September National Board Reports

NZDA National Board, photographed at the 76th Conference and AGM in July 2024.

As per - the year seems to have flown by, September saw our first face to face board meeting in Wellington after conference. Our Agenda was packed, and we powered through it. We had new board member inductions and set some clear objectives moving forward, our board this year is stronger than ever with some great skill sets contributing to the strategic direction of the association, I am excited to continue progress and see our association grow.  

New NZDA Branch - Whanganui

I would like to congratulate the Whanganui branch in becoming the 49th branch of the association this month, the Whanganui branch is filling a much-needed gap for the NZDA in that part of the country, I look forward to seeing their future success. 

The Sika Show

With the Sika show fast approaching on the 2nd and 3rd of November at mystery creek in Hamilton, we are looking for local volunteers to help on our NZDA stand so please get in touch if you are an enthusiastic, energetic individual willing to promote the NZDA. The Event has been a great success in the past couple of years for the NZDA, we have had fantastic engagement with the public, as well as a great opportunity to lobby government ministers and build on our already strong relationships within the sector. If you have shot a good head or taken any photos while out and about on adventures, be sure to support the show and enter their competitions!  

Woodhill Fallow Management Committee

In my neck of the woods, we are coming to the end of our WFMC season with Take a kid hunting taking place over the last weekend of September and pulling all our signs in for the off season. I also have a couple of hunts lined up one end of season Rusa hunt to Galatea and some spring Sika hunting as well as the annual GAC Parliamentary Hunt at Ngamatea station. 

I wish you all the best for your spring hunting adventures. 

September has been a full-on month for this new Board Member!  

Kapiti HUNTS Course

First up was the completion of my final HUNTS Course with the Kapiti Branch. It was another successful course for the club. We invited our local MP Tim Costly along to the range day, to see first-hand what our club offers the local community. It was also a great opportunity for him to see what and how a local rifle range in NZ generally looks like and how it operates. 

September Board Meeting

Next up was my first in person two-day Board Meeting. It was a full-on weekend, but it was great to meet the rest of the team and get into the business at hand. It was a great opportunity for me to bounce some ideas off Board Members regarding the shooting portfolios. Watch this space! 

Personal Relocation To Whangarei

Finally, it was the big pack and relocation ready to start my new GM job in Whangarei. It's come full circle for me as Whangarei was my original NZDA Branch, and I'm looking forward to reacquainting myself with them. As a HUNTS Assessor, it also presents another new challenge for me, to get the Whangarei/Northland combined HUNTS program up and running. There are three provisional instructors getting close to finishing their pathway, and a fourth getting ready to start. 

That's all from me. So, keep your powder dry, and Hot Barrels everyone.

Game Animal Management Committee – Update to members on animal control at Molesworth

In August 2023, PĀMU Farms of New Zealand undertook animal control work on the leased Molesworth recreational reserve, and have, or are about too, undertake further control work in the next three weeks. 

A WARO permit was issued by DOC to enable the latest work to be undertaken. At this stage, we will assume the operation has already occurred as that was the expectation from the notice Marlborough Branch NZDA received September 11, 2024.

These operations have been undertaken by PĀMU Farms and have taken place on land close to the homestead in the Awatere catchment that is not open for hunting, and Travellers hunting block that encompasses the Alma area.

Part of the agreement is that 'trophy' animals will not be shot. Animals shot will be recovered and sold for processing to recover operational costs. An offer of killed 'smaller' animals that couldn't be processed was made to Marlborough Branch NZDA. Marlborough Branch NZDA declined the offer.

NZDA has invested considerable effort into ascertaining whether this operation is permissible under the current lease and has questioned the basis of the decision making of the operation going ahead. 

At present, with no 'pest control plan' in place within the management plan, management reverts to the wishes of the leaseholder who has obligations under the lease and the Wild Animal Control Act 1977. 

DOC must issue a WARO permit to allow the actions to take place, but the permit has been issued as a one-off non-commercial permit, is limited in time and applicable to the agreed areas.

NZDA is now working in collaboration with PĀMU Farms, DOC, and the GAC to agree on a 'pest control plan' that provides opportunities for recreational hunters while ensuring future operations on Molesworth reflect hunters' values and aspirations — or potentially make such operations unnecessary in the future.

I don’t know where the time went—it’s been another busy month! Our first in-person board meeting with the new members was a productive two-day event. A big welcome to Mark and Hamish; it was great to spend time with them and get to know them better.

North Island Branch Visits + New Whanganui Branch

Over the next two months, I plan to visit as many lower North Island NZDA branch club nights as I can. I had the pleasure of attending the newly formed Whanganui NZDA branch club night on Tuesday, the 17th. It was a great opportunity to talk with Ian, Dave, Paul, and the rest of the team. This "new" club has a long, proud history in the region, and I’m looking forward to returning for their open day in October. I’ll be helping however I can as they set up their HUNTS programme. A special thanks to Jason Voller from the Hutt Valley HUNTS team for joining us to talk about the benefits the HUNTS programme brings to a branch.

Ruahine Ranges Management Hunts

Since early this year, we’ve had permission from DOC to organize management hunts in the Ruahine Ranges, particularly in the hard-to-access ‘Red’ zones. Our initial hunt was delayed by weather back in May, but we’re planning additional fly-ins over the next few months leading up to Christmas and the roar. I’ll be in touch with local branches shortly to gauge interest and get things moving.

National Goat Comp

The National Goat Hunting Competition is in full swing, and we’re seeing an encouraging number of entries from across the country. It was a pleasure to take Hunting & Fishing Minister Todd McClay out for a goat hunt on the first day of this year’s competition. Special thanks to young hunter Jesse O’Gorman for his excellent work last year in connecting with landowners and securing permission to hunt on their forestry and farming blocks. I also want to thank him for organizing the location for our hunt with the minister.

As always, access is key. This year, we’ve focused on communicating with landowners about the benefits of allowing NZDA members to help control goat populations on their land. Working alongside DOC and the competition steering group, we’ve developed a ‘Landowner Assist’ document for farmers. This document highlights the importance of engaging with the farming community and addressing landowners' concerns regarding hunters on their properties. We recognize the need to ensure that all hunters are properly trained and qualified, and that insurance, health, safety, and liability requirements are fully met.

Some members have already used this document successfully when approaching landowners. If you’d like more information, feel free to drop me an email—I’d be happy to discuss it with you.

Well, that’s enough from me, see you on the tops.

Conservation Efforts

Conservation work was a strong theme at this year’s Conference and also a solid thread in our Facebook posts and news outlets. I was wonderful to hear at Conference from those with boots and traps on the ground about their work and progress in this space. Watching various Branch Facebook pages, I can see more and more clubs getting stuck in (like Malvern recently) with traplines and other work.  

Like so many things, talk is cheap but mahi matters…….and that is what NZDA prides itself on….getting on with the reality of it. 

Good conservation work needs more than special traps and dollars (though both are handy!). The key is ongoing commitment and dedication. It’s a long game requiring ongoing support and diligence as I have learned from my own predator control work. While running over 30 possum, stoat and rat traps in the Marlborough Sounds I have learned the hard, long, slow way about costs as well as the need for persistence and patience. The rewards are there though, since August 2-19 I have now killed over 140 possums and exactly 98 mustelids (stoats and weasels) plus a lot of rats on a small 8.5-hectare block. The weka and penguins seem to appreciate it as well as other native birdlife, weta and geckos.  

Southern Lakes Branch Traplines

At the end of this month, I am fortunate to be heading in to the Greenstone Valley (within the Caples-Greenstone RHA) with Southern Lakes folks who really are showing the commitment in both trapline and hut maintenance programmes in this area. I hope to learn how they do that…not just set and maintain traplines but how to find funding, keep the support, enthusiasm and resolve going, and share the results. Expect a full story on my return! 

I have a feeling it would greatly add to our collective capability and competency in this conservation work to be able to meet and share learnings and views more often than the odd Conference or via other media. Perhaps its time to have an organised info hub where we can meet online and learn things better faster cheaper? Have a think about it! 

Happy and safe hunting 

Fiordland Wapiti Roadshow

The Upper Clutha Branch has been busy organising a Fiordland Wapiti Foundation Roadshow event in Wanaka for Wednesday 25th September. By the time you read this it will be over & I’m confident will have been a successful event in helping the finances of the FWF & also informing more hunters & the general public about the FWF operations & their cause. 

Upper Clutha Branch Trapping

Cage pest trap clearing with the NZDA Upper Clutha branch & Lakes Sanctuary Trust is in its 3rd week up the Matukituki River near Wanaka, with over 40 predators culled so far, including 16 feral cats, one weighing 7.9kg.  

This type of conservation work being performed by NZDA Branches needs more promotion & also more interaction between branches about each other’s operations & what works & what doesn’t. Sharing this information will quickly bring efficiencies to the process. 

Blue Mountain RHA

There has been good Branch interaction in the lower South Island with Blue Mountain RHA Induction courses for mid-week hunting being organised & a reminder / notification of the 2025 AGM & Conference being held at the Ascot in Invercargill next July, hosted by the Southland Branch. 

New Central Otago Range

The Central Otago Branch has recently had its rifle range on Galloway Station approved & it is holding an Opening Day on Sunday 29th September at 10am. 

Southern Lakes Trapping

Southern Lakes NZDA has its Greenstone Trapping & Working Bee on over the last 10 days of September from the 20th. They also have a Ladies Tahr hunt in the Ruataniwha Conservation area & a club Tahr hunt at Mt Cook organised in October. 

National Goat Comp

Continuing in the conservation vein, the Upper Clutha Branch held its 2nd goat shoot as part of the National Goat Competition, at Alpha Burn Station, Glendhu Bay over the 21st & 22nd September with a total of 21 shooters over the 2 days culling 85 goats.  

Stewart Island Aerial Trial

Information on the proposed aerial 1080 application, on a 10,000ha trial on lower Stewart Island next autumn by DoC appointed contractor, ZIP, is being vigilantly monitored. 

The consultation process that ZIP have apparently engaged in with stake holders will need to be paid more than lip service by them, to ensure buy-in & acceptance by all affected parties.