getting better at this 'digi scoping'

[JP100]

Heres a few pics I took recently while scouting a new catchment close to home. using a Vortex razor 16-48x65mm and some little fuji camera(no adapter)
About a 4-5 year old Bull Tahr, not quite full maturity, got abit more body and mane to grow but a nice bull none the less, lets hope he can escape the choppers over the winter.




A pair of nice Chamois bucks,both not quite full potential. Another year or two would be good. Both have good hook's and their winter skins are coming along nicely. Much easier to judge trophies with out a bow or rifle in hand haha(or clients!)

 

[JP100]

Heres a few more...
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Lets hope they guys can escape the helicopters and reach their potential
Thanks guys

 

[elkeaterco]

Nice, cool stuff man, hope to make it on a diy hunt on the south island next year.

 

[chindits]

What exactly are people doing with helos down there?

 

[JP100]

What exactly are people doing with helos down there?

Hey mate there a number of operations that happen, some ethical some not so much. Ile out line for ya

1) Helicopter access to the mountains for hunting, similar as small planes are used in Canada ect. hunting on foot, just saves the walk in.

2)'heli hunting' Now AATH(aerially assisted "trophy Hunting". This is where hunting clients come to NZ to secure trophies mainly of Tahr and Chamois. They use helicopters to find animals. Usually the guide and client get out and the pilot "herds" the animals toward them so they can shoot it. There are a number of bad cases where animals are "herded" to exhaustion then shot at close range. This can happen while foot hunters are in the same areas, and you cannot predict when it will happen. Unfortunately there is a huge number of Tahr and Chamois taken this way, mainly by American clients.

3)WARO, Wild Animal Recovery Operations. These are commercial meat hunters who shoot animals from the air and recover the meat for domestic and export markets. This mainly effects Red Deer(stags) and changes alot depending on the price of venison. Recently the price has been low making it non-profitable for alot of areas.

4) D.O.C culling operations. This is the Department of Conversations method of controlling some species in some areas. They mainly target Tahr and feral Goats(depending on the area). They now only shoot female Tahr(try to) and this is focused around their "boundaries". DOC has set a boundary on where they want Tahr to live in NZ.

The area where I took these photos is a National Park, hunting is legal in these areas but helicopter access is not. BUT Heli Hunting IS LEGAL in these normal no fly zones(with a concession). eg I cannot fly into this area to hunt on foot, BUT you can book a trip with a guide and fly in there and do an AATH/Heli Hunt. This is creating some dis agreement as you can imagine between recreational hunters and guides. This area in particular receives very little ground hunting as it very difficult to access on foot, but the local heli operator does a huge number of AATH/helihunts in this area. While I was walking home after talking these photos he flew over with a Bull Tahr. This happens normally every fine day over April-June where I live.(alot of good hunting+alot of lazy hunters=alot of helihunts)

All of the above practices are LEGAL with the right permits/concessions. As you can see the rich lazy man can access areas no one else can for $$$$. Unfortunately this AATH/Heli Hunting is promoted by the NZ Professional Hunting Guides Association and the vast majority of guides par take in such activities.(me and about 2 others are the only ones who do not)

Hope that helps