Hunters brace for busy season as roar sets in
Calls to be vigilant as hunters head to the bush
Waikato’s hunting season is in full swing, so several organisations have asked keen outdoors people to be vigilant. New Zealand Game Animal Council general manager Tim Gale said Waikato’s hunting hotspots were likely to be the Pureora Forest Park, Hauhungaroa Ranges, Kaimanawa Forest Park, Tongariro National Park, and part of the Kaimai Ranges.
“There will be lots of people out and about on the hills... so please be considerate of others.
“Make sure you got legal permission... there is no excuse for not having a permit.
“Follow firearms and safety rules. Plan and prepare, wear highly visible clothes and [weather] appropriate gear. Consider everything to be a human unless you are 100 per cent sure.
“If you are hunting on private land, please contact the owners and follow their rules.”
He said Waikato hunters would often travel south to the wider Taupō area.
“There are lots of good hunting opportunities in the Waikato... [This long weekend] coincides with the Pureora Hunting Competition which
is always well attended.
“It’s a cool competition, there are always lots of families there... It’s great seeing kids out in the wilderness, engaging with nature and away from their phones.”
The competition, run by DoC since 1988, is a pest control event that targets pigs and deer, as well as smaller species like rats.
Until April 28, any hunter with a current Department of Conservation (DoC) permit to hunt in the area is invited to take part.
DoC senior community ranger Ray Scrimgeour said the competition had been open since March 16.
“We’re very pleased to report the kiwi aversion training for hunters with dogs is now full, and we’re keen to acknowledge the support for that as part of our competition.”
Scrimgeour urged participants to attend the prizegiving event on April 28 at DoC’s Puerora Field Base.
“Although animals can be preregistered at recording stations, it’s at prizegiving where the judging occurs... Winners must be present at prizegiving to claim their prizes.”
DOC’s visitor safety team manager Andy Roberts said while hunters would make up a significant proportion of backcountry users during the competition and wider roar season, there would be plenty of others who were also enjoying outdoor experiences during the upcoming public holidays.
“All visitors to public conservation areas are expected to keep huts clean and tidy and take home any rubbish. If people are getting up early to head out or returning late at night, they are asked to keep quiet if others are sleeping,” Roberts said.
“Firearms and dead animals are a part of hunting, but they can be quite intimidating for some people, so we ask hunters to think about how they manage these.”
He said Hunters must follow the Firearms Safety Code.
“Always unload your firearms before reaching a hut and never leave firearms unattended.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s the best stag you’ve ever seen – do not pull the trigger if you’re in the vicinity of huts, tracks, campsites and road-ends.”
Hunting during the hours of darkness is prohibited.
Police echoed Roberts’ sentiment saying it would only take one mistake to ruin many people’s lives.
“The deer roar has a spike in these types of incidents,” Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority Director of Partnerships Mike McIlraith said.
“We just want everyone involved to have a great time away and to head home safe at the end to their loved ones. We’ve boiled it down to three key reminders for hunters this year: Make a plan for your hunt and stick to it, always treat every firearm as loaded, and identify your target beyond all doubt.”