National Board Reports May 2026

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

Dear Members,

May has been a busy month, As it usually is after taking time off in the roar to do what we are all here for! Getting back into the flow of the NZDA work streams along side my other sector roles has been great. My Role as Iwi Liason on the Woodhill Fallow Management Committee has seen us secure a new 5 year lease for the hunting at the top of south head. Our committee of volunteers have put all the signs in the ground and we are ready to get into a new season, good luck to all those that won a ballot.

The NZDA National Office are in full conference mode, we have hired an Events Cordinator (Lucy) who is handling the details and doing a great job of it. National Office has also hired an additional Membership Manager (Jemma) who has slotted in nicely. The team is growing and its great to see a really positive buzz in the office. We have an exciting raffle this year too - bigger and better from previous years so watch this space for an epic prize up for grabs!

The National Board is in a very strong position despite a couple of hiccups earlier in the year, these minor changes have only strengthened the board culture and is the best I have ever seen it. We are working in the best interests of our members and continually raising the bar. Culture is at the heart of anything good, it is upstream of success, good governance and politics. Get the culture right and you win - its that simple.

Our membership survey is a further reflection on the associations progression and leadership success. The results speak for themselves and are the best we have ever seen, pointing to continued improvement and the hard work of our executive, staff and the board.

Hi Members,

This year is flying by, with Conference almost upon us. With that comes Postal Shoot season once again. My own club has already held its Wilkinson and Browns Trophy events—both were well attended and thoroughly enjoyed.

I’ve already had a number of branches around the country get in touch to share how their events have gone, and there are some excellent scores coming through. This year, when you submit your top three scorecards, could you please include the total number of participants from your branch in the accompanying email? I’m particularly interested in seeing the overall level of participation across the country.

By the time you read this report, you should have received your copy of the National Target Shooting Newsletter. I hope you’ve had the chance to read and enjoy it. Be sure to check out the National Shooting Calendar for upcoming events in your area—there’s plenty to get involved in.

We still have two Shooting Discipline Representative roles available on the NSC: Scoped Rifle and F-Class. If you, or someone you know, may be interested, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the details.

I’m looking forward to catching up with many of you at this year’s National Conference in Wellington.

That’s all from me for now—so as always, keep your powder dry and Hot Barrels everyone.

This year continues to gather momentum, with a growing number of projects and initiatives underway. It is encouraging to see the level of activity across the Association, and I am looking forward to many of these initiatives being formally rolled out and shared more widely in the coming months.

The National Goat Hunting Competition, delivered in partnership with DOC and NZDA, is now well into the planning phase and is shaping up to be larger and more impactful than previous events. We are seeing increased interest and support, including engagement from new organisations, which is a positive indicator of the programme’s value and reach.

The competition remains a key initiative, not only in terms of member engagement but also for its contribution to wild goat control in priority areas. By leveraging recreational hunters, the model continues to provide a cost-effective and practical approach to reducing goat numbers while fostering strong community involvement and stewardship of public land.

This year’s planning is focused on:

• Expanding participation and geographic coverage

• Strengthening partnerships with DOC, NZDA, and supporting organisations

• Improving reporting and visibility of results to better demonstrate outcomes

• Ensuring the event delivers both conservation benefits and a positive experience for participants

The continued growth of the competition highlights its importance as both a conservation tool and a flagship engagement activity for the Association.

I would like to wish everyone a successful and enjoyable few months ahead. Thank you to the Board, branch committees, and volunteers who continue to put in considerable effort behind the scenes to keep the Association moving forward.

I look forward to seeing you all in July at the National Conference.

Good luck, hunt safe, and hot barrels.

Across the southern branches, activity levels remain high, with strong engagement in hunting, conservation, and community initiatives.

The Gore and Districts Branch continue to deliver successful events, including their annual Take a Kid Hunting weekend and goat shooting weekend, both of which were well received. Their trapping programme at Piano Flat is achieving positive results, and encouragingly, the branch is seeing a steady influx of new members.

On the West Coast, the branch has organised a hunting trip into the Whataroa area and has recently taken on responsibility for the Waikiti Hut, now designated as an NZDA Deerstalkers hut. This includes ongoing maintenance of both the hut and the access track, a significant contribution to local hunting infrastructure.

Southern Lakes Branch remains active in conservation and member engagement. Trapping continues in the upper Greenstone and Steel Creek areas, alongside successful working bees linked to ballot openings. Upcoming initiatives include a working bee in the Upper Caples, a family-focused hunting trip at Dunstan Downs in late June, and a hunt course planned for later in the year.

The Marlborough Branch has delivered an outstanding Nelson Lakes National Park operation involving 39 hunters across 13 blocks. The harvest of 202 deer, seven chamois, and one feral cat exceeded Department of Conservation expectations, demonstrating the effectiveness of collaboration with recreational hunters. Additionally, 160kg of venison has been processed and donated to the Marlborough Foodbank with support from the Blenheim Lions Club, highlighting the strong community benefit of these activities.

Finally, early results from PAPP sausage bait trials indicate promising success in controlling stoats. While still in early stages, this approach offers a potentially effective alternative to traditional methods like 1080. For more info just google 'papp trials nz'.

Overall, branches continue to demonstrate strong outcomes in conservation, member growth, and community contribution.