A paper to complement the presentation of Colin Harold, President Sambar Deer Management Foundation Inc to the New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association Inc Annual Conference 2007.
Sambar in the Horowhenua, Manawatu, Rangitikei and Wanganui districts, are no longer officially protected under New Zealand law. They now only enjoy protection offered them by private farmers, and public land-managers, such as DOC, Land Information NZ, NZ Forest Managers, LTD, and the Crown forest licensees, some of whom are happy to have Sambar on their lands.
The extent of land-managers’ and owners’ tolerance, is best measured against the amount of crop and tree damage Sambar are now doing, or may be forecast to do, in future. It is unlikely that any public land-manager will seek “concerted action” to completely remove Sambar from their lands. Such eradication is impossible in many cases, because of the range and feeding behaviour of different age/sex classes of the herd. No indication of a wish for such action, has been provided formally or informally to the foundation, since consultation began in 2005.
Sambar in the Bay of Plenty remain unprotected, as they have been since 1988.
The Sambar Deer Management Foundation is intact, and more active than ever. The lifting of the gazette notice on 14 May 2007, didn’t spell the end of managed hunting, on public lands at least.
On 11 May, three days before the lift, DOC met the foundation to discuss a new hunter management agreement for its own reserves, in the former gazette area, some of which it plans to open to managed hunting for Sambar throughout the year. It was agreed that Sambar would not be hunted all year round, and that some reserves may be hunted lightly, because of their proximity to private farms, and competing recreational use demands placed on them. The foundation is working with DOC to establish a new public system of hunter management, on more reserves than were ever available in the public ballot.
The foundation has also been invited by Ernslaw One LTD, and Horizons Manawatu Wanganui Regional Council, to submit proposals for running public hunting on lands controlled by these two authorities. These proposals are ready for submission, and were developed by foundation staff and the committee, during June.
The foundation has yet to enter discussions with Rayonier NZ LTD which controls Waitarere Forest), and NZFM LTD, (which controls part of Harakeke Forest). It eagerly anticipates a green light from DOC, Ernslaw and Horizons, for managed hunting this spring and possibly early summer, for as much as three months (12 weekends) in some areas.
Once new public management arrangements are set up, the foundation will begin talking to Federated Farmers and the NZ Farm Forestry Association, to explore opportunities for managing private hunting.
1. A new, improved ballot and permitting system for hunting on public lands, including more DOC reserves, several Crown licence forests, and a large area of the Rangitikei riverbed, managed by Horizons Regional council.
2. More weekends for hunting each year on public lands, and a greater spread of opportunities throughout the year. August and September may no longer be the only times you may hunt Sambar.
3. More direct management of hunting and hunters by the foundation.
It is envisaged that the foundation will become a “one stop shop” for all your Sambar hunting queries, permits, ballot applications, animal control issues, etc, in future. You may never have to deal with DOC again, if this vision bears fruit.
4. A greater foundation field-presence during the year to assist hunters.
The foundation is likely to increase the number of monitors operating on public lands each year, and is about to review its internal processes to ensure monitors are able to manage the range of tasks a new regime will demand. You can look forward to seeing more monitors more often, who can help you hunt Sambar effectively.
5. More emphasis on herd management!
Greater flexibility for hunting throughout the year, will mean the foundation can emphasise herd management principles when educating and helping hunters. It is possible that the “hinds first” policy adopted by the foundation formerly, will become more entrenched at certain times of year. Different periods may be opened up on public lands for the hunting of hinds/non-trophy animals, and trophy animals. The foundation has yet to determine any formal policy on herd management guidelines in the new regime.
6. More than one ballot!
Because DOC no longer holds an interest in protecting Sambar on any public or private lands, it has decided to give up its administrative oversight of a single public ballot. For this reason, the foundation may operate at least two ballots, one for DOC reserves alone, and the other for all other Crown lands.
Keep your eyes peeled for details, which will be made available through your NZDA weekly branch newsletter, and other NZDA notices issued by the association’s national office.
7. New permit conditions for Sambar hunting.
Many hunters have been concerned that the lift of protection would spell the end of conditions designed to minimise unnecessary harm to, or waste of, the Sambar resource.
The foundation has vigorously advocated the inclusion of conditions on new public permits, prohibiting the use of dogs, beaters, aircraft, spotlights, night-shooting, and unsuitable firearms. This has received a favourable response from land-managers, and it is likely that most of the old gazette conditions which helped to stem unsuitable hunting practices will be reworded and will find their way onto new permits.
8. A higher ballot and permit fee, but greater value for money too!
The foundation is committed to keeping permit and ballot entry costs as low as is feasible, not as low as possible. The objective of becoming a one-stop shop, has required it to undertake detailed research and projection of its costs, and financial risks, in setting up a new system. Detailed permit and ballot pricing models have been developed by foundation staff, and are being considered by land-managers and the committee of the foundation at present. It is very unlikely that your permit or ballot fee will increase greatly, but both will increase, as far as we can tell. The foundation will endeavour to hold permit and ballot fees at a consistent rate once they have been set.
9. Consistent and vigorous advocacy for deer management.
The foundation has proved itself to be a capable herd and hunter manager, and a politically potent force in the service of deer management. Its success is mainly due to continuous efforts to talk to, not at, government agencies it deals with, and its effort to offer solutions at a community level, where government agencies might otherwise only find unsolvable problems.
The foundation intends to enter a new service delivery contract with DOC, and new contracts with other public land managers, and perhaps with private farming groups. It intends to ensure more hunters can hunt Sambar, but also to see that Sambar are only controlled, by recreational hunting, not eradicated by reckless commercial hunting or unauthorised poaching.
Its staff and committee have a wide range of experience and expertise, which will ensure Sambar management, remains visible to government, public servants, the media, local authorities, and other hunting organisations. The foundation will continue to cultivate its links with NZDA to ensure members of both organisations share the benefits of Sambar management in future.