Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Heli-hunting not fair chase

The battle lines are drawn between hunters in helicopters and shooters on the ground.

The Ruahine Action Group is organising a public meeting to seek support and input to set up an alternative wild red deer management plan for the Ruahine State Forest.

Steve Bielski, from Rangiwahia, said recreational shooters were worried that the Department of Conservation would allow helicopter hunting in the region all year round.

At present, they are limited to certain times of the year and sections of the Ruahine Range.

"It's no use just saying we don't want helicopter hunting; we have to be able to run it ourselves, and maybe forming a trust to manage the red deer is appropriate."

However, the action group wanted helicopter shooting stopped altogether. Deerstalkers say they will use their political might against any political party that supports helicopter hunting.

Snow Hewetson, from the executive of the Deer Stalkers Association, said shooting from a helicopter was not hunting.

"Rather than being about the journey deerstalkers go on, which may result in a nice sunrise, it may be an encounter with an animal you decide to leave unharmed... it may be in taking a trophy... it may be some meat from a young animal, or maybe a photo you will prize for the image captured, rather – an image which will long remind you of glory days spent in alpine splendour."

He said heli-hunting was always about the kill at the end.

"It is not fair chase. The helicopter is used to find, chase and slay an animal to collect a fee."

DOC describes heli-hunting as flying recreational hunters and their guides into high country areas by helicopter in search of trophy animals. The animals most frequently hunted are introduced tahr and chamois.

DOC said commercial heli-hunting on land other than public conservation land was already an established industry, with clients paying a trophy fee of around $5000 per animal.

Mr Hewetsen said he was concerned that DOC would allow a concession that enabled heli-hunting over national parks and wilderness areas, granting access rights no other group or individual had.

"There remains huge opposition to this from the public, who regard heli-hunting as unethical, unsafe, unsporting, and disrespectful of our national parks and our egalitarian principles and, quite simply, don't want any part of it.

"It is clear now that only a change of law will satisfy the public concerns around heli-hunting," Mr Hewetson said.

DOC said heli-hunting operators shared the same interest as recreational hunters in retaining a viable number of trophy animals, and heli-hunting people wanted to ensure they remained.

It said heli-hunters reported that their selective shooting and culling was more effective than that of recreational hunters and DOC to maintain trophy animals.

Current legislation and plans permit heli-hunting and recreational hunters to be involved in wild animal control.

"There is no legal basis to impose restrictions on the issues of `fair chase', herding and hazing and shooting from the helicopter," DOC said.

"There was a desire in the meeting for the law to be reviewed, where relevant."

The Ruahine Action Group's public meeting to set up an alternative wild red deer management plan is on October 29 at the Central Normal School hall, 201 Featherston St, Palmerston North, at 1pm.

- Manawatu Standard

http://www.stuff.co.nz

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