As mentioned at last months meeting, our local DOC office have offered an opportunity to go into the Caples Valley and carry out deer management.
This management consists of shooting hinds and does and collecting jaw bones and data from the kills as well as animal counts and other research as described and outlined in the management document
For the club and the future of hunting in the Caples RHA I believe it is important to take this opportunity to laydown some research into the condition and numbers of the herds in the Caples Valley.
To the best of our knowledge no such research has been conducted and any predictions on the number and conditions of the animals in the RHA (Recreational Hunting Area) are anecdotal at best. This research will give us and the Department, a factual base line to work from in future years.
A further aim of this research would be to enhance the good working relationship we have with DOC (Department of Conservation) locally and support our case for Southern Lakes NZDA to oversee the ballot system and deer management in both the Caples and Greenstone RHA.
We would like this to be the first of an annual DOC supported management plan leading to improved animal conditioning and more hunters getting out in the RHA.
The cost $510 pp is because there are helicopters involved and at the moment we do not have a grant to cover it. However it will be a great opportunity to hunt some areas out of the ballot season.
If you are interested in helping out please read through the management plan and register your interest. Payment can be made at a later stage and could be cheaper if we get some funding.
Management Plan
_.png)
