Hunting for trouble - poaching and the police

With food prices soaring, poaching could become an attractive alternative to shopping at the supermarket.

Poaching - an attractive alternative food source for some? Photo credit - NZ Mountain Safety Council

Inspector Tom Ireland of Police National Headquarters Operations Group says there are wide legislative powers available to police to counter this type of offending.

Tom says a range of powers are found in the Wild Animal Control Act 1977 (‘the Act’) which controls the spread of harmful wild animals and, as part of this, legislates against illegal hunting.

Under the Act it is an offence to hunt, kill or possess wild animals without the express authority of the owner or occupier of the relevant land. The maximum fine for a first offence is $500 and $1000 for a subsequent offence.

Charges can also be brought under the Forest and Rural Fire Regulations 2005 for being in an exotic forest without the required permit. An exotic forest is defined as one made up solely or mainly of non-indigenous trees.

These charges were used in a recent case where local forestry workers found two people in a 4x4 vehicle with six deer carcasses on the back.

Police seized the vehicle, firearms, items of hunting equipment and the carcasses.

On conviction, the items were all forfeited to the Crown and the vehicle sold at auction for $17,000. The offenders were ground crew for a commercial helicopter deer recovery operation but there was insufficient evidence to charge the helicopter operator.

Police may also stop vehicles or containers in transit and search them and seize unlawfully-taken wild animals and anything used to transport them.

Hunting equipment, including firearms, aircraft and dogs, can also be seized where they’ve been used to contravene the Act.