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While I don’t support the ‘official’ allowing of heli-hunting here in NZ there could be some redeeming features. As already alluded to, there is nothing really stopping this happening now and I bet it does happen. It is just down to hunter ethics as to whether one wants to or not.
The chopper boys will have no qualms over taking anyone willing to pay to shoot from a chopper or spot, drop and shoot. If you have the money they will have the time and the machine. This is not a criticism of them, just pure business.

If made official then maybe what happens now is controlled and out in the open. How you recognise trophies etc is up to those who wish to do this. I have never been ‘trophy’ orientated so have no personal interest here except I do believe in free and fair chase hunting where possible. It is here in NZ and I don’t think this is threatened by this latest development just as the heli culling never curtailed it.

Other parts of the world, Europe, Africa, etc, is now much more regulated where free hunting is long gone.

I have only shot from a chopper to obtain some chamois and tahr animals for a German professor wanting some gland samples as part of his study of these animals. It certainly does have an excitement of its own when flying and shooting up close in the steep and beautiful Southern Alps but it is not hunting as I know it. At the same time I have used choppers to get into this same rugged country, even when I was young and fit, to spend time foot hunting in the normal fashion. I don’t necessarily see the fun in a tiring backbreaking day packing in on foot enough equipment and supplies to spend a week or so hunting in good chamois and tahr country.

How many today take the slow boat to Africa and then the foot safari to get to the hunting area? Of course not it’s the modern fast jet and 4WD to get hunting as quickly as possible with the least amount of effort, and in many cases it now sounds like a dubious hunt if you bag the big trophies!

In answer to those that ask the question, yes there is insufficient control of animals by any other means other than the chopper in NZ. There are no natural enemies for our animals, huge tracts of unpopulated rugged mountainous or bush clad land, mild climate, and low people population thus low hunter population. All our game animals have flourished uncontrollably and it wasn’t until the chopper arrived on our shores that we could get some semblance of control and prevent the country being decimated by the huge herds of red deer, chamois, tahr and others. A forestry friend of mine once described the scene when he was involved in the first chopper culling of tahr in the Southern Alps, he said it was if a bag full of ball bearings had been tipped over the mountain. The great herds just poured off the ‘tops’ as the choppers started their business.

So don’t get too concerned when reading about hunting in NZ. Unless banned by the Government there will always be opportunities for all comers to enjoy what is on offer here. You have the choice; free access on foot without guides or support; hire a chopper to get you into the high mountains for free hunting; pay an outfitter to guide you into the areas by vehicle, plane, boat or chopper; pay a chopper to spot, drop and shoot; pay a chopper to let you shoot from it. Whatever floats your boat you can do here and long may that freedom of choice last. That’s what NZ is built on.