I realize that the current regime is working to undo a lot of this, but I knew very little of this history.

https://sportingclassicsdaily....2f&mc_eid=ff4d2c8ebd

Appears that the current regime is working to elevate all non indigenous species from the country. Does not appear that the outfitters have much say to continue their businesses.
Have had a deposit with GH since 2019 for a trip to hunt. Not even sure he is still in business at this point as we have had no communication from him since early 2021. With hope NZ will evict the current administration and get on with life. MTG

If you ever come to NZ you'll quickly realise that no matter how determined anyone is you will never eliminate our game animals and birds. NZ is about the land mass of England or even old West Germany, the latter having a population of 70 million people back in the early 80's (when I was there for a year). UK's population, including Northern Ireland, is now getting close to 70 million.
NZ's population is 5 million people with a large portion living in our largest city Auckland, then we have only 3 more large cities taking up another good chunk of the balance of 5 million.

So as you can imagine, a large portion of our land mass is uninhabited country. Our Southern Alps run the length of the South Island and Fiordland takes up a good portion of the western bottom of the Island. Stewart Island has a population of only a few hundred all living in one small town.

Our climate is moderate, apart from stoats, weasels and falcons we have no predators of our game animals and birds. We have no snakes or other poisonous insects etc., that could pose a threat to man or beast.

We still use 1080 poison dropped from the air to try and control our possum population and both poison and biological attempts to control our rabbit population have had very limited success.

We have for years used helicopters with experienced shooters to try and control our deer, chamois and tahr populations, again with limited success.

Although our population of hunters do not make a huge difference to animal populations' they do serve to cull animals encroaching onto farmland and close to populated areas. So while foot hunters, helicopters and poison does go someway to controlling our wild/game animal populations, even in combination they will never eliminate them.

Once all the introduced animals are gone New Zealanders will have no need to own firearms is the end game.

And with the new technology like thermals etc that may happen.

These are the Golden Years of New Zealand hunting get out here asap.

No one is trying to get rid of anything really. At worst they are trying to control possums in some areas because of TB risk, and deer get caught up as bykill.

(The "outfitters" are not concerned or even involved - outfitters in NZ are on private property and most of them are basically farming deer. If you are paying to shoot a deer in New Zealand, then your deer was raised on a farm and is as wild as a sheep.)

THe current regime havnt really done anything bad or good regarding wild animals. They are too busy trying to oppress the people.