National Wild Goat Hunting Competition
Introduction
The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition winners have been announced.Thank you for entering the competition. Winners for the large national prizes have been announced below. Winners of the local NZDA branch events will be contacted by the branch.
Results
More than 10,000 wild goats were shot for the competition. The competition encouraged hunters to target wild goats and raised awareness of the damage they cause to New Zealand’s precious native ecosystems and farmlands.
Nearly 700 hunters entered, and many reported that they would be more likely to hunt wild goats because of the competition. They also reported as well as enjoying hunting and winning prizes, that being outdoors, getting some exercise and contributing to conservation were primary motivations for entering.
Even though the competition is over, wild goats breed quickly. Continued effort is needed to manage wild goats. Hunters and farmers can continue to play a role in reducing numbers to help protect the environment.
The competition was a joint endeavour by the Department of Conservation and the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association to help raise awareness of the damage wild goats can do, 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.
National prize winners
| National categories | Prize and value | Prize winner |
|---|---|---|
| NZ Hunter - Goat Pursuit |
Win an unforgettable filmed wild goat hunting expedition with NZ Hunter. Flights and accommodation included. |
The Butcher family who entered in Palmerston North. |
| Got Your Goat |
Win 1 of 9 spot prize packs. Each pack is worth over $1400 each. |
Jarrod Dallinger Marshall Jack Deborah Simon Dave Reed Jasper Brannen Murray Rowe Eleisha Butcher Tommy Hocking Tony Firth |
| The Great Goat Roundup |
Win 1 of 10 spot prize packs. Each pack is worth approximately $1200 each. |
Dylan Foster Peter Richardson Mateus Parker Jonty Craig Ryder Foster Matt White Anton Evans Paul Fletcher Brohn Torckler Nick Cowie |
| NZDA's Greatest of All Time Hunter - The G.O.A.T |
Win a prize pack worth over $1,300. |
Graham Gallaghan who entered at the North Auckland NZDA Branch, who had a Douglas Score of 117 5/8. |
- Each winner will be notified by email and phone (voice or text), and must be available for the preparation of all publicity that may be required by the organiser. Where attempts to contact the winner fail (eg when the winner cannot be contacted by phone after three attempts or email sent has no reply) the organiser will select another winner. If, after successful notification, the prize is not collected within two months of being announced it will be regarded as forfeit.
- Each entry was checked by the organiser to ensure an approved entry verifier has submitted it.
- The organiser’s determination of the winners will be final and no correspondence will be entered in.
2023 Sponsors
Founding sponsor: Hunting & Fishing
Major sponsors: NZ Hunter and Huntech
Supporting sponsors: Traeger Grills, Backcountry Cuisine, Lowa Boots, InfiRay, Te Tari Puureke Firearms Safety Authority, Tatonka, Bushnell, LEDLenser, Thorlo, and Topo4GPS.
Where to hunt wild goats
Wild goats are found throughout New Zealand in both the North and South Islands. They occupy a wide range of habitats and can be found from sea level to the alpine zone, living in introduced and native grasslands, scrub, and forest. Concentrations of goats can be found in Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, and Otago.
To find where to hunt goats near you:
- talk to your local NZDA branch about hunting in your local area
- use the Wild goat distribution map (PDF, 5,993K)
- use the hunting block search function to find where to hunt for wild goats.
Note: wild goats are often seen in places where you are not allowed to hunt like on road edges, train tracks, river, and road reserves.
Protect kauri when you hunt
Native kauri are under threat from a disease commonly referred to as kauri dieback which can easily spread by soil movement from dirty footwear, animals, equipment and vehicles.
If you are hunting in the Northland, Auckland, Kaimai Ranges, Coromandel, Waikato or Bay of Plenty areas, be mindful of kauri and follow the kauri protection guidelines for hunting.
Read more about kauri disease.
Related links
- Wild goat hunting
- Hunting know before you go
- Hunting safety
- NZ Deerstalkers feral goat webpage
- Use Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa's outdoor access map to find out if land is private.
Contact
For further information email Megan Robinson: wildanimalmanagement@doc.govt.nz.
