Deer in the Tararuas

Press, 17 February 1978, Page 12

Deer in the Tararuas

Sir, — From the beginning of time it has been one of man’s basic needs to hunt for recreation or survival. I think this need still exists, but for recreation only. The thrill of the hunt or the stalk can be one of the most exhilarating experiences. It seems to me that the Government is set on taking that right away. New Zealand is one of the only countries in the world that considers our game herds as export potential. In most countries the public are busy spending millions of dollars on conservation and management of their game herds. It seems to me that the Government wants to take away our recreational resources by damming rivers, commercially exploiting our game herds, and felling some of the most beautiful native forests in the world. It is our association’s belief that there can be a balance between game animals and native forests in New Zealand. — Yours, etc., G. T. STEWART, President, Christchurch Branch, Big Game Hunters’ Association. February 16, 1978.

Sir, — By what authority does J. C. Horne (February 11) condemn deer and other browsing animals in New Zealand when man is an infinitely more serious pest. New Zealand would be a dull place indeed without the introduced deer. 1 and many others consider it a very fine heritage to go out into the hills and shoot deer, but now that the helicopter has decimated our deer to such an extent ’.is heritage is rapidly being destroyed. A party of four of us went into the Tararuas last year for three days deerstalking and did not see a single deer. Recreational hunters are doing an adequate job of controlling deer numbers without introducing helicopters. — Yours, etc., R. L. SANSON, Ashburton. February 15, 1978.