Tenure Review

Tenure Review submissions are made on behalf of the New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association Incorporated (NZDA).

NZDA is the only national body of recreational deerstalkers and other big game hunters. We have 57 branches and, as well, a number of hunting clubs throughout New Zealand. We have 7200 members, and have been actively advocating for deerstalking and recreational hunting, and running training courses, trips, conferences etc since 1937. NZDA also maintains ethical standards for hunting and for animal welfare for its members to abide by.

With the Government pressuring all lease holders to take part in Tenure Reviews, we have seen an increase in activity in this area. At times we have had to be satisfied with submitting a "form letter" type response, as there was little first hand knowledge of the areas being discussed, or the notice to us was short. There is one area we are pushing hard, and that is the area of access.

NZDA has pointed out to DoC and LINZ that if they are willing to maintain road access for "maintenance activities" then why on earth can't they maintain them for hunting access. This was in response to DoC complaining of "difficulties" in letting hunters traverse land with firearms and dogs.

It is an obvious answer that they (DoC) have acknowledged as an ideal fix. The question remains, when are they going to action it. It is becoming very obvious to us that hunting in not a favoured activity with DoC, particularly DoC HQ.

The association has also raised concerns that the result of these reviews is putting some very valuable land, valuable in monetary terms and in terms of access across the new private estate, at risk of being sold to the highest (Foreign) bidder. Examples include exchanging lake foreshore for mountainous country, that is, the lake property is currently Crown owned and is intended to exchange for privately owned high country blocks in the same lease. This has been acknowledged also, again with no obvious change. It is imperative that we, as National Executive get as much information as we possibly can about impending reviews. We can now get an alert via internet, but what we need is any local knowledge about these as we can. this is where an active membership can be of help. We can advertise the review, but we need you to give us any pertinent information.

Walking Access Bill - May 21 2008

NZDA is interested in public access to public land and resources for recreational hunting of big game species especially deer, tahr, chamois and wild pigs. Without adequate public access for hunters, the potential of recreational hunting to assist in managing deer and wild pig numbers is significantly reduced.

Recreational hunters take the majority of the natural increase in deer and wild pig numbers each year. NZDA’s members also often hunt small game eg rabbits, possums, etc. Consequently, access to Public Conservation Lands (PCL) that allows carriage of disarmed safe recreational firearm, and/or dog(s) is essential.

Walkways specifically exclude recreational hunters. None of the 200 or so walkways in NZ allows either carriage of disarmed recreational firearms or accompaniment by a dog or dogs. Recreational big game and small game hunting is a legitimate recreational activity with a 150 year history in New Zealand. In 1988, the last time recreational hunters in New Zealand were adequately surveyed; there were just under 100,000 recreational hunters. Details of this Survey and the numbers recreational hunters are given in Section 4 of this submission, below.

Most people accessing the outdoors, including recreational hunters, use vehicles, usually cars and 4WD vehicles or trail bikes. These are not provided for in this Bill. NZDA considers the narrowness of this Bill to primarily catering only for walking access for walkers without a dog or recreational firearms, is short-sighted.

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