2014 Tahr ballot factsheet - Department of Conservation

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Fact Sheet – Tahr Ballot 2014
Additional aerial access for recreational hunters
In the 2014 ballot, recreational hunters will have some managed aerial access into the Hooker / Landsborough
and Adams Wilderness Areas made available under the terms of the ‘Himalayan Tahr Control Plan’, approved
by the Minister of Conservation in 1993. This reflects the identification in the plan of recreational tahr
hunting as one of the primary controls for tahr in particular areas.
Managed aerial access is being provided to position recreational hunters and will be for a limited period of
May to June. This period was selected to limit effects on other wilderness users and to coincide with the tahr
rut and the period when skins are at their best.
Recreational hunters are being given this access to help reduce tahr densities to the target levels set in the
tahr control plan. While hunters chief objective may be trophy bulls, the Department encourages all hunters
to remove nannies and juveniles in the process, and to reduce group sizes to less than five animals.
Look after your opportunity
Aerial access to these areas is a privilege. Future access is reviewed annually and will depend on the way all
parties involved co-operate to achieve the plan’s tahr-density objectives. Access must be managed to
minimise effects on the wilderness values that these areas have been set aside to protect. Effects on these
values will take longer to determine.
Post-season inspections often locate hidden rubbish such as burnt tins, plastic, string, and poorly
rehabilitated campsites. It is good to see an increasing number of sites are being left clean and tidy with
minimum impact, as this is the key to continued hunting access.
Landing and hunting
Aerial operators are issued permits to fly hunters into these areas. Minimising human impact is a condition
written into the landing and hunting permits. Department of Conservation staff inspect areas at the end of the
hunting period to check that aerial operators and hunters have complied with permit conditions.
Landing sites are in areas within walking distance of tahr herds and often have reasonably sheltered
campsites nearby. At some sites poor weather could prevent aircraft access. Careful planning and weather
forecasting is essential. Ensure you have sufficient supplies to cope with delayed pick ups. Although the
designated landing sites are the only sites where parties may land (some sites have two options), hunters can
also walk from these landing sites to their own chosen campsite if they wish. Hunters should be aware of
natural hazards such as dead overhanging trees when selecting their campsite. There will be kea at some
sites; do not feed kea, and ensure campsites are kept as tidy as possible so as not to attract their attention.
Tahr prefer to inhabit a formidable environment and hunters must be physically and mentally prepared for
this. Normal tahr range in summer is from 800 to 2200 metres; they often seek lower altitude scrub and bluffs
during winter. They are usually found on or near steep rocky bluffs. Tahr usually set out to feed in the late
afternoon, returning to cover the following morning. Hunting pressure may determine how urgently and how
soon after daybreak they do this. Rifles with suitable calibre for shooting at long range are advised, along with
good binoculars and spotting scopes.

Safety is your responsibility
The terrain in most of these areas can be unstable and the area surrounding the sites is usually steep, broken,
rocky and mountainous. There may be heavy snowfalls and disruptive westerly storms during the tahr
hunting period. Avalanches are a potential hazard. Snow and ice usually become heavier towards the end of
the season. The West Coast is well known for heavy rain and hunters should be well equipped and prepared.
River crossings can be difficult and dangerous when water levels are high and/or discoloured.
Good communication devices are essential. Satellite phones and personal locator beacons are recommended
and the Mountain Radio Service provides an excellent weather forecast and communication service. It is
recommended that each hunting party take in a mountain radio.
Mountain Radio Service can be contacted at:
www.mountainradio.co.nz
Or Christchurch—03 379-7905; Dunedin—03 454-3262; Hokitika—03 755-6135, Nelson—03 544-7085
Identify your target before shooting
Important: The system below does not give exclusive rights to hunt a particular area. Anyone who gets a
permit for any of these areas and walks in to it is still free to do so. What is being offered is the exclusive right
to fly to a specific landing site for a particular period.
Dates
All landing sites will be open to aerial access between 03 May 2014 and 28 June 2014. This timeframe is
broken into seven-day periods only, starting from Saturday 03 May 2014 and ending on 27 June 2014.
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
Period 7
Period 8
3 May – 9 May
10 May – 16 May
17 May – 23 May
24 May – 30 May
31 May – 6 June
7 June – 13 June
14 June – 20 June
21 June – 27 June
Party size
For safety and to minimise impacts on campsites, there are party-size limits:
Minimum size 2; maximum size 6.
Hunting areas
There are 24 landing sites throughout the Hooker / Landsborough and the Adams Wilderness Areas (see list
below). In total there are 192 opportunities (24 sites x 8 weeks) in the ballot. No landings are permitted outside
these sites.
Most areas have one designated landing site but there is provision at several sites for an alternative camp site
if snow and weather conditions allow. Only one party will be permitted aerial access to a given site at any one
time. Where areas have an alternative landing site there is only one opportunity as no other party is permitted
in that area at the same time.
Note the attached tahr ballot hunting results for 2013.

Landing sites
Please note that the GPS references will be updated / provided after the inspection flight is completed. Site
photos and descriptions will also be provided at that time. Please check www.doc.govt.nz/tahrballot for these
details from mid-January.
Hooker-Landsborough Wilderness Area
Number Name Map
Series
Map
Sheet
NZTM
Easting
NZTM
Northing
1 Baker Creek (TL Landsborough) Topo50 BY14 1344816 5144666
2 Upper Zora Creek (TR Landsborough) Topo50 BY14 1344543 5147215
3 Opposite Percy Creek (TR Landsborough) Topo50 BY14 1346316 5145266
4 Hinds Tarn (TR Landsborough uphill of Topo50 BY14 1344416 5145466
confluence of Zora Creek)
5 Shelter Hollow (TL Landsborough) Topo50 BY15 1349017 5147567
6 Arbor Rift (TR Landsborough) Topo50 BY15 1348817 5147567
7 and 7a Mahitahi
(alternative site – Mahitahi Upper)
Topo50
Topo50
BY14
BY14
1340614
to follow
5151169
to follow
8 Edison River Topo50 BY14 1338913 5148367
9 and
9a
Jacobs Upper
(alternative site – Jacobs Lower)
Topo50
Topo50
BX14
BX14
1343215
to follow
5154470
to follow
10 Upper Otoko Topo50 BY14 1333612 5144365
11 Dechen Creek (TR Landsborough) Topo50 BY14 1341791 5142330
12 Bubble Creek (upper TL Landsborough) Topo50 BY15 1351824 5149969
Adams Wilderness Area
Number Name Map
Series
Map
Sheet
NZTM
Easting
NZTM
Northing
1 Adams Flat Topo50 BW17 1412230 5205781
2 and
2a
3 and
3a
Lord River
(alternative site – Lord Range)
Poerua River Lower
(alternative site – Poerua River Upper)
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
BW18
BW18
BW17
BW17
to follow
1421782
1404236
1405877
to follow
5208210
5206077
5204510
4 Abel Lake Topo50 BW17 1408891 5198457
5 Barlow River Topo50 BW17 1404899 5203071
6 Wilberg River Upper Topo50 BW17 1406166 5208680
7 Speculation Creek Topo50 BW17 1408832 5208038
8 Poker Gully Topo50 BW18 1422798 5211038
9 and
9a
Eblis Tops
(alternative site – Aciphylla Creek
Topo50
Topo50
BW17
BW17
1415158
1414414
5207382
5205441
10 Teichelmann Creek Topo50 BW17 1407645 5196619
11 Perverse Creek `Topo50 BW17 1403044 5200114
12 Adams Range (TL Poerua Valley) Topo50 BW17 1402353 5206069

Fees
Each application will incur a $20.00 (incl GST) non-refundable fee and $40.00 (incl GST) will be
charged to confirm a landing site.
Initially, each applicant will be required to pay $20.00 by supplying credit card details on the application form
or by including a $20.00 cheque with the application form. When the ballot draw has been completed,
successful applicants will be advised by letter of their allocated site. To confirm that site, the party leader
must return the attached confirmation form with a further fee of $40.00.
Each party will be limited to one application per landing site in the initial phase of the ballot system.
Any party wishing to cancel its permit must do so no later than seven days prior to the permit period; they will
receive a $40.00 (incl GST) refund within this period. This fee becomes non-refundable six days prior to the
commencement of the permit period.
Where does the fee money go?
These charges are solely to recover the costs of managing and administrating aerial access systems in a way
that ensures the wilderness values of these areas are maintained and that there is adequate liaison with
participating hunters. The charges levied do not include any permit or access fee.
Costs include:
- Labour for administration and post-season campsite inspection.
- Helicopter hire for post-season camp site inspection
- Advertising
- Postage
- Stationery
How to obtain a permit
Permit allocation will be by ballot. A permit application is attached. You can also download an application
form from the website – www.doc.govt.nz/tahrballot. The closing date for receipt of completed application
forms at this office is no later than 4 pm Friday 31 January 2014. Email (haastvc@doc.govt.nz) faxed and postal
applications will be accepted. Please allow for delays when posting to the Haast area.
Submit only one application per party for the area and period you are interested in.
The application form is limited to five choices for all hunters. Hunters and/or hunting guides may not be
involved in more than one application for the ballot draw.
Historically, applications have concentrated on the first two weeks of the programme, invariably leaving free
many weeks later on.
The ballot will be drawn on Wednesday 12 February 2014. Successful applicants will be notified by letter.
Permits will be issued when the balloted parties confirm that they still intend to go, by sending in the $40.00
(incl GST) per party administration fee. The deadline for confirmation and receipt of this fee is no later than
Wednesday 12 March 2014. If no confirmation is received by this date the balloted area may be re-issued to
another party of hunters.
After Wednesday 19 March 2014 all unconfirmed landing sites will be made available to unsuccessful
applicants on a ‘first in, first served’ basis (one landing site per party). From Monday 24 March 2014 any
remaining landing sites will be made available to all hunting parties (both professional and recreational
hunters).
Any landing sites that remain unbooked or unconfirmed after the 1 April will be available on a ‘first in, first
served’ basis. All bookings incur the $60.00 fee.

The limitation that no party is permitted to hunt in more than five sites during the ballot period will continue
to apply.
Telephone survey
A telephone survey may be conducted by the Tahr Interest Group committee.* Its sole purpose is to ask about
your hunting trip and tahr sightings and kills. For this purpose, you will be asked to consent to the disclosure
of your name and phone number only to the Tahr Interest Group committee.
* The Tahr Interest Group committee is made up of representatives from DOC, SCI (Safari Club
International), NZDA, High Country Federated Farmers, tahr farmers and helicopter operators. The group’s
role is to create and enhance opportunities for the various hunting organisations to contribute to tahr control
throughout the feral range. A key objective for the next few years is to improve knowledge of recreational
hunters’ contributions.
Permit conditions
In addition to all standing permit conditions, the following conditions will apply.
One kill return/hunting diary per party must be completed in full and sent in the envelope provided within
two weeks of the completion of your trip. This data is important as it is used to support the justification for
aerial access and culling wild animals in Wilderness Areas. Send return/diaries to:
Department of Conservation
P.O. Box 50
Haast
South Westland 7844
Attn: Tahr Hunting Diary
You can also complete this online by downloading the form from the website and emailing it to
haastvc@doc.govt.nz – hunting diaries will be available online from 01 May 2014.
Every ground based hunter participating in the Hooker – Landsborough and Adams tahr ballot who returns
their hunting diary could win an awesome prize – thanks to our sponsors!
All rubbish must be flown out
No clearing of vegetation; no standing timber may be cut for any purpose (only dead, fallen timber to be used
for firewood)
No building materials to be flown in and no structures (other than tents) to be erected
No chainsaws to be taken in
Strictly no dogs
All toilet waste to be buried well clear of water ways
Aerial operators
The right to fly recreational hunters into these sites will be issued to approved operators. A list of these
operators will be sent out when the ballot is drawn. Hunters are free to select a servicing operator from this
list. Operators not appearing on the list may not be used.
Aerial-assisted trophy hunting using a helicopter will be permitted in the Wilderness Areas during part of the
ballot period. Apart from this, no helicopter wild-animal carcass or live recovery for deer, chamois or tahr is
allowed during the ballot period in the Wilderness Areas. If you see any of this happening, record as much
information as possible including helicopter registration (numbers and letters displayed on the machine)
photos or video footage, and report this to the nearest Department of Conservation office as soon as possible
so there can be an investigation.

Tahr control
There will be aerial tahr culls of nannies and juveniles in parts of the Hooker-Landsborough and Adams
wilderness areas between September and November 2013, and mid-January to March 2014.
2015 ballot
Information packs for the 2015 ballot will not be available for issue until after 1 December 2014. Hunters are
asked not to request information packs until then.
Good luck in the ballot and safe hunting.
For more information:
See the Department of Conservation website: www.doc.govt.nz/tahrballot; or contact
Department of Conservation
Haast Visitor Centre
PO Box 50
Haast, South Westland 7844
Phone: 03 750 0809
Email: haastvc@doc.govt.nz