National Board Reports August 2025

NZDA 2025-26 National Board, photographed at the 77th Conference and AGM in July 2025, Invercargill. (Absent S. Langslow, T. Dibben and W. Iglesias)

Dear members,

As we continue to move through a year I reflect on our 2025 conference, I’d like to thank the Southland branch for putting on such a great event. There was an upbeat feeling throughout the weekend and we got some through good business with robust positive discussions and valuable input from all of our members.

There is a lot going on within the sector, that is both exciting but also keeping everybody very busy – we’ve seen the Wapiti HOSI amendment bill progress to Select Committee hearings for verbal submissions. This is an exciting time and another step towards seeing our valued introduced species recognised as exactly that.

Our NZDA ute raffle is well under way. If each of our members bought 1 ticket we would sell out and reach our funding goal. This funding will be pivotal in what the NZDA can achieve going forward. How you can help is by getting your family and friends to buy tickets or, as branches, make sure you print off the Flyers from the branch pack. Packs have been sent out, so make sure Flyers and QR codes are available at your club nights so people can purchase their tickets.

As a branch, if you have not yet received the branch pack, please get in contact with myself or the national office and we can send these through.

I have been busy with the Woodhill fallow ballot over the past few weeks, helping with patrol in the forest, assisting various hunters, as well as mentoring new hunters that have taken part and the Auckland branch’s hunter training program. There has been plenty of animals seen including some good bucks and a few pigs – it's all about that crucial moment of getting set up in time and being able to pull off a shot. Exposing new hunters to the forest and hunting in general I find really rewarding. I’m looking forward to a couple more still to come for the season.

The Woodhill ballot runs from the beginning of June until the end of September each year. We will have “Take a Kid Hunting” on the last weekend and then pull our signs in for the off-season. The ballot for 2026 will most likely open at the end of March for ballot entries, and Take a Kid Hunting ballot applications open around June or July.

It's great to see young people involved in our sport. The age limits for Woodhill TAKH are 12–18. Set the date now for next year and make sure you get your ballot entry in. Costs are $25 per entry and you can enter as many times as you like. TAKH is free for entry and names are drawn towards the end of the Woodhill season. Each kid will need their own mentor with a firearms licence.

Personally, a lot of my hunting time has been spent on Rusa, which is a common theme for me throughout the winter. Although I secured a really good representative and PB earlier in the season, they keep me coming back for more. These crafty and elusive animals truly are something else.

As we approach the end of winter and head towards spring, hopefully you’ll all get out and get a chance to harvest some spring venison for your summer BBQs. Please keep in mind game animal management principles in the field – shoot the hind, leave the spiker, etc.

As hunters, we need to lead by example by continuing to show our efforts are most valuable to New Zealand’s backcountry – both at harvesting game animals and keeping numbers in check, as well as pest and predator control and the trapping programmes our branches and other sector organisations undertake throughout the country.

Regards,

Callum Sheridan

NZDA National president

Dear Members,

We had our first virtual meeting of the new National Shooting Committee last Monday. After a challenging start with a wee technical issue, we got down to business. We have a great group of members and they're all up for the challenge I laid out before them. Next up is to finalise the shooting discipline reps. We currently have seat warmers for four of the six disciplines. We're on the search for a suitable person for Scoped Rifle and F-Class. If you're a regular competitor in either of those disciplines and could be interested, or know someone, please reach out to me via email.  Watch this space for updates and keep an eye on your inbox over the next few weeks for the second edition of the Competitive Shooting Newsletter.

This last weekend I attended my very first Benchrest Match. This is a shooting discipline that I have not been involved with.  When I was invited, I jumped at the opportunity to have a crack. It also gave me some face time with a good number of the Benchrest shooters. I entered the Factory Class and used my off the shelf tikka t3 varmint chambered in 22-250. I didn't go into it with any expectations as this rifle is 15 years old and has a round count down the tube of 5.5k plus. I managed to finish the match as the leading Factory Class shooter. Pretty bloody cool for a first timer. What it does show is that any of you out there can enter a Benchrest match using your own regular rifle. Thank you to Baden Prentice from the BOP Branch for inviting me and organising the event. 

That's all I have for now, so as usual. Keep your powder dry and Hot Barrels everyone.  

This month has been a whirlwind as I continue to get up to speed alongside the more established board members. I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone who made submissions to the HOSI Bill. While it can sometimes feel like individual voices don’t carry much weight, when we speak collectively, we have the power to influence meaningful change at higher levels.

I also had the opportunity to attend the Sika Foundation’s AGM in Taupō. It was a valuable afternoon spent with a group of like-minded, motivated individuals who continue to set the benchmark for conservation efforts. The energy and commitment in the room were inspiring and reaffirmed the importance of the work we’re all involved in.

On the hunting front, things have been a bit slow, I am still on the lookout for a mature Rusa stag. Hopefully, conditions improve soon, and I’ll have more to report next month.

Lastly, a quick reminder about the ute raffle, this is a major fundraising initiative and a great opportunity to support our ongoing projects. Please continue to spread the word and encourage ticket sales. Get your friends, family, work mates and even the neighbour involved, Every bit of support helps us move closer to our goals.

Stuart

Hi All,

Conference in Invercargill was an excellent event and it was great to catch up with so many fellow volunteers. Congratulations to Shaun and the Southland Branch on such a well run event and endless supply of cheese rolls!

I attended the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation AGM at the start of August. They have had another solid year of business as usual, with an additional major focus on their Herd of Special Interest application, as well as launching "The Fiordland Project" - the most ambitious, community-led conservation project in New Zealand's history. The vision for the project is "to extend the successful, volunteer-led model from the Wapiti Area of 180,000 ha, to the entire Fiordland National Park of 1.4m hectares. This is about building a sustainable deer management system that prioritises conservation, restores ecosystems, empowers communities and feeds people.

They have land secured for a 5,000 animal processing plant and are now working through securing funding support for the construction of the processing plant, Year 1 operations and long term funders.

The Whitetail Foundation approved at conference will sit in the wings awaiting  possible demand to protect the Wakitipu Whitetail herd. This is following the recent formation of the "Rakiura Whitetail Trust" to protect the Stewart Island Whitetail herd, by immediate past NZDA President, Craig Benbow and  others, including Roy Sloan & Adam Fairmaid from the Fiordland  Wapiti Foundation. NZDA Life Members John DeLury and Ray Phillips were also instrumental in the Trust's formation. This is a positive move for the Stewart Island Whitetail herd.

Hot Barrels & Safe Travels

Mark Elliotte

I took part in my first National Access Committee (NAC) video meet with the team and then a few days later sat in on an NAC meeting with H and F Minister James Meager where we all got to show our faces so he knows we are credible and at the forefront of access issues. The NAC submitted on the Palliser Road case where the local council is trying to close a ULR. Based on media articles it shows how much more attention public access is getting Nationwide.

Marlborough Branch are working through changing of the guard at Molesworth in conjunction with Game Management Committee. Big issues and high stakes with more to come, but NZDA are front footing this, meeting with PAMU, local DoC and Local Ministers. Molesworth matters and we are keeping close eye on developments. It was good to see that the Govt have ruled out planting pines and have put more money to the wilding eradication.

Nelson and Marlborough branches both attended meetings of Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust where they are working on ungulate/goat management programme.

With a predicted Beech mast this year, Kahurangi is getting a dose of the dreaded 1080. Golden Bay Branch have submitted and requested Deer repellent use over the portion that affects the Cobb hunting area.

I note that the South Island roar ballots start in September, with a great new system in place, it needs your support. This is also a timely reminder to get your 12-month permit if not already done.

Picture: Camo working well