The use of 1080 poison where white tailed deer live could severely reduce the numbers of the "iconic" game animal, a hunting advocate says.
New Zealand Game Animal Council chief executive Corina Jordan has recently returned from a trip to Stewart Island/Rakiura, where she talked to community members about the recent Department of Conservation aerial 1080 operation.
The operation is part of a plan to save the endangered southern dotterel (pukunui) that is being preyed upon by wild cats.
In phase one of the operation, 1080 bait with and without deer repellant was dropped on about 6500ha, earlier this month.
Phase two of the operation will cover about 40,000ha and is scheduled to start next month.
About five days after the drop, three dead white tailed deer were found with 1080 pellets in their stomachs in a hunting block where deer repellant had been used.
Miss Jordan said if plans to remove predators from the whole island went ahead in 2026, the deer would not be wiped out, but their numbers would be significantly reduced.
"That would put a stop to hunting on the island for quite a substantial period.
"Hunters aren’t going to want to visit an island that’s been impacted by intrusive predator control."
This would also affect the economy of the island, she said.
While the council supported predator control and conservation, the use of the poison in areas where deer lived was concerning.
The poison was not "authorised to be used to control deer".
"It’s inhumane.
"There’s animal health or well-being issues using 1080 on deer."
The island’s white tailed deer were special in that it was only one of two small wild populations.
"It provides an outstanding hunting opportunity."
Many people made an annual trip to the island to shoot the deer, which were not easy to hunt.
"They’re really intelligent and they’re quite secretive."
White tailed venison was also prized.
"The meat in relation to quality, taste and texture is arguably some of the best."
New Zealanders needed to have a "courageous conversation" about the use of 1080 to kill predators in areas where deer live and whether deer repellant should be used in the bait, she said.
There was little research done on how white tailed deer responded to bait with deer repellant added.
However, Sika deer research showed 10% died when deer repellant was used and 70-80% died where no repellant was used.
The council was in favour of managing the resource, which had happened with Fiordland’s wapiti deer population.
"You can have quite substantial conservation outcomes while maintaining the hunting resource."
After the discovery of the three dead deer on the island last week, ZIP operations director Duncan Kay said the operation was an opportunity to measure the effectiveness of deer repellant in reducing the impact of 1080 on white tailed deer.
"It is acknowledged that deer repellent is unlikely to prevent all deer deaths."
