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.

1999 Season Report

Before starting the report on last season I again thank those Companies and Departments who make access available to the land for the public ballot. Without 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:-

While mentioning the cutoff time I must emphasise that it is VERY IMPORTANT to have your ballot application in before the time stated. The applications close and ballots MUST be received by 5.00pm on July 7th 2000. This does not mean posted on the 7th or 8th. Also there is NO advantage in when your ballot application is received so PLEASE post early.

During the season we were given reports of 39 animals taken. This was made up of 16 hinds and 23 stags. Hunters on ballot land took 16 animals, 2 in Waitarere, 3 Santoft, 1 Round Bush, 1 Tangimoana and 9 from Moutoa. Some reports are still received 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 751 Sambar during the season and many also saw animals on their research trips. These were made up of 198 young animals, 143 stags and 410 hinds. On ballot blocks 208 deer were seen by hunters. the balance, 543 were seen by hunters on private land. The numbers of hinds and young animals is up on last year. We do not think that population increase accounts for this increase. There are a number of factors including hunter skill, time in the field and hunters are becoming more prepared to advise the Foundation that they have seen deer.

In addition to issuing licences to the 120 public blocks we also issued 146 licences to hunt on private land. This is down on last year. The percentage of licence returns from hunters is up this year to 73%, however this remains lower than we would like. This year we received 192 returns. 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 offered a carrot to hunters this year with a prize draw for those who have the returns in by due date. This had limited success.

Hunters are certainly spending plenty if time out there looking even if we did have some lousy weather. A total of 3425 hours were spent by hunters actively looking and they also spent some 1061 hours researching their blocks before the hunt. This year the fastest successful hunt was on private land and took 30 minutes. The fastest hunt on a ballot block 1.5 hours. On average ballot hunters spent 13 hours hunting and 4.5 hours on research. Private land hunters spent an average of 22 hours hunting and 6.5 hours on research. Hunters estimate they spent $63084.95 in relation to their hunting, this is an average of $328.57 for each hunter. The range of cost is $20.00 for a licence to $4000.00+ for guided hunters from overseas.

The Chairman's Thoughts

Once more another season rolls around and I am considering how attitudes have changed not just in respect to Sambar but to deer management in total. Sure the ‘she’ll be right’ and ‘shoot it before some else does’ attitude still exists but the way that hunters responded to the Deer Management Plan* reflects a change that says, ‘we realise that we need to be more proactive in protecting our sport of hunting’.

I love wandering through the bush and seeing natives such as the Rimu, the Tui, but I must say, I’ve seen more stoats than I have Kiwi. I believe that we do need to protect our unique land and animals but that does not have to be at the total expense of our sport species. I believe that we should be aiming to achieve a balance between our sports species and the native flora and fauna.

I believe that most hunters believe that a balance is desirable and achievable in both native and introduced sport species. The exclusion of one, or the other, is a view of small minorities at either end of the spectrum. However the position that DOC finds itself in, in being required to protect indigenous species and some introduced species such as deer will always cause a funding conflict; where they are always in position that they could spend a few million dollars more, on the latest ecological crisis.

If hunters do not get their collective act together our sport animals will continue to have virtually no protection; apart from the economics that the numbers get too low to be economically harvested by commercial operators. Also remember the country is getting smaller and smaller. Two days on horse back, by your father is now ten minutes for you, by Chopper, and the 4 hours on foot is now 20 minutes by Quad. We need to realise that the isolation that has protected the breeding herds is gone and that if we don’t wake up they may not be totally gone but they will surely be less than we have now. Believe me when that happens its a lucky or very dedicated hunter that puts meat in the freezer or a trophy on the wall.

Having large numbers of animals is not the ‘be all and end all’ as well. Think of the damage overpopulation does as well. The Possum, Rabbit, Goat, Deer, Duck, Geese and Pig have all had their time when they have been in plague proportions and need to be thinned out (not necessarily killed out). Even now Sambar can cause damage far beyond the acceptable, by high numbers, or even by individual animals.

Earlier on I referred to the Deer Management Plan where DOC asked for submissions. The feeling I got was that hunters finally realised that they needed to take a firmer hold on their sport and showed an overwhelming desire to manage deer herds and not exterminate them. However this means an inevitable conflict of interest for DOC i.e. native v introduced. This being the case an organisation such as The Fish and Game Council or something similar to the SDMF needs to be formed to develop the advocatorial role; so that that balance of sport animals and native species can both be preserved, in the same public lands that we all hold in trust for future generations.

There are many small groups throughout the country that have similar aims and problems for their area and local species. Please support them and remember that there are costs in fighting the good fight so that if, as I hope the formation of a national body to protect our game species is formed, there will be further costs. If you Trout fish, shoot Ducks or Upland game you pay a licence to manage the resource. If you sea fish, you pay taxes for MAF and the commercial operators are paying their part as well. If you hunt for Sambar you need a licence. So perhaps the days of walking into the hills to shoot a deer for free, is the price for the deer being there, in any numbers, in the future.

The idea of a licence fee going into the Governments consolidated fund goes down like a lead balloon with me; it must be for the management of the resource. If the commercial operators are still in the picture then they should be paying as well, ( just as the commercial fishing companies do now). Also I believe in Canada, hunting licence fees are based upon where the hunter resides, i.e. Locals of a province get their licence fees at the cheapest rate, Canadians from another province pay more and tourists pay the highest fees for the privilege of hunting there. Seems fair to me.

To conclude be aware that we have a valuable resource in our sport animals but on the whole they are afforded very little protection. They need your commitment to look after them just as much as the commitment you have to hunt them. Get involved.

Neil Hammer
SDMF Chairman

* Issues and Options For Managing The Impacts Of Deer On Native Forests and Other Ecosystems. DoC - 1997

Summary of Sambar Licence Conditions

1. The hunting season for Sambar deer shall comprise six consecutive weekends commencing on 19 August 2000.

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.