Prepare for a safe and successful roar this year
By Kaylyn Pinney, Acting General Manager of the NZ Game Animal Council
Caption: Kaylyn Pinney, Acting General Manager of the NZ Game Animal Council
The NZ Game Animal Council (GAC) is advising hunters across New Zealand to plan for a safe and successful roar this year.
Coupled with some long weekends, this is a time of year when lots of hunters and non-hunters share what New Zealand’s backcountry has to offer.
Take the opportunity to have a friendly chat with hunters and non-hunters alike if you run into them and do keep hunting away from huts and tracks.
Follow the 5 P’s for preparation
We’re encouraging all hunters to follow the 5 P’s for preparation – Plan for the best, Prepare for the worst, Provide your intentions, Positively identify your target, and Pick the right animal.
You can also incorporate our free online hunter training platform, Better Hunting, into your roar preparations. With everything from planning a hunt and ageing stags, to safe river crossing and first aid, there’s something for everyone.
Head to betterhunting.nz to sign-up or log in for free.
Remember to make sure you have your hunting permits for public conservation land, access permissions for private land, and have checked the DOC pesticides summary map.
A healthy habitat means a healthy herd
The foundation for any good hunting experience is a healthy habitat and a healthy herd.
During the roar, we encourage hunters to take the time to harvest a few females for the freezer. This is good for the herd, good for the environment and good for future roar hunting opportunities.
For more information and handy links to roar preparation tools and resources, check out www.nzgac.org.nz/the-roar
Congratulations on opening the National Hunting and Shooting Museum
I was honoured to attend the grand opening of the new National Hunting and Shooting Museum and Reference Library last month.
Congratulations to the NZDA National Heritage Trust and wider NZDA Inc as well as the many volunteers and members who collectively, have brought an idea and vision to life.
The Museum and Reference Library is an asset to us all and will provide a home for New Zealand’s hunting history and traditions. It will provide a place for future generations who seek to understand and engage with a huge part of New Zealand’s culture and heritage both past and present.
Understanding our past allows us to shape the future of hunting and game animal management in a way that respects tradition while embracing innovation and responsible stewardship. We look forward to watching the Museum and Reference Library grow and seeing how New Zealand’s hunting and shooting history continues to evolve over time.
Corina Jordan, new GAC CEO
You may have seen our posts on social media regarding Corina Jordan, current CEO of Fish & Game NZ who will be taking up the role of CEO at the GAC in a few months’ time.
We are excited to bring Corina on board. Her experience in leadership and organisational strategy will be an asset to the GAC and the wider hunting sector.
I will be continuing as Acting General Manager until Corina starts. We also look forward to working with Richard at Fish & Game in the interim, and then the new Fish & Game New Zealand CEO.
Until next time,
KP.
Join and Support NZDA
Find and join a branch to get involved with promoting and protecting hunting in New Zealand! Search here.
https://www.deerstalkers.org.nz/join-and-support-us/branch-finder/