Residents of the district have taken to social media, to vent frustration over illegal hunters. Amber Terrill recently spoke out on a Murchison Community page. She says on numerous occasions poachers have trespassed and wounded animals on her family’s property. “It’s so disheartening to go through your land and find piles of guts or whole animals left to rot. The fact that poachers are walking through a paddock, winging shots and scaring stock so that they go crashing through fences, is disgusting.” Amber’s comments were well received by the community with replies echoing and agreeing with her statement. People are concerned it is only a matter of time before someone is accidently hurt or killed. Murchison Police constable Matthew Elliott says, “I encourage and support everyone to enjoy the outdoors in all manners of activities and pastimes in our National and State parks, reserves and rivers. Hunting wild game, whether for sport, pest control or as a means to put food on the table, is one of these outdoor activities and has been an integral part of our NZ history and is still the pursuit of many keen men and women and families in this country. As with all sports and past times, advancements in technology has come very rapidly over the last 10 – 15 years to the shooting and hunting scene and some of the equipment available to the average hunter and shooter today dramatically enhances the opportunity to detect game animals during the day, and even more so at night. I would ask that if you are using spotlights or some of the advanced Thermal and Night vision scopes and monoculars at night, that you ensure you are hunting on private property and that you have the informed permission of the land owner or occupier before you set out. The safety and the welfare of others and respect for other people’s property is a paramount consideration in responsible firearms handling and use. Hunting and shooting while aided by these devices from a public road or on or over private and/or public land without permission or valid permit at any time of the day, and includes all land administered by the Department of Conservation by night, is unlawful. The offence of Unlawful Hunting under the Wild Animals Control Act 1977 applies to all forms of hunting, whether for example with firearms, bows or exclusively with hunting dogs, and carries a maximum penalty of 2 years imprisonment and $100,000 fine. Unfortunately for a number of individuals recently in the Tasman District, this has resulted in convictions for unlawful hunting, confiscation of expensive hunting equipment, substantial fines and the revocation of the individual’s firearms licence because they didn’t get permission or just didn’t have the right to be where they were found. If you haven’t got one or more of the following as it applies to the area you plan to hunt, you’re going to be off side and placing yourself and others at risk. A land owner’s informed permission; A valid hunting permit from DOC (incl. a permit for hunting dogs) or from Fish and Game for public land; A firearms licence for use and possession of a firearm (or be under the immediate supervision of someone who has). And all conditions imposed by each of the authorities above are abided by. Remember, firearm use is only permitted at night on private land with the informed permission of the land owner or occupier. Keep it safe and stay on side. Happy hunting!”
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