Recent media coverage of a population explosion of wild deer, reflects an ingrained prejudice whereby wild animals are viewed as pests instead of a realistic positive image of being a resource say two outdoor organisations.
Laurie Collins convenor of the Sporting Hunters’ Outdoor Trust cited a recent Stuff article where the writer claimed wild deer numbers were “spiralling out of control, devouring pasture and destroying native forests.”
Laurie Collins said the ecological history of New Zealand’s vegetation was very significant in that it had evolved under “widespread and probably intensive browsing” by several million moa, a figure estimated by New Zealand eminent ecologist the late Dr Graeme Caughley.
“That browsing pressure by moa is reflected in the defence mechanisms of plants from thorns to divaricating structure and even toxins,” he said.
Support for the Sporting Hunters’ Outdoor Trust criticism also came from the Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations (CORANZ).
“The basis for recent publicity painting a wild deer crisis is very questionable simply because wild deer are doing exactly as moa did for 50 million years, i.e. browsed the forest and associated vegetation,” said Tony Orman CORANZ spokesman.
He said while there probably were some slight differences between moa and deer, as to preferences for palatable vegetation species the outcome for both is the same, i.e. a change in forest composition with more unpalatable and less palatable vegetation. Besides the several species of moa, there were other browsing birds such as the kōkako, pigeon, pukeko, takahe and others.
Laurie Collins – “Game Management not extermination needed”
Laurie Collins has been a life time hunter and in his working career with experience of pest poisons such as brodifacoum and 1080 both which he categorised as indiscriminate poisons killing not just the target species but birds and some insects.
“Both toxins have the secondary kill characteristic in that a poisoned rat or possum carcass retains the poison and is thus toxic.”
Any predator or scavenger such as a weka, falcon, more-pork and others is poisoned as do curious birds such as robins and kea.
“Insects are poisoned. It should be noted, 1080 was first patented in the 1920s as an insecticide. It’s there in science such as a 2001 study which identified native snails as poisoned by brodifacoum. Scientist the late Mike Meads warned about 1080 killing invertebrate organisms.”
Referring to deer, Laurie Collins said treating deer as a resource is simply game management which embraces keeping numbers within the habitat’s carrying capacity.
Tony Orman said it was difficult to get a public true perspective on the place of deer in the ecosystem because of the national ingrained culture of seeing wild animals as pests, instead of viewing an animal should as a resource with numbers to be managed.
“Extermination is an impossible dream. In 1930 the Deer Menace Conference led by an amateur botanical zealot Leonard Cockayne, decreed deer to be exterminated, evil, invasive and gobbling foliage. This culture since has been nurtured to a frenzy by extreme green groups and bureaucracies such as the Department of Conservation many who still idolise Cockayne’s dogmatic false ideology.”
He said it was puzzling why some farmers should view deer as a menace. Deer should be easily harvested and managed, thanks to today’s ultra-technology, with high powered accurate rifles, efficient telescopic sights, thermal scopes and other aids.
“Management of animal numbers is much easier. Besides wild deer are a quality resource, providing top organic meat for the dinner table or commercial use. And allowing ethical recreational hunters access is another tool.”
Tony Orman criticised 1080 and brodifacoum as cruel inhumane poisons.
“Unlike cyanide both are not instant killers and are slow killing poisons, inflicting harsh cruelty on animals, native birds and even native insects, all vulnerable to indiscriminate toxins. Brodifacoum takes up to three weeks to slowly and cruelly kill an animal. The poisons remain in the environment.”
He compared brodifacoum to 1080.
“ After use, brodifacoum’s withholding period on taking a wild deer for pig is three years, 1080 is six months. Based on that, as bad as 1080 is, brodifacioum is six times worse.”
Tony Orman said despite its high toxicity, brodifacoum is sold freely over shop counters in the form of rat poison.
“Such is the random and frequent use of rat poison around homes in the Marlborough Sounds that because of toxin residues remaining in wild pigs by devouring the poison directly or by secondary means of eating toxic rat and possum carcasses, that commercial sale of wild pigs from the Sounds is banned.
“Never mind the wild pork that goes on the dinner table for pig hunters’ families and their health,” he added.
Yes moa were exterminated by the 1250 AD migrants so there was an “unnatural” phase with little browsing, until deer were introduced and established.
There is so much exaggeration about deer in the media – newspapers and TV. I have seen articles/watched programmes on TV that are one sided and anti-deer. Deer are slow breeders unlike litter bearing mammals such as rats and stoats.
Media articles lack balance. They feature anti-deer groups like Forest and Bird and DOC but never go to people like Laurie Collins who have spent a lifetime in the bush.
The whole native versus exotic argument has fundamental flaws when you apply it to operational policy. Yes, New Zealand’s pioneers introduced deer and trout and game birds. The evidence that deer and game birds highly impact native species is overblown, and as Mr Orman practically demonstrates, hunting rifle and scope technology has improved so much it’s easy to correct the balance. Trout’s presence is a little more complicated. Yes, trout eat whitebait. But Fish and Game has practical programmes to set up biological islands in sections of streams with fish barriers like waterfalls or weirs. Trout are an indicator species for clean water and need many of the same habitat qualities as native fish and birds. So if you protect trout, you’re protecting native birds and fish. As much as the nostalgic dream of returning to a pre-Colonial world appeals to some, it’s a fantasy. Wild trout and wild deer are resources that can improve our quality of life because of the wellbeing that hunting and fishing and sunshine bring us.
The media would do themselves a much needed service if this time they sought to tell the truth, with science backed info. Unfortunately they are once again just pushing old ideology. People are getting sick of media disinformation – time things changed.
NZ is a poisoned paradise.
The whole native versus exotic argument has fundamental flaws when you apply it to operational policy. Yes, New Zealand’s pioneers introduced deer and trout and game birds. The evidence that deer and game birds highly impact native species is overblown, and as Mr Orman practically demonstrates, hunting rifle and scope technology has improved so much it’s easy to correct the balance. As much as the nostalgic dream of returning to a pre-Colonial world appeals to some, it’s a fantasy. Wild trout and wild deer are resources that can improve our quality of life because of the wellbeing that hunting and fishing and sunshine bring us.
Wild species were introduced by our forebears for various purposes. Many of which proved to be ecologically damaging, to varying degrees – some disastrously so.
If we had our time again now, we would be much more careful – but it’s all very well to be wise after the event.
People like to blame others for what has occurred – but as with all such matters, nobody alive today is at fault.
What we can do today – is manage the resulting problems.
Species eradication is often bandied about .. but has never been achieved, against any of the wild, introduced species well-established on mainland New Zealand.
And with a price tag well into the trillions of dollars – were it even possible – that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
So that puts us right back where we always were .. faced with wild, introduced species population management.
This costs money .. lots of it. These costs either have to be borne by private landholders – or by ratepayers / taxpayers.
The reality is .. there is no bottomless pit of money available. So efforts tend to occur in fits and starts. Despite hundreds of millions of dollars worth of expenditure .. we are getting no closer to our targets (in many cases, they seem to be getting further away.
There is another tool in the wild, introduced species population management toolbox. Recreational Hunters. Despite many successful efforts to undermine their capabilities, in recent years (eg persecution as Firearms Licence Holders, attacks on public (recreational hunting) access, the introduction of large fines and prison terms if they put a foot wrong, etc) .. these people are hanging in there.
And why wouldn’t they? With billions of dollars invested in recreational assets .. into the hundreds of millions of dollars of expenditure every year .. contributing millions of hours at no cost to the ratepayer/taxpayer .. and accounting for millions of wild, introduced critters each and every year .. Recreational Hunters are not going away anytime soon.
It’s about time the largely unthanked efforts of Recreational Hunters are better acknowledged, and recognised. Without their annual harvest – populations of wild, introduced species would quickly spiral completely out of control. Much more so, than they already are.
And the costs to ratepayers / taxpayers would escalate significantly more than they currently Are
Government propaganda brainwashing. GOVERNMENT PLAYING GOD. 1080 poison is Evil. Harvesting (hunting) and good game management is the only way.Listen to the ones who KNOW, like Tony Orman. He has been doing it all his life…..unlike these uninformed government idiots that have destroyed a once beautiful and pure land.
The last place kea hang out in numbers and now they bomb that area to with everything needed to wipe the species out.
Unbelievable stupidity from DOC and the blinded by ideological dimwits that emerge from Forest and Bird.
Get rid of 1080 bring back the wild game freezers where a weekend hunter could make money selling venison and pork. Problem solved. Do bloody rimple yet here we keep going. Blame the deer, bet they eat birds eggs as well
Why continue with the same old procedure when it does not work? The only time the deer numbers fell was when Helicopters were introduced; yet, they continue to tell the public that 1080 is best. How many years will politicians continue to hit their heads against the brick wall, wondering why it doesn’t work? When there was a price on the animals, they were soon brought under control. One has to wonder if there are some vested interests in the making of these poisons.