CULLING DEER

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 22, 27 January 1931, Page 10

CULLING DEER

SOUTHERN OPERATIONS

THE SUCCESS ACHIEVED

Reports received by the Hon. P. A de la.Perrelle, Minister of Internal Affairs, giving particulars of ' the operations of the parties engaged in dealing with :the deer menace in the South Island, will . make interesting reading to those land owners who have for. some time been suffering from tho depredations of deer. With the reports have been forwarded photographs .showing the mountainous country the cullers have had to traverse. The figures given in the reports as to the number of deer so far; accounted for in the drive give illuminating information of the progress made. AT LAKE HAWEA. ''Our party, T> states the report,''was again under strength owing to two me_n having left on account of their inability or disinclination to render service up to the standard required, and the total strength for the period averaged only about 3} men. During this period a total of 246 deer were killed, 180 skins and 222 tails being recovered, the remaining 24 being deer that were definitely known to have been killed but where neither skins nor tails were recoverable. During the month operations were conducted almost entirely in the most remote fastnesses of the mountains at the southern extremity of the M'Kerrow Eange, as the lower levels- and more accessible areas have been considerably shot over by sportsmen and 'cullers. 5' , DESTRUCTION SYSTEMATISED. "The destruction in such areas has now been systematised, and, wherever possible, organised drives are conducted, by means of which large numbers are killed at one time. As a case in point, oh the 12th instant the party, consisting of four men, shot a total of 97 deer, from which they recovered 83 tails and 46 skins, the 14 deer from, which tails were not recovered being, lost, ten being buried in an avalancho caused by the carcasses shot sliding down a snow-slope and four falling into a deep and inaccessible gorge. In the area in which operations are now being conducted, and it is anticipated that other areas will be the same, while deer are comparatively scarce in the lower country, it has been found that there are large I numbers in the high 'basins'just below the snow-line, and as it is the overflow of deer from these areas, or distributing centres which constantly invade the bush and pastoral areas of the lower levels, a special effort is being made to greatly reduce their numbers there and thus bring the deer menace within the bounds that will permit of tho herds being kept under . strict control in future. ' HIGH COUNTRY WORKED. "These operations necessitate working in extremely reniote, high, and precipitous country which demands a very high standard of service from those ■engaged, but it is pleasing to be able to report such progress in areas where 'cullers' and ; 'free-lance' commercial hunters have not penetrated and which would never be dealt with except by an organisation such as this Department now has operating with a view to definitely dealing with the menace. "The owner of tho property on which the operations have been conducted has expressed his great pleasure at the results obtained, which, he stated, have already exceeded his expectations and will give him great relief by increasing the sheep-carrying capacity of his run, especially as nothing so systematic or intensive had ever before been carried out there. STEWART ISLAND OPERATIONS. "Operations commenced on the Bth January, the party numbering four men. Tor the, fortnight from the Bth to the 21st January, when operations were suspended until the 4th February, a total of 73 red deer and 1 Virginian deer had been killed and 58 tails .and 52 skins recovered. It is yet too early, in these operations to form any definite conclusions, but it is apparent that red deer are not now as numerous as they were when I carried out investigations there a year ago. This can be attributed to the activities of various private individuals who have been shooting deer for their skins and the 2s per tail, bonus and others who have been constantly shooting, for sport or for meat. Experiments are being conducted into various methods of killing Virginian dper which; owing to their timidity and bush-dwelling habits, present at this, stage a very difficult problem. The position will be closely investigated and more fully reported on later."