1999.

The 1998 -1999 year has been a continuation of efforts in dealing with the perennial issues plus a couple of new projects.

Maps: The existing maps that we have vary from the ‘good’ to ‘not much good to man nor beast’. The Foundation in association with Hunting & Fishing - Manawatu, as a sponsor of the Foundation, are looking to get new maps specifically printed for the hunting blocks. Timing may mean that we may not get all of them this year, but definitely next year.

Raffle: Hunting & Fishing - Manawatu are also one of the sponsors of this years raffle run in relation to the ballot. This year, to thank those who have supported the Foundation in the past we are offering a FREE raffle to all those who enter the ballot. After the ballot is drawn we will draw additional numbers for the prizes in this raffle. Everyone who enters the ballot will be eligible for this draw. See the information in the center of this news letter.

Please do your best to support the boys at Hunting & Fishing - Manawatu, and ‘Out of Towners’, are invited to call in at 661 Tremaine Ave, Palmerston North, for a chat.

DNA Sampling: The 1998 season saw the second year of DNA sampling in association with Ag Research of Invermay. We have the data we sought available to us now on the Manawatu-Wanganui herd and will not require tissue samples this year. (We still require the jaws.) We are still looking to get any tissue samples (frozen meat or skin with hair would be gratefully accepted), from the Rotorua herd. If you have a steak in the freezer we only need a piece the size of a 25mm cube. Keep it frozen and contact us and we will arrange a courier to get it to us overnight.

Jaws: Jaws can give us a lot of information such as the growth rate to age ratio. If you still have a jaw from a previous season, we need it. If you find a dead animal please collect the jaw for us. Given that the Foundation has just purchased a microscope specifically for the purpose of aging animals from the teeth, we want to get the best use of this equipment that we can. Rotorua jaws would be gratefully accepted also.

Hunting Returns: As part of the terms of your licence you are required to return to the Foundation your hunting return and supply photos, if an animal is shot. Returns are very important to us and to add a bit of an incentive, this year there will be a sponsored prize that will be drawn from those hunters who have returned their details within the period specified on the licence. So to give yourself a chance and remember to send those returns back early.

Ballot Night: The 1999 Ballot will be held on 7 July in the Sanson Community Hall at 8.00pm. There will be a door prize donated by New Zealand Ammunition Co. Like the raffle, this will be free, just turn up and remember to collect your ticket. The prize is a ‘Chain-Saw’ which runs on sweat, (very little) and not on petrol, hence is ideal for those extended trips that might otherwise require the lugging in of an axe.

TB: Outbreaks of TB in cattle herds and positive tests for possums and ferrets have meant that TB sampling was again requested in the 1998 season by MAF. As in previous years, there were no cases of TB found in Sambar this year. I would like to thank MAF for their assistance in collecting our samples as well as their own and for their friendly assistance in moving large animals in the black of night in high density gorse patches. The process is likely to be repeated again this year.

Moutoa Swamp: Since the 1997 season several buildings have been erected close to the swamp boundary which necessitated even more caution than usual and close liaison between the Foundation, hunters and the land occupiers. The 1999 hunters will need to fully cooperate with all requests so as not to endanger people, livestock and future seasons.

email: As more and more people get email at home and work we will be able to make significant savings on postage and stationary by using this method to send minutes and other information. You can contact the Foundation Secretary (Ian Fitchett) at fitchettir@xtra.co.nz

To close, I would like to thank you, the Foundation members and supporters, for your input throughout the previous year and look forward to your continued support in the coming years.

Good Hunting.

Neil Hammer
SDMF Chairman.

1998 Season Report

Before starting the report on last season I wish to thank those Companies and Department who make access available to the land for the public ballot. With out the continued support and assistance of these organisations and their personnel the public ballot could not go ahead in its current form. Those in particular I am thanking are:-

This year we again had 111 ballot blocks available from Waitarere in the south to Harakeke in the north. In addition to these positions we also draw 15 reserves to cover for those hunters who for one reason or another are unable to hunt on their allocated weekend. Applying for the ballot this year were 914 applicants who had their forms in by the cutoff time.

While mentioning the cutoff time I must emphasise that it is VERY IMPORTANT to have you ballot application in before the time stated. The applications close and ballots MUST be received by 1.00pm on July 5 1999. This does not mean posted on July 5, 6 or 7. There is no advantage in when your ballot application is received (see article on the Ballot) so PLEASE post early.

During the season we were given reports of 43 animals taken. This was made up of 11 hinds and 32 stags. Hunters on ballot land took 10 animals, 2 in Waitarere, 1 Santoft and 6 from Moutoa. Of the private land hunters several reports are third hand information. This makes them difficult to confirm. Hunters are asked to contact a Foundation monitor if they take an animal even if they are not required to contact MAF. Hunters saw 540 Sambar during the season and on research trips. These were made up of 131 young animals, 137 stags and 272 hinds.

In addition to issuing licences to the 111 public blocks we also issued 170 licences to hunt on private land. This is 8 more than last year. Licence returns from hunters continue to be lower than we would like. This year we received only 193 returns. This is 69% of licences issued. Hunters need to remember that sending back a return is a condition of the licence. The information received on these returns is important to the Foundation. These returns give us information on the health of the herd on both ballot land and private land. It also gives us information on the hunters, the amount of funds they produce for the local economy and the amount of time they are putting into the annual hunt. We certainly do not want to weld the big stick so this year we are trying a carrot. ALL returns that have been received by due date will be put into a draw for a sponsored prize. There will be more details in the licence pack.

Hunters are certainly spending plenty if time out there looking even if we did have some lousy weather. A total of 3402 hours were spent by hunters actively looking and they also spent some 1250 hours researching their blocks before the hunt. Again this year the fastest successful hunt was on a ballot block and took just 12 minutes. It can be done. Hunters estimate they spent $58714.00 in relation to their hunt.

Sambar as Pine Forest Dwellers

by Richard C.T.James.

In 1993 while accompanying Veterinarian Stafford from Massey University collecting a gut sample from a trophy Sambar Stag I realised just how completely Sambar Deer have evolved into pine forest dwellers. This particular animal's gut contained 30% of the growing tips of pine, 30% strips of pine bark, 2.5 c.m. wide by up to half a metre in length, the rest was a combination of pine needles rough grasses and some yellow lupin. In spite of the fact this deer was living in an area containing some very good pasture he apparently preferred pine Much has been made recently of pine bark biting. I believe it is as simple as the trees are there so the deer eat them. Earlier studies showed when Sambar lived in flax much of their diet was flax. At Flockhouse where a study was made into Sambar Deer diet it was found that when the deer were shifted into a block with Yellow Lupin present they stripped the young shoots off the lupin bushes first of all.

Summary of Sambar Licence Conditions

1. The hunting season for Sambar deer shall comprise six consecutive weekends commencing on 21 August 1999.

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 caliber 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.

The Ballot

Each year hundreds of hunters put $5.00 into an envelope with their contact details and send it off to the Foundation to enter the public ballot. Each year for any number of “good reasons” 20 to 30 arrive too late. I can assure you that after 5 years I have heard them all. On ballot night 60 to 70 people turn up for the draw. On numerous occasions I have been asked to outline what happens prior to the ballot and for those who cannot get there what happens on ballot night.

A couple of days after newsletters are posted I start to receive the ballot applications. These start at 20 or so a day and then build to up to 90 a day. Remember 900 plus applications arrive in about 20 days. All applications must be opened and checked to see that all the details are correct and the money sent is correct. Any errors need to be corrected quickly. After checking the details the names are entered into a database, printed out and independently checked (I’m not a typist). The funds received must be balanced with the Ballot applications, Licences paid, and subs received and then bankings prepared. As there is only one ballot application per person there are regular checks made for duplications. This is rare these days and usually caused by an error. However I am aware that some people do put in multiple applications in “Friends” names. Would you be surprised how easy some of these are to spot. Also this year having access to the internet will make checking even easier. This type of thing cannot always be spotted. I heard of one person who claimed to have put in 10 applications and still did not get a ballot. What a shame.

Once the cutoff time has arrived and the last names have been entered and checked it is time to re sort the names, allocate the ballot numbers then print out the lists we have available on ballot night. Most of this work is done at night as I must work during the day. This year is even more complicated than usual as, like most people who are involved in organisation such as the Sambar Foundation, I am also involved in other organisations. This year the Monday and Tuesday nights before the ballot I am out of town at other meetings.

Therefore it is ESSENTIAL to get your ballot application in before the due date. As part of the final preparation all names are sorted into alphabetic order and then allocated their ballot number. So you see there is no advantage in posting your ballot entry at any particular time and I would urge you to have it sent to the Foundation as soon as you can.

Come ballot night it is all on. All the bits and pieces that we need are loaded into the trusty Telstar and it is off to Sanson. Once there tables are set up for the 6 people involved in drawing the ballot. To be seen to be as fair as possible is the aim of the whole evening. I could use a computerised random number generator and do the draw in about 5 minutes but people would not be able see the system work. So we use 3 volunteers from those attending to do the drawing. They rattle 10 numbered ping pong balls around in 3 containers then draw one ball each. This gives a totally random 3 digit number. The balls are held up so everyone can see them and at the same time the number is called out. This is then checked on a master list to see that the number is valid (not too high or drawn already). It is then entered into the computer and the persons name and town are displayed on a monitor for all to see and it is also read out for those at the back of the room.
After the ballot it is time to send out those letters that most of you are dying to receive “You have been successful...”. Unfortunately most of you will receive the card advising that you were unsuccessful. For some of you its all you seem to receive but I hope that by giving the above details you can see that we undertake the draw in what is the fairest way possible.

There have been a number of ideas about those of you who do not seem to have any luck in the ballot. Most of these involve some type of stand down period for those successful in the ballot or successful in hunting. However the main problem is how long do you stand someone down for, is a stand down fair at all. The most common suggestion is a stand down for 1 to 2 years for those successful in a ballot. However statistically this would only reduce the odds from 1:9 to at best 1:7. There would still be a number who will frequently miss out. These are all problems that we grapple with each year.

Foundation Finances

We have been asked a couple of times to produce the Financial Statements in the News Letter. However space does not permit the full accounts so I will give a summary.

Hunt Administration.

As you will be aware the Foundation administers the Annual Hunt on behalf of the Department of Conservation. Therefore the funds received from the ballot and licences are held (after GST) by the Foundation for research activities relating to Sambar. Last year we received $9000.00 from the ballot and licences. From this we spent $700.00 on the ballot (postage & stationary), $2200.00 on the News Letter (printing & postage), and $3400.00 administering the actual hunt. The type of cost relating to to the hunt are - postage, advertising, padlocks and photocopying. In an average year the Foundation would post out about 5500 items including minutes to members.

Foundation Funds

The main source of income is subs from members. Last year this totaled $4180.00. In addition we had income from interest, raffles and donations. Our main expenses are meeting room hire, postage and copying of the monthly minutes which are sent to all members. There have been comments that the Foundation seems to be accumulating money with no purpose. I should point out that about 1/3 of the funds we have are held specifically for research. The balance which has grown because of the extensive voluntary work done by the committee. This too does have a purpose. We hope to have, in the near future, a reward leading to the conviction of poachers along with a brochure to go to all land owners in the Manawatu Wanganui area and other parties, about the Sambar and their protection.

Oor Method

by Richard C.T.James.

During the time between 1960 to 1969 two friends and I developed a system whereby we spread out fifty metres apart in late afternoon or early evening and walked slowly into the wind . We usually carried a .22 rifle for shooting rabbits and also slung over our backs would be a loaded.303. The one of us that actually spooked the feeding Sambar seldom ever saw it, however in its haste to escape the deer often moved right out in front of either of the other two. They appeared not too concerned by .22 shooting, probably because rabbit hunting was very common in the area particularly in the afternoon. One evening after I had walked about 600 metres and shot six rabbits a hind walked up and stood on the skyline of a low hill only fifty metres ahead of me, I put the .22 down and got ready with my .303, thinking as soon as she moves off the top of the hill she's mine. As the hind did move off the hill a spiker walked up behind her, stopping just before the top and turning to look back at me completely unconcerned. A steady neck shot put a nice hunk of venison in my freezer. Up until the time we lost this area to hunt over the three of us were never short of venison. We never shot more than we needed and certainly didn't consider hunting Sambar commercially. We did try a few times using our method earlier in the day but found when the deer moved they did so at pace and kept going right out of the area, Probably because in the morning it was unusual for people to be there and also in the evening I believe they felt more secure because of the onset of nightfall.

Staking out a water hole waiting for the animals to come to drink was also tried with limited success. Probably because in our area there were several alternative drinking places and the animals were afternoon feeding through the plentiful cover in the pines so they could be anywhere in the area at any one time. It is a good method for taking mature Sambar stags however because they spend most of their time alone and have a very strict pattern of movement. This method of laying in wait was also used where deer had been coming onto open pasture to feed at night. In our case this wouldn't have worked because there was always plenty of browsing within the trees with no real competition from the few other stock grazing there.