A wild goat. Photo: Supplied/DOC
Hunters are targeting thousands of wild goats in a nationwide competition in efforts to protect farmland and the environment.
Wild goats were prolific breeders that threatened native biodiversity, forests and farmland, and were believed to occupy around 14 percent of Aotearoa.
The third-annual national wild goat hunting competition begins today, running into November.
The Department of Conservation (DoC) and New Zealand Deerstalkers Association event aims to address the growing population of wild goats, estimated to be several hundred thousand.
Association board member and its Hutt Valley branch president, Trev Gratton said in the first year they totalled 10,000 goats, 12,500 last year, and now they hoped to exceed that figure.
"Goats are an issue throughout the country and it's something that we've identified along with our partners at DoC as something that we want to be involved in, with trying to help mitigate those numbers," he said.
"They are a pest and they need to be managed. And one of the ways of doing that is looking holistically and working with partners within the community to actually start getting those numbers under control."
Gratton said there were 5000 hectares of huntable private land it was working to get hunters onto this year for goat removal.
He said its landowner assist plan will give both hunters and landowners like farmers confidence about the hunting operations in the coming months.
"We've had a tremendous response from landowners from one end of the country," Gratton said.
"Particularly when it comes to going onto private land like that, it's a very considered operation. It's not done where you're posted on a Facebook page and say, 'hey show up there and feel free to go on.'
"It's done via the local branch and the local branch management in conjunction with the landowners, so that everyone's comfortable with how things are going to progress going forward. So it is a very considered, very methodical process."
Gratton said the plan detailed insurance coverage around NZDA hunters and health and safety to mitigate any concerns, and it held future possibilities.
"We're looking at obviously bringing these relationships further field and doing it all year round with other problems with deer and what-not onto this land.
"So it's a collaborative effort to talk to landowners and to build those ongoing relationships within the community."
Ten landowners have already registered their interest.
The event was also being supported by Federtaed Farmers, Hunting and Fishing and Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority.
The Department of Conservation said on its website, goats arrived in Aotearoa as early as the late 1700s when Captain James Cook released them in the Marlborough Sounds during his second voyage - and the government has run wild goat control operations for about a century.
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