Hunting calendar put on hold

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that a series of hunting events for Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation shareholders and their whānau have been put on hold.

All six of the Incorporation’s farms had hunting weekends marked on the calendar for March, May and November, and a special hunt was also planned to celebrate the organisation’s 50th anniversary which would have seen all the marae in the Whanganui rohe competing with each other.

“Over the years, our shareholders have called for more hunting opportunities on their whenua and this year we were going to deliver those opportunities to them, on a bigger scale than ever before,” says Whetu Moataane, Tikanga and Branding Manager for Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation and member of the Hunting Advisory Group. “But the national response to COVID-19 has meant hunting is on hold for our whānau for the time being.”

“It is very disappointing because we had a really exciting series of hunting events planned.”

Hunting weekends had already begun in February, with more than 100 shareholders and whānau taking the opportunity to reconnect with the whenua and harvest some kai, before the COVID-19 response was put into action.

“People from as far as the South Island and Tauranga came with their kids and mokopuna,” says Whetu. “It was also great seeing a number of wāhine leading their whānau on these hunts.”

“I’m so pleased they all got to experience hunting on their whenua before we all had to go into lockdown.”

Rex Martin, manager of Ātihau-Whanganui Inc’s Ohorea Station, who also sits on the Hunting Advisory Group, said the first events went very well and everyone was happy with the large number of deer shot.

“Populations of red deer and fallow deer on our farms can cause damage to fencing and the whenua, as well as eating feed intended for our stock,” he explained. “So, it was a real win-win because we were able to give our shareholders access to some really excellent hunting and harvesting opportunities and they did a great job in assisting us with our pest control programme.”

Strict health and safety rules were in place at the events, with farm managers giving all hunters a full briefing and checking fi rearms licences and first aid kits. All other equipment, such as quad bikes, were also inspected to ensure they were fit for purpose.

“While it is a shame that COVID-19 has meant we can’t continue with our hunting programme, our intention is that we will be able to hold these types of events again once the pandemic is over,” says Whetu. “As an organisation we are responding to a rapidly changing situation in all areas of the business at the moment, so we ask our whānau to respect the guidelines being set down by the government and stay at home and stay safe until we can all get back to normality once again.”