Fact Sheet – Tahr Ballot 2016
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Additional aerial access for recreational hunters
In the 2016 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 via www.mountainradio.co.nz or by calling:
Christchurch 03 343 5029
Dunedin
03 454 3262
Hokitika
03 755 6135
Nelson
03 544 7085
Wanaka
03 443 7660
Te Anau
03 249 8363
Invercargill
03 931 1471
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 30th April 2016 and 24th June 2016. This timeframe is
broken into seven-day periods only, starting from Saturday 30th April and ending on Friday 24th June.
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
Period 7
Period 8
30th April– 6 May
7 May– 13 May
14 May– 20 May
21 May– 27May
28 May– 3 June
4 June– 10 June
11 June– 17 June
18 June– 24 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 25 landing sites throughout the Hooker / Landsborough and the Adams Wilderness Areas (see list
below). In total there are 200 opportunities (25 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 2015.
Landing sites – updated 10 March 2015
Be aware that campsite locations may change due to flood or avalanche damage, changes to water channels
or other issues.
Hooker / Landsborough Wilderness Area
Number
Name
1
and 1a
2
3
4
Baker Creek Lower (TL Landsborough)
(alternative site –Baker Creek Upper)
Upper Zora (TR Landsborough)
Opposite Percy (TR Landsborough)
Hinds Tarn (TR Landsborough uphill of
confluence of Zora Creek)
Shelter Hollow (TL Landsborough)
Arbor Rift (TR Landsborough)
Mahitahi Lower
(alternative site – Mahitahi Upper)
Edison River
Jacobs Upper
(alternative site – Jacobs Lower)
Upper Otoko
Dechen Creek (TR Landsborough)
Bubble Creek (upper TL Landsborough)
5
6
7
and 7a
8
9
and 9a
10
11
12
Map
Series
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Map
Sheet
BY14
BY14
BY14
BY14
BY14
NZTM
Easting
1344828
1346308
1344552
1346649
1344180
NZTM
Northing
5144719
5142874
5147269
5145441
5145629
Campsite
altitude
479 m
1284 m
950 m
521 m
990 m
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
BY15
BY15
BY14
BY14
BY14
BX14
BX14
BY14
BY14
BY15
1349017
1348833
1340802
1342807
1339072
1343272
1341012
1333584
1341760
1351830
5147575
5147579
5151054
5149954
5148289
5154505
5155874
5144470
5142340
5150004
711 m
683 m
651 m
1044 m
1118 m
728 m
633 m
715 m
418 m
946 m
Map
Sheet
BW17
BW18
BW18
BW17
BW17
NZTM
Easting
1412314
1423272
1421807
1404285
1406072
NZTM
Northing
5205900
5208058
5208091
5206046
5204608
Campsite
altitude
758 m
1024 m
1360 m
735 m
1159 m
BW17
BW17
BW17
BW17
BW17
BW18
BW18
BW17
BW17
BW17
BW17
BW17
BW17
1408850
1404891
1407259
1406124
1408963
1422838
1423190
1415610
1414182
1408310
1403164
1402468
1418874
5198507
5203065
5207133
5208746
5208229
5211018
5211363
5207796
5205497
5197116
5200010
5206082
5206831
1006 m
1015 m
1261 m
1020 m
1333 m
1407 m
1560 m
1288 m
1166 m
1519 m
1347 m
1361 m
723 m
Adams Wilderness Area
Number
Name
1
2
and 2a
3 and
3a
Adams Flat
Lord River
(alternative site – Lord Range)
Poerua River
(alternative site – Poerua River Upper)
Map
Series
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
4
5
6
and 6a
7
8
and 8a
9
and 9a
10
11
12
13
Abel Lake
Barlow River
Willberg Upper
(alternative site – Willberg Lower)
Speculation Creek
Poker Gully Lower
(alternative site – Poker Gully Upper)
Eblis Tops
(alternative site – Aciphylla Creek)
Teichelmann Creek
Perverse Creek
Adams Range (TL Poerua Valley)
Lambert River
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
Topo50
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. The closing date for receipt of completed application forms at this office is no later
than 4 pm Friday January 29th 2016. Email ([email protected]) 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 10th February 2016. 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 9th March 2016. If no confirmation is received by this date the balloted area may be re-issued to
another party of hunters.
After Wednesday 16th March 2016 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 21st March 2016 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 1st 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 8 week 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
[email protected] – hunting diaries will be available online from 01 May 2016.
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 December 2015 and March 2016.
2017 ballot
Information packs for the 2017 ballot will not be available for issue until after 1 December 2016. 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
Awarua Haast Visitor Centre
PO Box 50
Haast, South Westland 7844
Phone: 03 750 0809
Email: [email protected]