GROUND HUNTING
WACNZ (2007) Ltd has specialized in back country or remote locations contracts, this is usually camping in tents or from huts.
To obtain precise information on goat kills and area hunted within the contract area, a data recording method is used. This method utilizes a 62s or 60csx GPS that tracks the hunter on his daily hunting route.
Each team member is issued with a hunter’s diary, which they are required to complete each day. Each record consists of goats killed, sex and their location.
By recording and analyzing this information, managers are able to assess the progress of the hunting operation (i.e. which areas have and haven’t been hunted), assess goat distribution and identify any likely “hot spot”. This information also allows managers to set priorities for the following years.
Any high priority area will receive more intensive hunting especially those with high conservation valves or erosion problems, as indicated by the supplied map.
The expected hunting effect is 40> H/a’s in thick bush and 500 >H/a’s per day on open farmland and is only an approximate – this is influenced by goat numbers, terrain and stock numbers within the treatment area.
- Each block will be treated until completion within a set timeframe.
- Hunting will be done in a team environment with one or more teams active within the contract area.
- Hunting will take place when target species are at their most active (usually either early morning or late afternoon).
- The use of dogs may be/will be utilized after initial ground /aerial has taken place. Hunters will use specially trained finders/bailers or indicating dogs, this method is best used when goat populations are low or have become difficult to locate in thick vegetation or is very scattered.
- Both semi automatic and bolt action rifles will be used.
- With emphasis on staff safety all personnel will keep in radio contact and wear high visibility vests, and have suppressed rifles.
AERIAL HUNTING
WACNZ (2007) LTD has aligned itself with two reputable helicopter companies whose staff are experienced ex deer recovery/capture pilots who are familiar with both piston and turbine helicopters.
WACNZ (2007) LTD personnel have extensive experience in aerial helicopter hunting techniques from carcass recovery to live capture including search and destroy operations on deer, pigs, goats and cattle.
- Helicopters may be used as a shooting platform within the treatment area to remove target species from steep/dangerous faces where access is limited and or where there is large numbers concentrated on open country.
- Hunting will take place when target species are at their most active (usually either early morning or late afternoon).
- Either semi automatic shotguns using BB’s / buckshot and semi automatic rifles or a combination of both will be utilized on this part of the operation for the maximum kill results.
- All personnel shooting wear safety harness and protective hearing protection.
- The operation can be videotaped if required for audit purposes.
- Each flight will be tracked using a GPS (either hand held or more advanced system such as Spidertrack®). Each area will have the numbers killed way-pointed on the GPS for later data entry.