Big Demand In Europe For New Zealand Venison

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31676, 11 May 1968, Page 5

Big Demand In Europe For New Zealand Venison

(Specially written for “The Press” by

R. M. McLAUGHLAN.)

Venison hunters today are searching the South Island mountain* tops and bush for red deer whose flesh, with its rich game taste, is much in demand in continental Europe.

Deer stalking for generations of New Zealanders has been a blood sport. The thrill was the successful shot; the head a trophy to convince the disbeliever; the venison had a curiosity value.

Some, however, saw money in selling venison to the Europeans who appreciate it, and whose own supply is inadequate. The Europeans were looking for an alternative to their traditional scources in Iron Curtain

countries. First shipments from New Zealand created a demand for New Zealand venison and the gathering operation in New Zealand grew. The Government, for many years, had a culling programme whose policy was basically to shoot the deer as a pest and leave the carcases to rot. In the supply of venison today the shooter who went in, shot his deer, and packed part of it out on his back, has been pushed into a lesser role. Spare-time Work Venison supply could not match demand. Some shooters began to use packhorses,

others bought jet boats, and still others brought in helicopters to increase the supply. Today’s venison hunters can be foot shooters, either part or full-time, who sell their game to a company freezer. They include many high-country shepherds. A station manager said that but for the extra money his men earned deer shooting in their own time he would not be able to keep staff. The competition of city living with its conveniences and factory wages with set hours would be top great Property owners get annoyed about the trespassing shooters who take their workers’ “perks.” They also worry about the loss of valuable stock. The all-out assault on the red deer has brought pleasure to the soil conservationist, who looks for increased ground cover and regeneration of the bush undergrowth to combat erosion. The deer stalker is not happy, claiming the “slaughter” is ruining a valuable sport. The safari companies are also worried. Their overseas customers want the trophies the brochures promise them. Helicopters’ Role In the industry now are firms with millions of dollars tied up in extensive networks of buying agents equipped with freezers and meat safes, fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, trucks, jet boats, processing factories and mother ships. The latter is a recent innovation.

Helicopters at first were used to lift shooters into inaccessible areas, either in bush or on the mountaintops, and then to lift out the carcases. ■ ■ -

Helicopter usage brought changes. Their running costs are high, so non-productive flying has to be kept to a minimum.

The cheaper running costs of fixed wing aircraft meant

they were brought in to carry the venison from where the helicopter had left it on small bush strips for the haul to road or rail.

Not any helicopter is suitable. It must be rugged, highly manoeuvrable, capable of being serviced in the field, and most important have a capability for useful highaltitude operation. To pay wages and running costs large numbers of deer are a daily requirement. Venison demand is also still growing. From Open Tops Using helicopters for gathering from bush is more expensive than using them to gather the deer from the clear mountaintops. On the open tops the deer are more easily seen and therefore more swiftly gathered in greater numbers. Companies began to concentrate their helicopter operations on the open tops.

The deer stalker and the tramper began to complain, often vehemently, that the companies were shooting deer from the helicopter. The companies said little in reply. A great unknown facing the venison industry is how long can the supply of carcases be maintained. The South Island is mountainous, but the helicopter companies consider only 10 per cent of the mountainous area is suitable for profitable venison recovery.

A sustained carcase supply is needed to maintain the returns necessary to cover costs and return a profit. The profit to date has meant millions of dollars of overseas income for New Zealand at a time when the traditional primary industries have been faced with falling prices, quotas on overseas markets and cut-throat competition from dumping operations of subsidised producers. The photographs show helicopters at work in the South Island high country.