TARUARAU SHOOT CANCELLED

The Taruarau Shoot which was to be held this weekend has been cancelled. The land owner says the access to the shooting range is not possible at this time due to the weather conditions. I will keep you informed as to an alternative date when confirmed.

NATIONAL TB STRATEGY REVIEW

The National Bovine Tuberculosis (Tb) Pest Management Strategy is currently being reviewed, and your views are sought on amendments proposed by the Animal Health Board. The Tb Strategy is the legal basis for controlling Tb in cattle and deer herds, and also in populations of wild animals that can spread the disease, such as possums.
The strategy has an annual budget of $82 million per year. The amendments, which will apply until 2025, include new targets to reduce the size of areas where Tb is found in wild animal populations, and assessing the feasibility of completely eradicating the disease from wild animals.

Submissions close on 30 November 2009.

Send them Attn: B Pereira, Minister of Agriculture, C/o
MAF Biosecurity NZ, PO Box 2426, Wellington 6140, email
belita.pereira@maf.govt.nz For hard copies telephone 0800 4 824 636.

The proposal is also at www.tbfree.org.nz

WALKING ACCESS NEW ZEALAND

A draft national strategy on Walking Access, and a draft Outdoor Access Code have been published for comment by the NZ Walking Access Commission (NZWAC). NZWAC was set up to support practical, guaranteed walking access to the outdoors that the public can enjoy at no cost. Its strategy is to promote, encourage and where appropriate, negotiate public access on foot to rivers, lakes and the coastline, and to forests, mountains and countryside, NZWAC's Outdoor Access Code sets out the need for people to behave properly and to take responsibility for their actions in the outdoors, and it also asks landholders to contribute to the traditions of NZ, which have seen it as customary for landholders to give access to people wanting to cross their land. Submissions close on 18 December 2009.

Email them to contact@walkingaccess.org.nz or post them to NZWAC, PO Box 12348, Thorndon, Wellington 6144.

Copies of the draft documents are available at http://www.walkingaccess.org.nz/page/7/Latestnews.html or
telephone 04 894 0549 or email contact@walkingaccess.org.nz for copies

Stephen Perfect with his Chital deer

LIST OF REMOVED BACKCOUNTRY HUTS

Backcountry huts removed and not available for accommodation

Published:
September 2009

This is a list of DOC huts that have been removed and those not available for accommodation. These huts may still appear on maps and in other visitor information.

Download the publication:

Backcountry huts removed and not available for accommodation (PDF, 38K)

VENISON JERKY RECIPE

A great tasting snack to take hunting...if you can stop yourself from eating it all beforehand.

1½ -2lbs. venison steak
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp liquid smoke
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp fresh crushed garlic
¼ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cracked pepper

Trim away all fat & sinew from meat. Slice meat into 4mm thick strips – cutting along the grain, not through. Place meat into zip-lock plastic bag.

Mix all other ingredients & pour over meat. Let out the air and seal bag. Refrigerate for 12-48 hours. Mix contents of bag once or twice while marinating.

Drain off and excess liquid. Hang meat from oven racks using toothpicks. Set oven to around 70 C until done. May take 3 - 8 hours depending on temperature and thickness of slices. Let cool before putting in bag or jar for storage.

NEW ZEALAND BIG GAME HUNTING COUNCIL DISCUSSION PAPER

Options for Establishment of the New Zealand Game Animal Council: a discussion paper

The paper can be viewed online at www.gameanimalcouncil.org.nz

RANGE SHOOT CANCELLED

The club range day planned for Sunday 11th October at Poraiti has been postponed due to recent wet weather affecting access.