A smarter future for game animal management
Strong support is building for HOSI, with hunters backing a shift to balanced, long-term herd management. The approach promises better conservation outcomes, healthier herds, and improved hunting experiences across New Zealand.
There has been a lot of focus recently on Herds of Special Interest (HOSI), and for good reason. The concept is one of the most promising opportunities we have had in a long time to move towards balanced, sustainable management of New Zealand’s most important game animal herds.
The Department of Conservation has recently released summaries of the submissions that were received in response to draft herd management plans for both the proposed Fiordland Wapiti HOSI and the proposed Central North Island Sika HOSI.
There were 352 submissions on the wapiti plan and 245 on the sika plan. Of the submitters who stated a position, 66% supported the wapiti plan either fully or in part, while 64% supported the sika plan. There were also additional submissions that didn’t state their position but indicated support for these herds as HOSI. These results are a strong signal that New Zealanders value game animals and want to see this value reflected while achieving conservation outcomes.
What really stood out in the submissions was the support for what HOSI represents. Hunters want these herds recognised for the value they provide as a source of recreation, food, and economic activity, along with improved conservation outcomes. They want to see more hunter-led management that achieves better outcomes for both the herd and for conservation.
HOSI offers the chance to move to a better model of herd management than New Zealand’s traditional all-or-nothing approach – one that is based on ongoing, sustained management and that includes consistent monitoring and reporting. Done well, that can mean healthier herds, quality meat, and world class hunting experiences.
HOSI is not about ignoring the environmental impacts of game animals either. The reality is that active control work by the government only reaches a very small percentage of the entire 26.5 million hectares of conservation estate. By embracing hunter values, HOSI provides an opportunity for hunters and community to work together, increasing environmental stewardship efforts at a local level.
The draft plans for both wapiti and sika explicitly aim to improve biodiversity and forest outcomes. The submission summaries show that many supporters see hunter-led, long-term management as a practical way to achieve more durable conservation gains than the current ad hoc approach ever will.
We have already seen what a HOSI-style model can achieve in the wapiti area in Fiordland with lower deer densities, improved conservation outcomes, high-quality animals and hunting experiences, and economic benefits for the region. HOSI will provide long-term certainty for this model.
