Deer stalker association sees numbers boost

NZDA
Marlborough Branch

The Marlborough Branch of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) has seen increased membership and participation in club events such as club nights and hunts in the past 12 months.

This is really reassuring and shows that there are a lot of people in our community who take their sport seriously, or are in the process of discovering the hunting community.

To support this, the club has made a real effort to canvas new members and provide connections with our experienced members.

This has included taking new members hunting and providing advice on locations and considerations such as wind management and animal behaviour.

We encourage anyone who may be considering learning to hunt, or who is new to the area, to come along to one of our club nights or informal after-work catch-ups and make themselves known.

We are very keen to support our newer members and see them succeed on their hunting journey.

An example of our club as a valuable community organisation has been taking members new to the club or new to the area out under guidance on a local hunt. This has introduced people to the many considerations of hunting including conservation, animal behaviour, clothing, safe firearms handling, and field dressing animals. It helps build confidence early and set the foundations for newer hunters to move forward on their own or with newfound hunting mates in the club.

Marlborough NZDA values maintaining sustainable local hunting for recreational hunters while balancing conservation objectives.

This is supported by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Conservation and being part of a Molesworth TB eradication advisory group.

We have a club night coming up at 7:00pm 17 March at Clubs of Marlborough, RSA room which will also double as a short AGM.

Information about upcoming events are posted on Facebook @MarlboroughNZDA or you can contact us via email marlborough@nzda.org.nz