Hunters Welcome DoC’s Crackdown on Poachers

A hunting organisation the Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust (SHOT) has welcomed the Department of Conservation’s crackdown on poachers and is hopeful that includes deer poachers too.

SHOT’s spokesman Laurie Collins of the West Coast said DoC’s director general warning to poachers and others “acting illegally on public conservation land” showed a new, refreshing attitude by the department.

“Poaching in marine reserves and breaching whitebait regulations remain the most common form of offending he says. “But we also see regular wilful killing of protected species, illegal land encroachment, timber theft and the organised smuggling of wildlife and endangered species,” said DoC.

DOC is also asking people to be our eyes and ears and help by reporting suspicious or illegal activity to our 24-hour hotline 0800 DOC HOT.

“The law abiding recreational hunting public is fed up with illegal spot lighting of deer and helicopter operators poaching at will because previously DoC had turned a blind eye to deer poachers as there had been an entrenched anti-deer hatred within the department.”

Laurie Collins said it seemed that anti-deer ideology had dissipated and he looked forward to DoC encouraging and fostering game animal management and recreational hunting.

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