CONTEXT AND FOCUS
The focus for 2023 was to complete baseline monitoring in the REZ and continue hind focused management operations to reduce herd density and lower the reproductive output of the herd, using a combination of facilitated recreational hunter contribution, and professional management operations.
DEER MANAGEMENT
Again, facilitated recreational hunter access was given during late March to early April and hunters submitted valuable data and jaws shot from animals to contribute to the dataset and understanding around changes observed by hunters in response to 2022 management.
Facilitating recreational hunter access not only removed animals contributing to the adaptive deer management and research programme but gave recreational hunters an opportunity to be a part of the journey. This remains instrumental in the social licence gained for this project, and the support from the hunting community.
The same locations were selected to focus hunter effort on the more seldom hunted areas. The Rangitikei River and ecology stream valley floors are difficult for hunters to access without facilitated helicopter access.
Again, hunters that participated in the opportunity covered their own costs. There was no cost on the Sika Foundation or DOC for the animals to be removed. It is worth nothing against the 2022 ground hunter operation that the cost to remove one deer is approx. $750. Cost to date of Removing 16 hinds would have cost the Sika Foundation and/or DOC $12,000 and with all deer removed, this would have been $40,500.
Hunting Data summary comparison
There were substantially less hunters involved, and deer shot in 2023 (6) in comparison with 2022 (48), however data and hunter observations collected indicate fewer animals contacted with a lower percentage of animals shot VS contacts.
The increased rutting behaviour in comparison with 2022 was apparent in the reports from the datasheets for 2023. This reflects the hind focused deer management efforts in 2022. Having with fewer hinds in better condition creating competitive rutting behaviour. This model also reduces the reproductive output of the herd and associated future management needs and stress on the habitat.
Some wildlife observations included a kiwi was heard in Trick Creek with more possums seen per hunter against 2022 data. A participant in Eco Junction who was in the same location the previous year made particular note of noticeable change in the regeneration of fast palatable vegetation, that was still untouched. Reports around rutting activity in general was substantially more territory, with some single calling across all three sites.
Management operations were fine-tuned with ground hunters focusing on the mountain beech habitat river valleys through early spring (89 deer shot), and a 40-hour Aerial operation over the whole REZ in November resulting in 343 deer shot.
Some of these deer were able to be recovered for autopsy and their carcasses were donated to local Iwi. A thermal assisted approach was compared with conventional aerial to test current thermal technologies on Sika in Mountain Beech, Manuka/Kanuka and alpine habitats. These learnings will assist in understanding how Sika can best be managed in the REZ, and other habitat across the Central North Island Sika range, in future operations.
For 2023, management operations removed a total of 438 deer (318 hinds and 118 stags of poor quality) and left 62 stags to compliment a low-density high-quality Sika hunting resource.
2023 REZ kills
One of 62 Sika stags from management operations left (aerial in late Nov 2023)
MONITORING
Due to cyclone Gabrielle, monitoring in the REZ was delayed and not completed until late May 2023. Learnings from the 2022 and 2023 monitoring resulted in some fine tuning and several changes in structure, methodology, protocol and the efficiency of overall operational implementation.
Myrsine divaricata centre photo sits amongst heavily browsed small leaved coprosma “deer lawn” in a southern REZ die back habitat (May 2023).
Planning for the 2024 season continued in collaboration with DOC with a focus on other key sites in 2024, starting with the Kaweka North and Clement’s Mill Road Management units (KWN & CLE).
Monitoring KWN will provide some comparable data and further understanding of current habitat condition and relative deer abundance in similar susceptible mountain beech habitat to the REZ, in another part of the CNI sika range. This MU includes the Kaweka Mountain Beech Project area where aerial deer control ceased in 2016.
Monitoring CLE will provide valuable insights into habitat health in a management units were there is substantial hunting pressure and habitat condition, deer abundance and herd health are very different.
Once data has been digitised through stringent quality control processes and analysed, technical reports for management units will be constructed. These reports will provide insights into habitat condition and relative deer abundance and will assist in management decisions moving forward.