Why hunters should learn from Forest and Bird

Forest and Bird are the largest (and arguably only) independent conservation organisation in New Zealand. They have over 80,000 active members in New Zealand. That means they are active, influential, connected, and relevant. I would use none of those adjectives to describe a New Zealand hunter group. 

Our current conservation minister, Hon. Eugenie Sage, is a lifetime member of Forest and Bird. Some of you would have noticed she spoke at the forest and bird AGM last month where she made some interesting comments about Tahr control, or more accurately extermination. See the photo below to refresh your memory if you're not sure what I am talking about.

Why is this relevant?

Best estimates put the number of active New Zealand hunters at 166,675 (NZ sport, Active NZ survey 2014). The accuracy of this number is a source of a bit of debate, but at the end of the day, give or take a few thousand, that's not the point. The point is that for is a significant user group of public land, one of the more frequent users of the back country, we have no real voice, no group, organisation, or club that carries any real weight in membership.

Hunters are easy to ignore. A hundred and sixty thousand of us doing our own thing, keeping our heads down thinking we're entitled by birth right to hunt in New Zealand. With a few armchair experts chucking out the odd dagger out on social media. Until of course something happens on our own patch, then we stand there on our own and sling shit at anyone who will listen while other hunters continue to do their own thing, unaware or disinterested in something happening outside of their hunting bubble.

Hunters are a passionate group, the question is; how many of us are prepared to put our time and effort where our mouths are? It's one thing stripping shreds off DoC for dropping 1080 or pointing out the short comings in another hunters ethics, but is there any substance to the bravado?

When it comes to brass tacks we're getting our asses kicked. Forest and bird are actively giving back to conservation, restoration and management of the New Zealand ecosystems. They have a direct line to the minister of conservation, they have more of a say in the Tahr debate than hunters do, how does that sit with you?

Irony is that hunters share 90% of their values with the 80,000 members of Forest and Bird. We love the environment, the bush, the mountains, the native birds, and the rivers of New Zealand. The only place we differ is that we're hunters and they're not. History has shown us around the world that hunter groups and conservation groups like forest and bird can work together towards a common goals.

Forest and Bird are not actually the enemy, they're potential allies. Trouble is that we have pitted ourselves against them for so long that the average accepted stereotype of the "average" kiwi hunter amongst the forest and bird membership is not a positive one, I can assure you.

Food for thought,

Matthew Gibson