News

The AGM for the foundation was held on 23 August 2017 at the NZDA club rooms in Palmerston North. Gordon presented his report for the year to the Board.

The Department of Conservation is intending to hold a national review of the WARO (helicopter deer recovery) concession process. This will effect hunters of all public land in the country, where WARO is currently permitted. And also potentially areas restricted to helicopters, where WARO are lobbying for access.

The 2015 WARO review (helicopter hunting of deer) occurred with no hunter input.

Gordon George, LNIRDF president has prepared the following for hunters concerned about the Ruahine BFTB (battle for the Birds) aerial 1080 operation. We suggest hunters lobby Associate Minister Dunne and Prime Minister English and Minister Maggie Barry and any local MP’s in relation to reducing the scale of the Ruahine BFTB operation and using the available mitigation methods

Recreational hunters have won an important High Court battle against the Department of Conservation, with the court finding that DoC breached natural justice over the way it allowed helicopter operators to kill deer in forest parks.

They have already done this in the Tararuas and Rimutakas. The new Draft CMS has no provision for any more areas where WARO helicopters are excluded.
Currently all of the Ruahines is either permanently Closed to WARO, or limited to winter deer recovery only.