Deer causing irreversible damage - New Zealand

Helicopter gunmen are being called in to stop deer causing irreversible damage to native bush on the East Cape.

The Conservation Department wants the shooters to cull 600 deer in part of the Raukumara Forest Park in the first year of the operation.

A company in Opotiki has already started the culling, but DOC has called a ceasefire for a month so recreational hunters can have the field to themselves during the roar. The company will recover the carcasses and sell the venison.

"By recovering and selling the deer, the operator will remove a pest at a lower cost than would be the case if we used a search and destroy operation," DOC technical support officer Dave Carlton said.

DOC has started the new programme because deer numbers have rocketed in the park, which has unusually dense undergrowth.

Deer eat the undergrowth, which threatens native species of plants, birds and insects and increases the risk of erosion in the steep hill country.

"Historically, pest animal numbers in Raukumara Forest Park have been very low and this has allowed native plants to thrive," Mr Carlton said.

"The forest structure and variety of plant species has been remarkably good."

However, deer numbers had shot up since 2002, when the market for wild venison collapsed and hunting dropped off.

 

- The Dominion Post

 

USA Augusta News Snippet

In response to the impact of harsh winter conditions on deer populations in various locations throughout the state, Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife commissioner Roland Martin is proposing to reduce Antlerless Deer Permits -- also known as Any-Deer Permits -- by approximately 30 percent for this year's regular and special muzzleloading deer hunting seasons.

DIF&W also has been petitioned to consider a proposal to allow ice fishing on the St. John River in Aroostook County.

Martin also is proposing to restrict the regular archery season and Youth Hunting Day to bucks only in those wildlife management districts that have no antlerless permits being allocated.

Archery season is scheduled for Oct. 2-31, and Youth Deer Day is Oct. 25.

In the Department's Agency Rulemaking Proposal, the commissioner outlines his recommendation that 51,125 Any Deer Permits be made available to hunters this season in 13 of the state's 29 Wildlife Management Districts -- a decrease of more than 15,000 permits from last year and a reduction of seven management districts that were open to permit holders last year.

The proposed WMDs in which Any Deer Permits would be allowed are 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 29.

Martin said his numbers are preliminary and could be modified once additional data are available from department biologists.

"Harvest levels are established for each wildlife management district to move the district toward a population goal," Martin said.

"After reviewing biological and harvest data for deer compiled by department biologists, and after factoring in winter weather's impact on deer populations, we decided a 30 percent reduction in permits was prudent to help us achieve population goals within specific management districts."

Deer permits will be allocated to applicants by district using a random drawing.

 

 

 

Red Deer Contd.

The Red deer has a rich red coloured coat, darkening down to a greyish brown in winter. A mature stag carries a large rack of antlers, which are at peak condition in the early autumn for the rut, when they are used for bouts of sparring between rivals. A dominant animal may have 18-20 points (tines) on the antlers, although 14-16 is more common. A stag with more than 12 tines is known as a 'Royal'. A fully-grown Red stag can stand 120cm (48'') high at the shoulder and can weigh anything up to 190kg (420Ibs). A female (hind) is smaller with shoulder height up to 110cm (44'') and a weight of up to 110kg (240Ibs).

Red Deer

Red deer are our largest and the only native species to Ireland. They are believed to have had a continuous presence in Ireland since the end of the last Ice Age (c. 10,000 BC). At this time they roamed freely through out Ireland, however as a result of deforestation, over hunting and the Great Famine (1845 - 1847) many populations became extinct.

Deer Production

The methods of production used for cattle and sheep in Ireland are also suitable and similar to what is required for deer. Deer breeding stock can be kept like a herd of suckler cows or a flock of ewes for producing young which can then be sold off as weaners or they can be kept for finishing out of a house at a year old or finished off grass at 12 to 18months of age. The main differences between cattle, sheep and deer are that deer have to be kept behind 6 to 7 feet high fences and that the calving time is May – June.
Like most other farming enterprises scale is important in deer farming, both at an individual farm level and from a national critical mass point of view.
One person could manage a 300 red breeding herd or 600 fallow herd with their followers on roughly 40 – 50 hectares of good quality farm land. The minimum size recommended to start off with is 10 hectares. People who are unsure of the suitability of deer for their situation could consider finishing only (possibly indoors or on a stand off pad) for a couple of years. This will allow them to build up experience without an initial large capital outlay for establishment.

Deer Industry in Ireland

Deer farming in Ireland started circa 1986. There is approximately 230 farmers producing deer at present. One of the strengths of deer farming in Ireland is that it is operating at world market prices at present and sustainability is not dependent on EU protectionist policy. However, unlike beef or lamb there can be competition from wild shot venison, which can depress the price of farm venison during the game season, that is September to February. Food Safety laws are to some extinct removing wild shot venison as a large scale threat to farm venison. There is competition to Irish farm venison in Europe from imported farm venison from New Zealand.
The availability of farmed venison on an all year round basis makes it suitable for retail outlets like supermarkets. Generally due to a lower volume of throughput venison is mostly sold through supermarkets as opposed to butcher shops. . It can also be purchased at a number of Farmer’s Markets.
The high iron content of venison makes it a very important source of iron for women and children
The majority of venison produced in Ireland is exported out of the country, at present, most of the red deer venison goes to the UK, and all of the fallow venison goes to Denmark.It is worth noting that both those countries are outside the Euro zone, which is an important factor in the prices that are available for venison.