PESTS OR VALUED RESOURCES - CONFLICTS IN MANAGEMENT OF DEER

Wild deer are used to illustrate the conflicts that arise when an anim al is both a pest and a valued resource. At present there are c. 250 0 00 wild deer in New Zealand. These are pursued by c. 37 000 hunters wh o spend more than $20 million annually to harvest c. 70 000 deer. Near ly two-thirds of the harvest is taken by recreational hunters; the rem ainder forms the basis of a small industry for venison export. Despite their recreational and commercial value, wild deer continue to be a s ignificant conservation pest. Conservationists generally would like wi ld deer to be eradicated, or, failing that, their densities held at th e lowest levels possible with the control resources available. Hunters , however, would like deer to remain, and at higher rather than lower densities, to provide better prospects for hunting success. We discuss ways in which these apparently incompatible aspirations can be partia lly reconciled.