25 September 2005
Commissioner of Crown Lands
C/- Quotable Value Ltd
P O Box 13 443
Christchurch
Fax (03) 341 1635
This submission is made on behalf of the New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association Incorporated, the national body of recreational deerstalkers. NZDA is the national big game hunting association, with 57 branches and a number of hunting clubs throughout New Zealand. We have 7200 members, and have been actively advocating for deerstalking and hunting and running training courses, trips, conferences etc since 1937.
The 4172 ha Castle Dent pastoral lease near Lawrence backs onto the Lammerlaw Range, west of Lake Mahinerangi, and Dunedin. The Lammerlaw range has recently had its land that is public conservation land made the Te Papanui Conservation Park. It is proposed to surrender 2113 Ha of tussockland tops adjacent to the Park. This would make an important addition to the Park.
130 Ha along the margin of Bowlers Creek is to be made scenic reserve. A public access easement is also provided, as are access easements for DOC.
In the only assessment of outdoor recreational characteristics and value for Otago, Bruce Mason, in “Outdoor Recreation in Otago – A Conservation Plan” Vol 1 (1988, Federated Mountain Clubs) assessed the Lammerlaws as having a remote experience character due to the absence of habitation, and as a valuable area for winter ski touring. He notes also that runholder agreements for access by deerstalkers to the range, were withdrawn in the early 1970s. So surrender of this Castle Dent block to public conservation land will also help restore a traditional hunting area.
We have not had the opportunity to inspect the property on the ground, so cannot comment on the easements in detail. We understand from our members that the land CA2 to be surrendered has red deer, a small pocket of fallow deer and pigs on it. It is already recognised for these recreational hunting attributes, even though it has been leasehold land.
Consequently this surrender is of interest to hunters, and we strongly support this change to public land for its recreational hunting value, and for its other outdoor recreational values. As these recreational hunting resources are publicly owned, it is better that they be on public land, where they are available to the public, rather than on privately occupied land.
We ask that you to ensure that hunters with dogs can use all the accesses to this block. CA2 will also be a very desirable addition to the Te Papanui Conservation Park.
We have been unable to inspect the public accessways provided. However, if recreational hunters are to do their bit for sustainable management on CA1, it would be highly desirable for them to have vehicle assess to it. We take it that Gardiners Track is a public formed road open to public traffic. Similarly Medwin Road. Having a 4WD or Quad track accessing the top section of the CA1 block would be desirable for recreational hunters to allow taking out shot animals for the table. Is there any possibility of this?
Please contact me if you require further information.
Thanking you
Yours truly
Dr Hugh Barr
NZDA National Advocate
© 2011 New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association