Sambur deer issue is unresolved
The Horowhenua branch of the NZ Deerstalkers Association is still awaiting word from the Minister of Lands regarding commercialization of sambur deer.
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The branch was overwhelmingly supported by delegates to the association's recent annual conference at Te Anau when together with :Manawatu branch it sponsored a remit calling for the conference to direct the national executive to contact the Minister, Mr Elworthy, as soon as possible, to object in strong terms to the commercialisation of sambur.
Branch president (and one of the delegates to the conference), Mr Peter Mann told, "The Chronicle" that the branch supported its remit with a discussion paper which outlined the situation.
Following a survey by the Horowhenua, Manawatu and Wanganui from the Government, branches, the Minister took the advice of his recreational hunting advisory committee and in March 1980 placed an outright ban on hunting of sambur of the Manawatu herd, which ranges on the west coast between Otaki and Wanganui. The only other herd is in Rotorua, and in .February 1982 the ban was extended to all sambur in the North Island. Protection of sambur is due to expire on January 3l, 1987.
COMPLAINT
But in June last year a sole farmer complained of sambur damaging a crop in a 16-acre block. A farm adviser assessed the value of the damage at $682.50.
As a result of the complaint nine farmers in the Turakina Valley got together and approached the NZ Forest Service for permission to capture and farm sambur.
"They not only sought live capture rights but sought sanction to have safari hunting on their properties, charging the public to shoot.
As yet there has been no official announcement from the Government, even though - despite the moratorium - the Minister is known to have signed his authorisation to the group to go ahead," said Mr Mann.
He said the points made in the discussion paper, and accepted by the conference were:
o That the long term view is to hunt and shoot for re creation the sambur deer - herds of New Zealand, - after it has attained a level or numbers to sustain a healthy herd for the future.
o That the association is not prepared to accept commercialisation in any form whatsoever by private landowners or the general public.
o That if a problem arises where animals are damaging farmers' crops, the onus is on the Forest Service with a view to relocation first and if that is not possible, shoot the rogue animals on the crop. (The branch visualised the possibility of the service selling the camases after being tagged and monitored, to re¬coup money for future expenses in sambur relocation).
o That a sambur committee in the Manawatu, comprising members of the Horowhenua, Manawatu and Wanganui branches, be set up to liaise with the NZFS and Lands and Survey Department on the future moratorium.
o That when the sambur herd can sustain recreational hunting it be done by ballot controlled by the NZFS or the recreational hunting council, monitored by the suggested committee and reviewed annually.
o That if the habitat in the Manawatu cannot sustain a recreational hunting area, the Government be approached to look for a more suitable area for the relocation of some of the Manawatu herd for recreational hunting.
o That under the ballot system the problem of farmers' properties would be a major concern, but the Horowhenua branch would expect 99 per cent co-operation from farmers from the Manawatu River south to the Otaki River (this was verified by documentation from a past survey).
PROTECTION
Mr Mann said the key was that the moratorium protecting sambur deer must continue to enable a survey to be carried out by representatives from the Forest Service, Crown lands and shooting and sporting bodies.
"This is the thing. Apart from being dead against commercialisation, we still see a need for the moratorium to apply until such time as we have definite results of a survey as to whether herds are increasing or decreasing. At present nobody really knows.
"Once the Forest Service has completed surveys we will know whether we can hunt and under what conditions. But we can't do anything now until we've heard from either the Minister or the Forest Service - and we've been waiting almost a month."
Mr Mann said the main problem at present was the poachers. "We've managed to keep poachers at bay for the past three years, but if they're going to commercialise sambur we'll lose control over the poachers.
"We have managed to convince a lot of shooters to lay off poaching to allow the herd to build up, but there is still some poaching going on. If commercialisation comes in we won't be able to do much to stop them."
