Over 10k wild goats killed in DOC hunting competition

December 15, 2023
The Red Stage Timber Hunters Club with their competition entries.

The Department of Conservation and NZ Deerstalkers Association say they are thrilled by the community's effort to remove more than 10,000 wild goats as part of the National Wild Goat Hunting competition.

The competition encouraged hunters to target wild goats and aimed to raise awareness of the damage they cause to New Zealand's ecosystems. A total of 10,134 wild goats were shot for the competition by nearly 700 hunters between August and November.

Hunter Jesse O'Gorman said he saw a flyer in a local store and thought it would be a good thing to give a go.

“It’s good exercise and fun to get out in the bush, while knowing what you’re doing is helping the environment. I collected 54 tails from properties around the Wellington region.

“I also brought my little sister out for a hunt, she loves the outdoors and hunting.”

O'Gorman got permission from property owners before hunting the wild goats.

DOC national programmes director Ben Reddiex said that even though the competition was over, farmers and hunters could continue to help reduce the numbers of wild goats to help protect the environment.

Federated Farmers chair Wayne Langford agreed.

“Wild goats and other pests are a huge issue right across the country. They eat pasture, spread disease, and undermine a lot of the good environmental work that’s being done in communities.”

“Being wild means these animals don’t stay in one place – and that’s the challenge. The goats roam freely across both public and private land, so we all have a shared responsibility and role to play in keeping numbers under control."

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