Minister is keen on deer farms

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 7

Minister is keen on deer farms

The trend towards deer farming rather than deercarcase recovery has been welcomed by the Minister of Forests (Mr V. S. Young). Mr Young has approved five new wild-animal recovery licences from a total of 45 applications, representing about 65 additional aircraft.

Commenting on the new licences, Mr Young said that although there had been a decrease in carcass recovery, the trend towards live capture to stock deer farms would mean a greater long-term benefit to the country. “Stocking farms now will result in increased exports from the industry in the future,” Mr Young said. He said he was satisfied that, in time, co-operation between the game operators and the

Forest Service would effect greater wild-animal control and develop a strong deer-farming industry. A meeting with the Helicopter Game Operators’ Association had shown the Minister that farm-bred deer were fetching higher prices than wild deer, and helicopter firms were expecting a further decrease in the demand for wild animals as more farm-bred deer came on to the market.

Mr Young said that helicopter firms had questioned what additional Crown lands could be available for deer hunting, but he had told them that it was up to the Director General of Forests to issue permits for hunting on Crown land.