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New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association

Wairarapa Branch IncorporatedWairarapa Branch IncorporatedWairarapa Branch IncorporatedWairarapa Branch Incorporated

Newsletter for June 2018

General meeting Wednesday 20th June 2018

7:30 pm Parkvale Hall Speaker: Scott Traill

General Meeting 20 June 2018 Scott Traill – local gunsmith and founder of Sporting Systems Research New Zealand (SSRNZ) will talk about firearms and their maintenance. Scott has a wealth of information and I’m sure he’ll be happy to answer questions, so please come along, bring a mate, and stay for supper and a cuppa afterwards.

Key Dates Key Dates Key Dates Key Dates ---- Upcoming Trips and Upcoming Trips and Upcoming Trips and Upcoming Trips and EventsEventsEventsEvents 15-17 JUNE SUBSIDISED TARARUA FLY-IN TRIP Now full. Nine members will fly-into three Tararua huts weather permitting. We look forward to reading the reports next month! 20 JUNE GENERAL MEETING Parkvale Hall 7:30 pm. Speaker Scott Traill 22 JUNE FINAL DATE FOR ENTRIES IN NATIONAL COMPETIT IONS See details later in newsletter. 13-15 JULY NZDA NATIONAL CONFERENCE Wellington. Martin & Tracy Amos will be attending to represent the Branch. 18 JULY GENERAL MEETING Potentially hosted by Hunting & Fishing Masterton. More details next month. 1 AUGUST DEADLINE FOR RETURNING BRANCH TROPHIES PRE SENTED IN 2017 Please return cleaned to Tracy Amos. 17 AUGUST OPEN NIGHT Friday night at Parkvale Hall starting 6 pm. Trade displays and venison sandwiches! More details to follow! 1 OCTOBER DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IN BRANCH AHT & PHOT O COMPETITIONS Entry forms and AH&T Trophies (heads) to be in the hands of Greg Hamilton (King and Henry), or Joe Hansen (phone 027 692 6465), by noon. Photographs to be with Tracy Amos (06 3795454). More details, rules, and entry form later in newsletter

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13 OCTOBER BRANCH ANNUAL DINNER & PRIZE-GIVING Put the date in your calendar now. If you have contacts that may be willing to sponsor items for auction/raffle please let a committee member know.

ReReReRecent Eventscent Eventscent Eventscent Events 16 MAY GENERAL MEETING was attended by about 10 hardy souls who left their home fires on a cold night to swap roar and duck tales and watch some “good ol’ boys” hunting mule deer and elk in a US hunting video. 24-28 MAY NELSON LAKES TRIP . Martin, Pete, Ian, and Lloyd had a good weekend hunting at two huts near Lake Rotoiti accessed by water taxi. Snow was on the ground and trampers were more numerous than deer, but it was “nice country with good walks”. A total of 4 deer and 2 pigs were seen but none shot. Photos below from Martin.

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NewsNewsNewsNews PARKVALE HALL Bookings keep coming in. For more information or to make a booking contact Martin 379 5454 or 027 3671635. SEARCH AND RESCUE AGM was held 17 May. Also a navigation training weekend at Kiriwhakapapa in “challenging” conditions. Members were involved in two call-outs in the Tararuas over the past month. One woman tramper self-rescued and found her way back to Neill Forks Hut after an aborted trip to Mangahuka. An Australian tramper (in cross-trainers!) was air-lifted from knee-deep snow on the tops near Nicholls Hut. Phil Gray is Branch rep but keen to get others involved. If you’re interested in joining SAR please contact Phil on 027 4740717.

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HUTS No updates this month. Hopefully the parties from the fly-in will report next month. DEER PARK Deer are looking good but Phil needs a few small bales of hay or baleage at a good price. If you know of anything contact Phil on 027 4740717. FIREWOOD The branch is on the lookout for trees for our next firewood working bee. If you know of any possibilities please contact Martin 027 3671635. MEMBERSHIPS Our branch now has 120 paid up members in 2018/19: Senior members 50 Children 22 Partners 21 Superannuants 16 Associates 6 Life members 3 Affiliates 2 This is a really healthy membership, but we’d like to keep growing, so sign up your partners and children, encourage your mates to join, and (if you’re among the 10 or so who haven’t yet), please pay your subs! CONGRATULATIONS!!! To Gary Warren and his team who won the Kuripuni hunting competition over Queen’s Birthday weekend. Good job by a bunch of deerstalkers to take it out from the pig hunters ☺ FIREARMS LICENCING The Police have decided to stick with the Mountain Safety Council for the delivery of the practical firearms handling component of the new online learning and testing for new firearms licence applicants. Testing will be at AA centres but only during weekday working hours. Money up front. If you fail once there is a stand-down period. If you fail twice there are no more chances. Practical courses will be held at Carterton Fire Station followed by usual police vetting. The last old style course will be at Parkvale Hall on 13 June. Contact Pete Cunningham if you want to get in before the new system.

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WAIRARAPA BRANCH ANTLER, HORN & TUSK COMPETITIONS F OR YEAR TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2018 AND INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITI ONS FOR THE SAME PERIOD. All competitions will be run closely to the Branch Competition rules which have been laminated and displayed in our Parkvale meeting room for the whole competition year. These notes are simply an abbreviation of them. Key dates this year are:

• Closing date for the taking of heads, jaws and photos is Sunday 30 September 2018. • Entry forms and AH&T Trophies (heads) to be in the hands of Greg Hamilton (King and Henry), or

Joe Hansen (phone 027 692 6465), by noon Monday 1 October 2018. • Photographs to be with Tracy Amos (06 3795454) by noon Monday 1 October 2018. • Branch Prize-Giving – presentation of Awards & Certificates – Saturday 13 October 2018.

Extracts from the Rules.

1. Entrants must have been financial members of this branch at the time of shooting the trophy or taking the photograph. Junior members (18 yrs & under) to be noted on Entry forms please.

2. All entries in the Antler-horn-tusk competitions (including the Paid hunting section) must have been taken in unimpeded fair chase. No spotlighting. Paid hunting entries are to be clearly designated on Entry forms.

3. Antler-horn-tusk entries must be on a clean, full skull (or jaw). Foul entries will not be accepted. 4. A Disputes panel will be appointed by the Committee. 5. A competitor may enter more than one head in each competition. 6. Entry forms (both AH&T and photographs) should contain adequate information to illustrate the

philosophies within these Competition rules are met. 7. Photos taken in N.Z. Not from a Conveyance. No dead animals or birds. Maximum size for prints

is 7” x 5” (175mm x 125mm). 8. Judging will be of four categories. The categories must be designated by the entrant and clearly

marked on the Entry form and the back of photo. One fully completed entry form (see note 6 above) for each photo. Members may enter up to three photos in each category.

9. The categories are: a. Game animals in their wild, outdoor state. Not in any form of captivity. b. Other Wildlife in its wild, outdoor state and not in any form of captivity. The subject matter is

to be relevant to hunting, hunting country, and the associated activities of hunters. c. Scenic relative to the sport of hunting. Human activity should be of minor importance. d. Other – not covered in other categories. Subject matter is to be relevant to hunting or hunting

country. Or the associated activity of hunters. NOTE: The winning photo of each category will be retained for the Parkvale Hall display board. Entry form at the end of the newsletter.

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NATIONAL OFFICE Conference The conference is being held in Wellington, 13th to 15th July 2018. The conference venue is the Thorndon Hotel and Conference Centre in Wellington, very centrally located – a hop skip and a jump to Parliament, NZ Deerstalkers’ National Office, the vibrant Wellington waterfront and The Thorndon Hotel. Planning continues and more information will be forthcoming. Wellington branch have established their Conference committee and are plans are progressing. National Competitions Entries are now open for National competitions in Antler, Horn, & Tusk (AHT), Photography, and Literary competitions. Trophies must have been shot or photos taken in the period 1 June 2017 to 31 May 2018, and you must have been a fully paid up branch member at the time. There are AHT categories for just about every type of big game animal (including junior and women’s sections). Photo categories are: Section A – Game Animals Section B1 – Other Wildlife - Birds Section B2 – Other Wildlife - Mammals Section B3 – Other Wildlife - Insects, Reptiles, and Amphibians 3. Section C – Scenic Section D – Flora Section E – Human Interest Section F – Best Print of All Sections Section G – Best Junior Colour or Black and White Print Section H – Best Photographic Essay on Big Game Hunting Entry forms are available on request to wairarapanzda@gmail.com. There is an entry fee and forms need to be signed by the branch president, secretary, or treasurer to confirm your membership. Entries are due at the National Office by 22 June 2018. In the past the Branch hasn’t put a lot into the National competition, so let’s try and get some good entries from Wairarapa this year! WARO UPDATE FROM LOWER NORTH ISLAND RED DEER FOUNDA TION DoC is reneging on the promised overall review of the Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) Regime In addition to approaches to the department we have also written to the Minister of Conservation expressing the concerns of the members of the LNIRDF and putting the case for a rethink on that decision and requesting a meeting. So far, no reply! One of our next steps is to get our lawyers to write to Lou Sanson, DOC Director General (DG), regarding the breach of the commitment to an overall review, and advise him that we see this as a failure to meet promises made to the High Court during our successful Judicial Review. Also that the relief which we agreed to in court, (non-cancelling of current WARO permits) was based on the assurance repeatedly made (including to the court) by DoC that a wide ranging review would occur. Had we known the department would renege on this promise, we would have sought cancellation of the current permits and restoration of previous WARO exclusion areas in the Rimutaka, Tararua and Wairarapa reserves. The overall review was potentially of great significance to hunters and conservation as it offered hope of a future system less likely to provoke conflict and boom bust operator behaviour. The Game Animal Council have also been bitterly disappointed by DoC’s failure to meet the commitment. 2018 WARO permitting round DOC are intending to hold meetings with recreational hunters, to consult on the proposed WARO Land Offer (areas WARO will be allowed, restricted etc). At this stage, they will be holding meetings with each DOC District i.e., Wellington, Masterton, Palmerston North, Napier etc. We are concerned that this format will not

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enable hunters to participate effectively in part because there may not be the DOC expertise present to fully explain the permit conditions, and the legality of what guides their decisions. Additionally it may make it difficult for hunters to present a consistent message. We do not want to see DoC get into the same sort of ignorance based decisions which characterised DoC’s 2015 WARO review and resulted in our court challenge. Currently WARO activity has picked up considerably. With the summer Ruahine WARO closure, the local Ruahine pilot has been busy in the Tararuas. However prior to the summer closure in the Ruahines, the same operator gave the Ruahines a fair hammering with gut heaps common. While deer eventually recover from this activity, continuation is going to see many fewer deer on the tops, and in open areas and likely increase operator pressure to get into the closed areas. Also expect to see fewer stags, these are preferred targets due to basic economics. DoC used the farcical national Nov/Dec 2017 stakeholder WARO meetings as an excuse for reneging on the overall review of WARO (even though the decision was actually made internally months before). Learning from this debacle we need recreational hunters to front up to the pending conservancy WARO meetings and take part in an informed way with a consistent message. If you want to see your hunting protected from uncontrolled WARO activity then you need to take part. The planned consultation meetings are a chance to show DOC, that hunters want “real” sustainable predictable management of deer and not more of the “Free for All” non-management by DOC that they intend. Issues that need to be addressed include:

• Limiting the permit period for the Ruahines to 3 years so that the proposed Ruahine Deer Plan can be implemented. (WARO permits once issued, become impossible for DOC to change until expired, according to DOC)

• Restoring the old WARO exclusions in Tararua (Tauherenikau, Totara Flats etc), Remutaka and several Wairarapa reserves.

• Ensuring the Ruahine exclusion areas are retained, including the summer exclusion of WARO. • Pursuing greater WARO restrictions in the conservancy (e.g. a much longer summer closure of the

Tararuas) as requested by hunter during the CMS review and in recognition of the very large mass of hunters in our conservancy, their significant contribution to conservation and the relatively small land area available to local hunters.

We will be in touch when more information is made available from DOC, regarding these meetings. Ruahine Deer Plan The Ruahine Deer plan is now up to the most contentious issue of debating how, where and when in regard to WARO. Progress is slow but happening with every party still talking and increasing their understanding of the others activities and needs. Lower North Island CMS The Lower North Island CMS (Conservation Management Strategy) is now with the Conservation Authority for approval. There was a fair amount of debate and tweaking as to the sections affecting hunting and heli access. Thanks go to those who submitted THE FUTURE OF THE SHOOTING SPORTS IN NEW ZEALAND FR OM COLFO Sometimes it feels that the misguided attacks on our hobbies are relentless. It is clear that there are some people who are of the opinion that all firearms should be removed from civilian hands. This is their right. The only way we can prevent this from happening- and it could well happen that the ownership of firearms is severely restricted in this country - is by increasing our numbers. The reality is that licensed firearm owners- who are by definition “fit and proper” and thus law abiding are likely to adhere to any restrictions on their sport no matter how unjust, or give up the sport because it all becomes too difficult. Once the number of licensed shooters drops below a certain critical mass, the pastime we all love will be stilled, probably for ever.

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COLFO works hard for you, frequently behind the scenes. Our board watch carefully all media articles, lobby at the national and international stage and talk to all participants whether police, politicians or “the antis”. But there is one thing we cannot do to any great degree and one thing you can help us with- and that is get more people into the shooting sports. We see this as a numbers game. More shooters equates to greater influence on decision makers. As it stands there are a huge number of people with licences in New Zealand- but we need as many as we can get and there is much you can do to help. The first thing is, don’t dismiss other shooters or their disciplines. While you may only enjoy one particular shooting discipline and have no interest in other types of firearm, don’t throw fellow shooters under the bus by condemning their particular style of shooting. Our experience has been that media or persons with an agenda will seize on and distort any message from just one person, no matter how well intentioned, and this will become the opinion of “all” shooters. How often have we heard people with an anti-firearm agenda say “I have talked to lots of shooters who agree with me”. The second thing is, and perhaps more important than anything, is to introduce other people to your hobby. There are two aspects to this. If someone doesn’t like firearms, or has a “Hollywood” view of them, you will find that simply by taking them to the range and exposing them to a chance to have a shot and try out different types of firearms they may be more supportive of us. COLFO did just that with the Select Committee last year. They may well, after a positive experience- pipe up on a comment on a news site or to a friend that they understand the shooting community and why they are so passionate about their sport. Most importantly however, by encouraging and introducing people to the sport (“I have always wanted to try this”) they may get a licence and take up the sport. We tend to think about only introducing younger generations to the sport but we need to think more widely. Women are the fastest growing demographic for shooting sports in the United States and there is no reason to think this won’t be the case here. Your clubs and friends should always be on the lookout for a chance to introduce new shooters whether having a “user friendly” process to join the club, or an open day. If you come across someone at your workplace who has “always been interested” in firearms, you should make the opportunity to take them out, even if it is just plinking away with a .22. If just 10% of shooters in New Zealand got just one person into the hobby every year, within a short time our voices would never be able to be silenced. It is up to you. You can become an individual supporter of COLFO here: http://colfo.org.nz NEW SEASONS TAHR AND ROAR BALLOT DATES All ballots are now applied for online at www.doc.govt.nz . New seasons ballot info will be online from 1st August. Haast Roar Ballot Hooker/Landsborough & Adams Wilderness Area Tahr Ballot Information on the DOC website www.doc.govt.nz

1st August 2018 Information on the DOC website www.doc.govt.nz

1st August 2018

Online Applications open

3rd September 2018 Online Applications open

1st October 2018

Applications close 4pm 28th September 2018 Applications close 4pm 29th October 2018

Notified by email no later than

10th October 2018 Notified by email no later than

2nd November 2018

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Confirmations close 4pm

29th October 2018 Confirmations close 4pm

21st November 2018

Roar Stage 2 Opens 9am Wed- Closes 9am Friday Unsuccessful applicants online only

9am 7th Nov - 9am 9th Nov 2018

Tahr Stage 2 Opens 9am Mon - Closes 9am Wed Unsuccessful applicants online only

9am 26th Nov- 9am 28th Nov 2018

Open to all Open to all online 9am

19th Nov 2018

Open to All Open to all online 9am

30th Nov 2018

Hunting ReportHunting ReportHunting ReportHunting Reportssss

The First Stag by Aaron Loder This hunt started out a little differently than normal. The weather looked good for a walk with the rifle but my usual hunting mate (my son) was at a mates place chasing ducks. I tried three other mates but they were busy, so I thought time for a solo hunt. I’m lucky to have access to a farm that backs onto the Ruahines up behind Dannevirke. Best wind is a southerly which means its bloody cold, but the wind is in your face. Reached the farm mid-afternoon and set off my way through a bush Gully to get up the back. A few black jelly beans on the track but nothing sighted. Get up to the valley that backs onto the farm/bush edge and slowly make my way along. It was about 5pm that the wind swung back around so I decided the head back into it after watching a nice face. As I crept around a corner I saw a deer that was feeding in a clearing about a 120 m away. I was looking down on him from an elevated position of about 50 m up. I crept up to the edge of the track and his head came up, but only for a second and then he went back to munching grass. I noticed some antler but it didn’t look even. By this time the bino’s had been discarded that were hanging below my neck and I lined up on him in the prone position. Luckily I stopped myself at this point as my breathing was quick. I thought for a moment that I should get the phone out and video him then the voice of reason came crashing through “if he runs away you are a muppet - shoot him first and then take a bloody photo!” wise words from the subconscious. I lined up on the shoulder, checked breathing and squeezed off at the bottom of the breath. He dropped like a sack of spuds. The easy part was done. When I got to him the first thing I noticed was that the right beam had been broken of above the brow tine. He had good length on the other side which had three points. The other good thing was that he didn’t stink of the rut. He had been busy feeding back up on the grass trying to put condition back on before winter. Off with the head, gutted him and then took out the back steaks. Split the rear haunches off at the pelvis and then tried to work out how I was going to get the rear wheels, pack, rifle and head back out. The first thing was trying to get back up the bank, which was slow going but I reminded myself that every step is one step closer to the ute. It took me 2.5 hours to get back and I was absolutely rooted. The legs held up OK but it’s now a couple of days later and the shoulders are still not back to normal. Can’t complain though, got my first stag.

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Thanks Aaron and congratulations on the stag. We want to include your hunting stories and photos in the newsletter too. Stories can be sent to the newsletter editor at wairarapanzda@gmail.com

Buy, Sell, and SwapBuy, Sell, and SwapBuy, Sell, and SwapBuy, Sell, and Swap If you have hunting or outdoor related items that you want to buy, sell, or swap, then we’ll include these in the Newsletter free of charge (better than TradeMe). Send items (with picture if you wish) to wairarapanzda@gmail.com

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PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACONS The four club PLBs purchased with a grant application from Trust House Wairarapa are available for hire for $10 for a weekend or $20 for 3-14 days. Contact Aidan on 027 432 3410.

Final ThoughtsFinal ThoughtsFinal ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

Be safe be sure. Assume it is a person not a deer. No meat is better than no mate.

Identify your target.

A big thank you to the team at Wairarapa Funeral Services for your printing of our monthly newsletter this

year – we really have appreciated your assistance.

Hard Copy Newsletter Recipients – if you are receiving this newsletter by post but also use email, please contact the editors at wairarapanzda@gmail.com so your newsletter can be sent electronically. Disclaimer: The contents of this Newsletter come from various sources, and the opinions or ideas expressed are not necessarily endorsed by this committee or by National Executive, nor may they reflect Branch policy.

Check us out on Facebook: We have over 1000 likes!! https://www.facebook.com/WairarapaNZDA Thanks to Chris Cherry who keeps the branch website up-to-date. You can even look through previous newsletters! Check it out on: http://www.wairarapanzda.org.nz/

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WAIRARAPA BRANCH NZDA

ALL ENTRIES FOR ANTLER HORN & TUSK

AND PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITIONS

TO BE ON THIS FORM

COMPETITION ENTERED FOR ..................................................................................................................

NAME OF ENTRANT .................................................................................................................................

ADDRESS ..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

DATE SHOT/TAKEN ...................................... LOCALITY ..........................................................................

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF SECURING TROPHY (to be completed by entrant) .................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS CORRECT. I AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE RULES OF THE COMPETITION AND

I UNDERSTAND THE JUDGES DECISION IS FINAL.

SIGNATURE ......................................................... DATE

..............................................................

ANY PERSON FOUND DELIBERATELY CONTRAVENING RULES MAY HAVE ALL THEIR ENTRIES DISQUALIFIED

AND MAY BE BARRED FROM PARTICIPATION THE FOLLOWING YEAR OR AS DETERMINED BY THE BRANCH

COMMITTEE.

WITNESS: I ........................................................... CERTIFY THAT THE ENTRANT IS A FINANCIAL MEMBER

AND WAS, AT THE TIME OF TROPHY TAKING.