Source: Department of Conservation
We are thrilled that communities across the country got behind the the National Wild Goat Hunting Competition.
A massive thanks to the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) for working with us to make it happen, and to Hunting & Fishing NZ who were a proud supporter and founding sponsor for the competition.
The competition brought hunters, farmers, and the conservation sector together to collectively help raise awareness of the damage wild goats can cause to native plants and farmlands and encourage hunters to target wild goats.
The collective effort has resulted in the removal of over 10,000 wild goats! The competition also sparked some great organised hunts and events held across the country.
Nearly 700 people entered the competition, and many reported they were more likely to hunt wild goats because of the competition.
Competition entrant Jesse O’Gorman saw a flyer in his local Hunting & Fishing store and thought it would be a good thing to give a go.
“It’s good exercise and fun to get out in the bush, while knowing what you’re doing is helping the environment. I collected 54 tails from properties around the Wellington region”. – Jesse O’Gorman
Jesse said he dropped flyers into letterboxes of landowners to ask if he could hunt on their land. This led to gaining permission to hunt wild goats on a large forestry block and QEII blocks. He also shoots hares for the forestry manager.
NZDA spokesperson, Callum Sheridan, says “It’s been great to see such enthusiasm for the competition. Hunters often start out their hunting career by shooting wild goats, but often move to deer and then overlook wild goats.”
“Wild goat terrain is rugged and tough going – offering a great backcountry adventure”.
Goat recipe shared from Cazador Restaurant and NZDA:
21 Hunting & Fishing stores, 24 DOC Offices and visitor centres, and 15 NZDA Branches.
In Kaitaia the local Hunting & Fishing store, DOC office, and Fish & Game teamed up to run a ‘Bush to Belly’ event. The event was used as a promotional opportunity to inform the local public about why goats are a threat to our native ngāhere and encourage hunters to enter the competition. A goat butchery demonstration was led by a couple of local hunters and attendees enjoyed a gourmet goat sausage barbeque and goat curry.
Some of New Zealand’s major hunting shows NZ Hunter and The Hunters Club also got in on the action!
The Red Stag Timber Hunters removed some goats for a local farmer, honed their hunting skills and made delicious food using the goat meat. If you haven’t seen the episode, the show is free to stream inside New Zealand through SKY Go.
The competition closed 26 November, with the national prize giving on 15 December 2023. Check out our website or NZDA’s website to find out who won. There were over $50,000 worth of prizes up for grabs, and Hunting & Fishing NZ Ltd was a proud sponsor.
“It’s been great to be involved in the National Wild Goat Hunting Competition and increase entry accessibility for New Zealanders,” says Chris Sharland, Marketing Manager.
“If we can symbiotically enjoy the outdoors, promote hunter-led conservation, and put food on the table, then everyone wins.”
Apart from honing hunting skills, many have been making the most of the wild goat meat. The series of recipes featuring wild goat meat, created specifically for the competition were hugely popular. Dariush Lolaiy, chef and co-owner of the wild food specialist restaurant Cazador, developed these recipes.
According to Lolaiy, “Wild goat is a versatile protein well suited to the coal grill, slow braises, and even charcuterie. Given the transport and ammunition costs associated with hunting wild goats, finding tasty ways to use of the meat is important”.
For the competition Hunting & Fishing NZ Ltd. also partnered with James the Tattooed Butcher on how to break down and butcher a whole goat at home:
Wayne Langford, Chair of Federated Farmers New Zealand says, “Wild goats and other pests are a huge issue right across the country. They eat pasture, spread disease, and undermine a lot of the good environmental work that’s being done in communities.”
“The challenge is that being wild means these animals don’t stay in one place. They roam freely across both public and private land, so we all have a shared responsibility and role to play in keeping numbers under control.
“Federated Farmers were proud to be a part of this initiative because it brought farmers, hunters, and the government together to try and do something about the problem.”
The Minister for Hunting and Fishing, Hon Todd McClay also sent a message congratulating those who took part in the competition:
Although the competition is over, wild goats breed quickly. Continuing to target wild goats will help to protect the environment.
NZDA and DOC would like to thank the 2023 sponsors:
• Founding sponsor: Hunting & Fishing NZ
• Major sponsors: NZ Hunter and Huntech
• Supporting sponsors: Taeger Grills, Back Country Cuisine, Lowa Boots, InfiRay, Te Tari Puureke Firearms • Safety Authority, Tatonka, Bushnell, LEDLenser, Thorlo, and Topo4GPS.
The competition was a joint endeavour by the Department of Conservation and the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association to help raise awareness of the wild goat problem, build relationships across sectors, and encourage hunters to target wild goats. It was supported by Federated Farmers of New Zealand, and Hunting & Fishing NZ Ltd.
