care for the environment

Driven game shooting has evolved as an important part of the wider conservation process as land managed for game shooting provides huge benefits to the environment.
Game preserves aid in promoting wildlife biodiversity and also contribute to targets set in national and local biodiversity action plans.

One of the key attributes to a successful upland game preserve is its natural terrain and habitat. This includes woodland, forest edge and scrubby faces which provides ideal roosting and feeding grounds for pheasant and partridge, but also a suitable environment for a large number of other bird and wildlife to thrive.

Crops such as sorghum, kale and maize are sown to provide cover and a natural food supply for not only game birds, but many other species too.

It is in our best interest to care for preserve land by doing the following;

Where required, use non-toxic shot and biodegradable products. The NZGCA requires their members to use fibre wads only.
Remove all cartridges and any litter from your peg.

Learn more about caring for the environment here

Predator control

As preserves are home to large numbers of game birds, the area naturally becomes a magnet for predators. Such predators include hawks, wild cats, stoats and ferrets.
In order to maintain game bird numbers, one of the gamekeeper’s key roles is controlling the predator populations. It is a constant undertaking requiring thorough knowledge of predators, their habitat and their movements.

Predator control can often be advantageous for the wider area as the game birds usually draw predators into a concentration where they can be more efficiently dispatched. Not only does this benefit the game bird population, but also wider wild life ecosystem and therefore aiding the Government’s predator free NZ 2050 target.

BIRD WELFARE

Shoot practices will be judged by the way participants and providers behave, especially when it comes to bird welfare

The Guide to the Sport of Driven Shooting Booklet outlines the Codes of Practice that should be adhered to regarding bird welfare which include:

Retrieval and handling of game.
Predator control.
Game bird processing.