Deerstalkers Delighted With New Game Management

Deerstalkers Delighted With New Game Management Proposals

The New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association warmly welcomes new game animal management proposals, released today by Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson.

NZDA is New Zealand’s largest hunting organisation, representing nearly 9,000 members. It has actively supported the deliberations of the committee which prepared this report, since late 2008.

National President Alec McIver sees this report as a very timely piece of work, and one which his membership can identify with and endorse within its 51 branches.

“We feel the content of the report represents the input by all the sectors that have an interest in New Zealand’s game animals,” he says.

NZDA has over 73 years, advocated for a game management regime that recognises game as a resource rather than pests. The Association was a lead supporter of the earlier game animal panel process in 2006-8. Its national executive and many branches provided detailed submissions to the game animal establishment committee which wrote this report, to ensure a view was available to them from recreational hunters. Mr McIver greets the details with real enthusiasm.

“We see the Game Animal Council, proposed in this report, as a big step forward for New Zealand,” he remarks, “and is a huge step for New Zealand game management.

NZDA is relieved that the Minister is finally able to release a report which contains ideas and innovative recommendations which all sectors with a stake in game animal management have contributed to.

Mr McIver sees the proposed changes in the status of game animals, and amendments to the Wildlife and Conservation Acts, as only part of the process of making hunting and wild game more acceptable to the wider public.

He firmly believes a new game animal council: “will foster improved communication and collaboration between government, commercial interests and recreational hunters. NZDA wants to see this council playing an active role in increasing the use of our Crown lands and the game animals on them, by all New Zealanders.”

NZDA plans to ensure all its branches are informed about the report. Alec McIver expects it will be a real talking-point at the association’s annual conference, being held in Palmerston North in July.

NZDA is delighted that the association will nominate two members to the proposed council to represent recreational hunters. .

In the meantime, the association keenly anticipates working with the Minister and her officials to add value where it can, to this report as this gains momentum on its way to cabinet.

ENDS

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