THE DEER MENACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20538, 12 April 1930, Page 12

THE DEER MENACE.

FREEDOM TO SHOOT.

VIEWS OF SPORTSMEN

'Although the New Zealand Tourist Lcaguo stated in its last annual report that open doer-shooting j„ New Zealand should prove a Rroafc attraction to tourists, it is a fact that the shooting provided in tho open areas of North Canterbury, Westland, and Nelson has little interest for overseas sportsmen, says tho Christchurch Press. It is only in districts :.where deer are comparatively scarce that tourists find interesting sport.

In areas thickly populated with deer tho shooting is nothing more than easy slaughter, and the heads are of little .value.

The New Zealand Tourist League suggested in its report that since there were now well over 2,000,000 deer in the Dominion, in many cases doing damage to forests and grazing, shooting should bo permitted without licence. The secretary of tho North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society pointed out that unlicensed shooting was allowed in all the deer areas supervised by tho society except one. In the Rakaia district, said Mr. Hervey, licences were required, and 22 had been issued this year. .All the other districts were open. "We have the deor menace in check," said Mr. Hervey. "In tho last three years we have spent £843 on (Wt g 0f (leer > an d last season wo ' Ihftii- . lnan , P orrT, anently employed in .Zealand\v UC^ orl- soc > ct y <n New «*eaiana as doing more."