Master the roar this year
As roar season gets underway, hunters are urged to follow the 5 Ps — plan, prepare, provide intentions, positively identify targets and pick the right animal. With more people in the backcountry, safety, communication and respect for others are key to a successful and responsible roar season.
The roar is the high point of the hunting year. It’s also when public conservation land (PCL) can be at its busiest – with hunters, fishers, trampers, mountain bikers and others getting out and enjoying the backcountry, particularly during the Easter and ANZAC long weekends.
It’s the time of year when we as hunters must be at our most vigilant when it comes to safety, because the decisions we make not only affect ourselves and our hunting party but other users of public PCL as well.
The Game Animal Council’s roar safety message is that being a ‘master of the roar’ is about understanding and observing the 5 Ps.
- Plan for the best.
- Prepare for the worst.
- Provide your intentions.
- Positively identify your target.
- Pick the right animal.
Most experienced hunters will read these and nod. But familiarity can breed complacency, so the roar is the perfect time to brush up on your safety skills.
Being a master of the roar starts before you leave home. Good planning and preparation mean matching the trip to the strengths of your party – its fitness and experience. It means knowing the weather forecast, carrying the right gear, having a beacon or other emergency communication, and leaving clear intentions with someone who will know what to do if you don’t come out when expected. These aren’t box-ticking exercises; they are what turn a bad situation into a good story and not an exercise in survival.
Once in the hills, a master of the roar understands the need for good communication. Walk through the plan for the day with your hunting party. Be clear about where people are heading and when you expect to be back. If conditions change, change the plan – and make sure everyone knows.
Firearm safety sits at the centre of all of this. During the roar, you should always assume there are other people nearby, even if you haven’t seen them. Wear high-visibility clothing when bush hunting, identify your target beyond all doubt, and treat every firearm as loaded. These are basic rules, but they carry extra weight when more people are sharing the backcountry.
A master of the roar also thinks beyond their own hunting party. PCL is a shared space, and hunters are one group among many who use it. Trampers are often drawn to the same places we are for many of the same reasons. A brief conversation at a hut or on the track, sharing where you intend to hunt and asking where others are heading, can significantly reduce risk and tension for everyone involved.
Those interactions also matter for another reason. Many New Zealanders don’t hunt, and their impressions of hunting are often shaped by brief encounters with hunters or second-hand stories. Human nature means first impressions count. If we want to maintain our social licence for hunting, for private firearm ownership, and for continued access to PCL, then every hunter has a role to play in creating a good impression of hunting. Courtesy, openness, and responsibility aren’t just good manners; they are part of how hunting retains its public acceptance.
Finally, being a master of the roar extends to the animals we choose to harvest. Picking the right animal – leaving younger stags to reach their potential and targeting hinds for meat and management – supports healthier herds, a healthier environment and better roar hunting in the future.
Be a master of the roar this year, look after your mates and respect the activities of other users. Help make everyone’s experience in the backcountry a positive one. If we do that, we protect not just ourselves this roar, but the future of hunting in New Zealand.
For more on the 5Ps and hunter safety, go to www.nzgac.org.nz/hunter-safety.
