Poaching is a significant problem which risks the lives of staff and recreational forest users, southern forestry bosses say.
Four people were dealt with in the Alexandra District Court yesterday on charges of unlawful hunting in Central Otago, South and West Otago.
Most incidents occurred on forestry blocks.
Two defendants who each faced a single charge received fines, one facing three charges of unlawful hunting was sentenced to community work and a defendant on four charges of unlawful hunting received home detention.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ian Collin said over the past four years, police had noticed an increase in unlawful hunting.
Asked for comment about the problem, Otago-Southland manager of Ernslaw One, Phil De La Mare said poaching was frustrating for all land owners and forestry owners in particular.
"Generally, it's only a small number that have no regard for following the rules who threaten to spoil it for legitimate hunters. It frustrates the hell out of us,'' Mr De La Mare said.
"We need to have control of our work site to ensure that the people who work in the forests are safe and at the same time, people are roaming around, going where they want, potentially with firearms and pig dogs.''
Trying to prevent poaching was a big cost to the industry, Mr De La Mare said. For example, access to blocks was controlled with locked gates and combinations on the locks had to be changed regularly.
"Near-miss'' incidents were the big problem.
"We've got a workforce in our forests and we've got a duty to protect them. You hear rifle shooting or people driving through the forest who shouldn't be there and, naturally, you get nervous about the safety of your workers.''
Wenita Forest Products Ltd chief executive, David Cormack said poaching was a significant problem.
The safety of workers and other permitted forest visitors, such as legitimate hunters, walkers and mountain bikers was the main concern.
"And the safety of our forest neighbours - it's very unnerving for them to have unauthorised people running around with firearms near their properties at all times of the day and night.''
Hunters with permits were allowed access to forestry blocks and there was a long waiting list for permits.
The forestry company tried to rotate blocks so everyone got a turn, he said.
It had considered removing hunters' access to forestry blocks because of the shooters flouting the law.
"But we take the view that there are many more hunters that follow all the rules, than those who don't, and the good ones generally treat it as a privilege and respect the forest and forest workers.''
Mr Cormack and Mr De La Mare said they had a good relationship with "very supportive'' police.
