Fact Sheet Tahr Ballot 2016

Transcription

1 \ Fact Sheet Tahr Ballot 2016 Additional aerial access for recreational hunters In the 2016 ballot, recreational hunters will have some managed aerial access into the Hooker / Landsborough and Adams Wilderness Areas made available under the terms of the Himalayan Tahr Control Plan, approved by the Minister of Conservation in This reflects the identification in the plan of recreational tahr hunting as one of the primary controls for tahr in particular areas. Managed aerial access is being provided to position recreational hunters and will be for a limited period of May to June. This period was selected to limit effects on other wilderness users and to coincide with the tahr rut and the period when skins are at their best. Recreational hunters are being given this access to help reduce tahr densities to the target levels set in the tahr control plan. While hunters chief objective may be trophy bulls, the Department encourages all hunters to remove nannies and juveniles in the process, and to reduce group sizes to less than five animals. Look after your opportunity Aerial access to these areas is a privilege. Future access is reviewed annually and will depend on the way all parties involved co-operate to achieve the plan s tahr-density objectives. Access must be managed to minimise effects on the wilderness values that these areas have been set aside to protect. Effects on these values will take longer to determine. Post-season inspections often locate hidden rubbish such as burnt tins, plastic, string, and poorly rehabilitated campsites. It is good to see an increasing number of sites are being left clean and tidy with minimum impact, as this is the key to continued hunting access. Landing and hunting Aerial operators are issued permits to fly hunters into these areas. Minimising human impact is a condition written into the landing and hunting permits. Department of Conservation staff inspect areas at the end of the hunting period to check that aerial operators and hunters have complied with permit conditions. Landing sites are in areas within walking distance of tahr herds and often have reasonably sheltered campsites nearby. At some sites poor weather could prevent aircraft access. Careful planning and weather forecasting is essential. Ensure you have sufficient supplies to cope with delayed pick ups. Although the designated landing sites are the only sites where parties may land (some sites have two options), hunters can also walk from these landing sites to their own chosen campsite if they wish. Hunters should be aware of natural hazards such as dead overhanging trees when selecting their campsite. There will be kea at some sites; do not feed kea, and ensure campsites are kept as tidy as possible so as not to attract their attention. Tahr prefer to inhabit a formidable environment and hunters must be physically and mentally prepared for this. Normal tahr range in summer is from 800 to 2200 metres; they often seek lower altitude scrub and bluffs during winter. They are usually found on or near steep rocky bluffs. Tahr usually set out to feed in the late afternoon, returning to cover the following morning. Hunting pressure may determine how urgently and how soon after daybreak they do this. Rifles with suitable calibre for shooting at long range are advised, along with good binoculars and spotting scopes. Safety is your responsibility The terrain in most of these areas can be unstable and the area surrounding the sites is usually steep, broken, rocky and mountainous. There may be heavy snowfalls and disruptive westerly storms during the tahr hunting period. Avalanches are a potential hazard. Snow and ice usually become heavier towards the end of the season. The West Coast is well known for heavy rain and hunters should be well equipped and prepared. River crossings can be difficult and dangerous when water levels are high and/or discoloured.

2 Good communication devices are essential. Satellite phones and personal locator beacons are recommended and the Mountain Radio Service provides an excellent weather forecast and communication service. It is recommended that each hunting party take in a mountain radio. Mountain Radio Service can be contacted via or by calling: Christchurch Dunedin Hokitika Nelson Wanaka Te Anau Invercargill Identify your target before shooting Important: The system below does not give exclusive rights to hunt a particular area. Anyone who gets a permit for any of these areas and walks in to it is still free to do so. What is being offered is the exclusive right to fly to a specific landing site for a particular period. Dates All landing sites will be open to aerial access between 30 th April 2016 and 24 th June This timeframe is broken into seven-day periods only, starting from Saturday 30 th April and ending on Friday 24 th June. Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 Period 6 Period 7 Period 8 30 th April 6 May 7 May 13 May 14 May 20 May 21 May 27May 28 May 3 June 4 June 10 June 11 June 17 June 18 June 24 June Party size For safety and to minimise impacts on campsites, there are party-size limits: Minimum size 2; maximum size 6. Hunting areas There are 25 landing sites throughout the Hooker / Landsborough and the Adams Wilderness Areas (see list below). In total there are 200 opportunities (25 sites x 8 weeks) in the ballot. No landings are permitted outside these sites. Most areas have one designated landing site but there is provision at several sites for an alternative camp site if snow and weather conditions allow. Only one party will be permitted aerial access to a given site at any one time. Where areas have an alternative landing site there is only one opportunity as no other party is permitted in that area at the same time. Note the attached tahr ballot hunting results for 2015.

3 Landing sites updated 10 March 2015 Be aware that campsite locations may change due to flood or avalanche damage, changes to water channels or other issues. Hooker / Landsborough Wilderness Area Number Name Map Series 1 and 1a Adams Wilderness Area Number Name Map Series Map Sheet Easting Northing Campsite altitude 1 Adams Flat m 2 and 2a 3 and 3a Lord River (alternative site Lord Range) Poerua River (alternative site Poerua River Upper) m 1360 m 735 m 1159 m 4 Abel Lake m 5 Barlow River m 6 and 6a Willberg Upper (alternative site Willberg Lower) m 1020 m 7 Speculation Creek m 8 and 8a 9 and 9a Baker Creek Lower (TL Landsborough) (alternative site Baker Creek Upper) Poker Gully Lower (alternative site Poker Gully Upper) Eblis Tops (alternative site Aciphylla Creek) Map Sheet Easting Northing Campsite altitude 479 m 1284 m 2 Upper Zora (TR Landsborough) m 3 Opposite Percy (TR Landsborough) m 4 Hinds Tarn (TR Landsborough uphill of m confluence of Zora Creek) 5 Shelter Hollow (TL Landsborough) BY m 6 Arbor Rift (TR Landsborough) BY m 7 and 7a Mahitahi Lower (alternative site Mahitahi Upper) m 1044 m 8 Edison River m 9 and 9a Jacobs Upper (alternative site Jacobs Lower) BX14 BX m 633 m 10 Upper Otoko m 11 Dechen Creek (TR Landsborough) m 12 Bubble Creek (upper TL Landsborough) BY m 1407 m 1560 m 1288 m 1166 m 10 Teichelmann Creek m 11 Perverse Creek m 12 Adams Range (TL Poerua Valley) m 13 Lambert River m

4 Fees Each application will incur a $20.00 (incl GST) non-refundable fee and $40.00 (incl GST) will be charged to confirm a landing site. Initially, each applicant will be required to pay $20.00 by supplying credit card details on the application form or by including a $20.00 cheque with the application form. When the ballot draw has been completed, successful applicants will be advised by letter of their allocated site. To confirm that site, the party leader must return the attached confirmation form with a further fee of $ Each party will be limited to one application per landing site in the initial phase of the ballot system. Any party wishing to cancel its permit must do so no later than seven days prior to the permit period; they will receive a $40.00 (incl GST) refund within this period. This fee becomes non-refundable six days prior to the commencement of the permit period. Where does the fee money go? These charges are solely to recover the costs of managing and administrating aerial access systems in a way that ensures the wilderness values of these areas are maintained and that there is adequate liaison with participating hunters. The charges levied do not include any permit or access fee. Costs include: - Labour for administration and post-season campsite inspection - Helicopter hire for post-season camp site inspection - Advertising - Postage - Stationery How to obtain a permit Permit allocation will be by ballot. A permit application is attached. You can also download an application form from the website. The closing date for receipt of completed application forms at this office is no later than 4 pm Friday January 29 th (haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz) faxed and postal applications will be accepted. Please allow for delays when posting to the Haast area. Submit only one application per party for the area and period you are interested in. The application form is limited to five choices for all hunters. Hunters and/or hunting guides may not be involved in more than one application for the ballot draw. Historically, applications have concentrated on the first two weeks of the programme, invariably leaving free many weeks later on. The ballot will be drawn on Wednesday 10th February Successful applicants will be notified by letter. Permits will be issued when the balloted parties confirm that they still intend to go, by sending in the $40.00 (incl GST) per party administration fee. The deadline for confirmation and receipt of this fee is no later than Wednesday 9th March If no confirmation is received by this date the balloted area may be re-issued to another party of hunters. After Wednesday 16th March 2016 all unconfirmed landing sites will be made available to unsuccessful applicants on a first in, first served basis (one landing site per party). From Monday 21st March 2016 any remaining landing sites will be made available to all hunting parties (both professional and recreational hunters). Any landing sites that remain unbooked or unconfirmed after the 1st April will be available on a first in, first served basis. All bookings incur the $60.00 fee.

5 The limitation that no party is permitted to hunt in more than five sites during the 8 week period will continue to apply. Telephone survey A telephone survey may be conducted by the Tahr Interest Group committee.* Its sole purpose is to ask about your hunting trip and tahr sightings and kills. For this purpose, you will be asked to consent to the disclosure of your name and phone number only to the Tahr Interest Group committee. * The Tahr Interest Group committee is made up of representatives from DOC, SCI (Safari Club International), NZDA, High Country Federated Farmers, tahr farmers and helicopter operators. The group s role is to create and enhance opportunities for the various hunting organisations to contribute to tahr control throughout the feral range. A key objective for the next few years is to improve knowledge of recreational hunters contributions. Permit conditions In addition to all standing permit conditions, the following conditions will apply: One kill return/hunting diary per party must be completed in full and sent in the envelope provided within two weeks of the completion of your trip. This data is important as it is used to support the justification for aerial access and culling wild animals in Wilderness Areas. Send return/diaries to: Department of Conservation P.O. Box 50 Haast South Westland 7844 Attn: Tahr Hunting Diary You can also complete this online by downloading the form from the website and ing it to haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz hunting diaries will be available online from 01 May All rubbish must be flown out No clearing of vegetation; no standing timber may be cut for any purpose (only dead, fallen timber to be used for firewood) No building materials to be flown in and no structures (other than tents) to be erected No chainsaws to be taken in Strictly no dogs All toilet waste to be buried well clear of water ways Aerial operators The right to fly recreational hunters into these sites will be issued to approved operators. A list of these operators will be sent out when the ballot is drawn. Hunters are free to select a servicing operator from this list. Operators not appearing on the list may not be used. Aerial-assisted trophy hunting using a helicopter will be permitted in the Wilderness Areas during part of the ballot period. Apart from this, no helicopter wild-animal carcass or live recovery for deer, chamois or tahr is allowed during the ballot period in the Wilderness Areas. If you see any of this happening, record as much information as possible including helicopter registration (numbers and letters displayed on the machine) photos or video footage, and report this to the nearest Department of Conservation office as soon as possible so there can be an investigation.

6 Tahr control There will be aerial tahr culls of nannies and juveniles in parts of the Hooker-Landsborough and Adams Wilderness Areas between December 2015 and March ballot Information packs for the 2017 ballot will not be available for issue until after 1 December Hunters are asked not to request information packs until then. Good luck in the ballot and safe hunting. For more information: See the Department of Conservation website: or contact Department of Conservation Awarua Haast Visitor Centre PO Box 50 Haast, South Westland 7844 Phone: haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz