National Board Reports April 2026

NZDA National Board (Absent S. Langslow, and D. Friedman).

Dear members,

I hope you have all had a successful and safe roar period and those moving into the Duck season are well prepared and looking forward to opening morning. Mid April news spread of a hunter being shot in the Ruahine Ranges - an avoidable accident which if the 7 rules of firearms safety had been followed, and the target was identified beyond all doubt - the accident would have been avoided.

Look after your mates, treat every firearm as loaded and expect every animal encounter to be a human until you 100% identify it otherwise.

Our National Conference is being run this year by national office from the Lower Hutt Events Centre.

The national office team are getting stuck in and its shaping up to be a great event. As per in volunteer organisations many hands make light work, we would still appreciate volunteers over the weekend to assist with various conference tasks, so if you are planning on attending and would like to help out please get in touch with our national office or myself for more information.

My roar has been fairly successful this year. I started in the central north chasing reds, while no big bush dwelling monster was acquired i took a nice typical 9 point red roaring well in his wallow. I followed this up with a trip into Sika country securing two nice mature 8 point sika one with a length of 31.5 inches. Both jaws where dropped into a Sika foundation collection point to be aged and contribute to their data collection.

My final trip for April was into the Edith River Valley one of the core Wapiti blocks for the 4th period. I was fortunate enough to secure a nice representative wapiti hybrid, the body was more red deer size and the skull measured 16 1/4, well undersize for a true Wapiti. The animal was missing its bez tines was filled out in the body holding its head low. My guess would be around the 6 year old mark. Again the jaw was dropped into the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation Jaw collection point to be aged. What a month - I can't complain!

The board is also looking for a couple more board representatives, for further information please get in touch with myself or any other board members.

Well the roar is pretty much over as I write this, hope you all managed to get out and secure something memorable for the freezer and wall. I managed to get a wonky 12 point stag with 38' main beams and 9.5' bases on a 7 day hunt, I have had no luck with the local fallow bucks but will keep trying as I know there are some good ones nearby.

At board level most of our time and energy has been focused on issues caused by a small minority but it has been extremely time and energy consuming.

Waikato and Thames Valley have been running management hunts into the Pureora Forest with assistance from DOC which have been going really well and the collaboration with DOC and the branch's has been beneficial for both party's.

North Taranaki has been donating venison mince to the local food banks which is a great initiative for the local community.

I am keen to hear any roar stories so if you have a good story please send a email and some photos. And If you are the type, think about writing a article for the national magazine, I am sure Ivan would love some more content.

Anyway, see you soon, I have fallow bucks to look for.