RAVAGES BY DEER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22004, 10 January 1935, Page 12

RAVAGES BY DEER

BEECH FORESTS RIDDLED TURNIPS TAKEN FROM SHEEP WAITAKI WATERSHED AFFECTED Accounts- of the ravages of huge liords of doer which are destroying large tracks of beech forest in the Lake Olian region, near the CanterburyOtago border, are given by Messrs. R. H. I3ootli, H. Mcl). Vincent and D. Minson, who have returned from a mountaineering tour in that region. It was not long before the party realised it was in the home of the deer. Between bluffs, against which cuts the Hopkins River, were grassy flats, and on these deer browsed in large herds. Often the climbers, who did not attempt to approach under cover, says the Christchurch Sun, came within a few chains of the deer before the animals turned and cantered into the bush. On the first day the climbers went about 12 miles. They then counted 51 deer. On the second day they surprised over 60, and up above the bush level they found the deer just as numerous.

On the return journey the party counted in a 10-mile stretch 182 deer on flats on the right bank of tho Hopkins. On one flat of about 10 acres were over 50 deer. The climbers took photographs of deer at distances of three chains off. When climbing snowgrass slopes toward a mountain a stag actually disputed their passage. He roared and stamped his front hoofs at them. As he was antlerless and the climbers had their ice-axes, it was not surprising that he retreated before them. Finally, he stood on a crag and roared at them lustily before turning tail. The reason for his concern over the invasion of his domain, was revealed when, a hind with her young trotted into view.

The climbers express confidence that the most effective weapon up the Hopkins Kiver against the deer is a machine-gun. They could have mown down a hundred or so without any stalking. The ravages of the deer were only too obvious. The beech forests wore riddled with miles of deer tracks. There was no new seedling growth, the bush being in a state of absolute degeneration. Tracks traversed every bluff above the bush level. For some time the climbers were puzzled by grea.t patches of turf torn from the earth on steep sloyes, until they discovered that they had been uprooted by stags attempting to rid themselves of their season's antlers. These turf denuded patches were the obvious cause of slips. When the climbers returned they heard many accounts of the depredations of deer at the sheep stations. On one station near Lake Ohau the winter turnip crop for the sheep was consumed in a single night by herds of deer. At the Waitaki power station, which was also visited, concern was expressed at the degeneration of the beech forests because of the effect on the Waitaki watershed.

The opinion was expressed that unless the Government took effective action to preserve the bush by sending "killers" into the watersheds, heavy floods of the Waitaki would become a problem for the future.