DESTRUCTION OF DEER

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1930, Page 8

DESTRUCTION OF DEER

METHODS NOT APPROVED. SUGGESTION OF POISONING. Criticism of certain features of the campaign against deer, planned by the Department of Internal Affairs, was expressed by a member of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. “It must be admitted that deer have become a pest in New Zealand, but it has yet to be proved that. their total extermination is desirable,” he said. “Culling of herds is certainly necessary, but I have my doubts concerning some of the methods proposed. “I reefr to the statement that certain material has been ordered from England to deal with the Virginian deer on Stewart Island, and that the campaign will not be launched there until the material arrives, when both the Virginian and red deer will be attacked. What is this ‘certain material?’ One can only come to the conclusion that it is poison, and that a poison campaignagainst deer is contemplated. “I have seen animals dying by this cruel method, particularly rabbits and dogs, and they suffer terrible agony. However, apart from the humanitarian viewpoint, there is the danger to other animals and to bird life. Pheasants are never liberated in rabbit country, where the: is always the possibility that poison may have been laid. “Again, there is reference to a supply of ammunition from the Defence Department, to be given to acclimatisation societies at a reduced cost for deer destruction. This is military ammunition, full metal-covered or hard-nosed, the use of which, on the ground of cruelty, is expressly forbidden in the Animal Protection Act.' No sportsman would use this class of ‘wounding’ ammunition on any animal other than pachyderms, for, unless the shot strikes the brain, vertebrae or heart, the animal must die a lingering death.” The sportsman added that the question of dealing with the deer ■ menace was involved. The department would be well advised to concentrate on efforts to cull the herds by killing as many does as possible, but the absolute extermination of deer would remove from New Zealand an asset of growing valuee connected with the tourist traffic. Only softnosed, expanding or mushroom bullets should be used, and nothing less than .30 calibre rifles should be permitted.