Deer hunters sight prize harvest

• Published date: 24 April 2024
• Author: Michaela Gower
• Publication title: Hastings Leader, The

The roar is well under way this year, but rewind back to 2023 and there was a massive challenge for everyone involved in anything to do with deer, be it hunting or farming, thanks to the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle

Fences were washed away and deer farmers across the region faced huge losses with many of their prized breeding hinds and stags escaping through boundary breaches caused by slips and washouts.

Evan Potter, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Deer Farmers Association, said the cyclone couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“I know of a deer farmer that lost 60 [stags] and got 20 back.”

The Central Hawke’s Bay farmer said he’d noticed increased problems this season with wild or escaped stags hanging around farms destroying fences and disrupting the mating of farmed animals.

He said in the aftermath of the cyclone, escaped farm animals would have had a chance to breed with the wild deer population, which eventually would have unintentional benefits for hunters.

“There will have definitely have been an introduction of pretty useful genetics right across the wild population throughout Hawke’s Bay.”

Potter said the benefits for hunters could potentially be seen in three to four years.

“You will see some impressive spikers, and maybe a better-looking 2-year-old, but if you are looking for a trophy head you have to be looking for a mature stag.”

In the meantime, hunters needed to be aware of deer with tags, whether that be on private or public land, and shooting an animal with a tag was “effectively rustling”.

“Deer are not cheap animals, and it would be nice if some people thought about it before they pulled the trigger.”

Phil Janssen is...