ROD AND GUN Improved Trophy Hunting In Deerstalkers’ Wapiti Plan

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30827, 12 August 1965, Page 18

ROD AND GUN Improved Trophy Hunting In Deerstalkers’ Wapiti Plan

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JAMES SIERS]

The argument about the future of the wapiti herd in Fiordland National Park will be resolved in the next week or so by the publication of the Select Committee’s report. According to the case presented at last week’s annual meeting of the Deerstalkers’ Association in Westport, the association did not ask for the management of the herd eight years ago, but was told to accept responsibility for it, and the association now has no desire to give it up. The association’s plan for future hunting in the park is based on three main principles: The production of quality trophy animals. This objective demands first-class habitat and a low, stable animal population. Trophy bull would then be used as the incentive to obtain from sportsmen the work and money necessary to finance and operate the game management programme in perpetuity. The user pays. The association's report says the wapiti area today commands a 250 per cent in-

crease among association members in applications for the annual ballot.

These stalkers are principally interested in a trophy bull and to provide the type of hunting desirable there would first have to be an amendment to the Act. Hunters would either fulfil 10 days of approved work in the area, including the satisfactory return of data cards or reports, or make a donation of £2O each to the secretary of the Fiordland Park Board. Parties would be able to apply for and hunt trophies on any block they desired. Under the present ballot system few parties draw a block and hardly any ever draw their preference of blocks. The new rules would allow several parties to each block. Only one trophy a rifle be the trophy red, non-typical or wapiti, of a minimum approved standard (three points on each top. inclusive of the Royal tine) would be allowed. Tourist hunters would get no special privilege, except that the guide could qualify for the hunter by giving 10 days of approved service for his client if he so desired . . . a greater concession than New Zealand hunters would get in most areas overseas.

American resident hunters pay five dollars, non-resident, 75 dollars, in some states.

Persons would become eligible to take part in trophy hunting as often as they qualified, but only once each year. The blocks under the plan would open for hunting on the Sunday nearest March 25 and remain open for three weeks from that date. As the greater part of the herd is sired by the senior bulls before this date, this would allow mating with the minimum of disturbance.

The plan recommends opening the blocks again for trophy hunting during the May holiday period, although in some instances trophy hunters may have to put up with culling or survey work. The association will also consider allowing trophy hunting every second or third year only. This would still provide a greater chance of hunter success than at present. Formation of a similar red deer trophy hunting area in the Eglinton-Hollyford-Pyke-Olivine area, alternating years for red and wapiti trophy nunting, and absolute priority for special research projects, even during trophy hunting periods, were other recommendations.