Hunting
On the hunt for wallaby at Ground Zero
A group of Te Arawa iwi are trying to reclaim their forest from mobs of wallabies which they say are killing the bush and gobbling up farmland pasture. While, national efforts to eradicate the pest… Audio
Rural poaching among farmer's top crime worries
Farmers say rural poaching is one of their biggest crime worries, and they don't trust police to follow up their reports. Audio
Our Changing World – Lead bullets and their risk to human health
Humanity has had a long and vexed relationship with the element lead. The problem is the stuff is terribly useful – and terribly toxic. Think Roman water pipes, lead paint, lead petrol. Now, new… Audio
A cut above Couple making 'one of a kind' knives
Jacinda and Richy Sheridan have carved out a niche for themselves, making hunting and farm knives using deer antlers. Audio
Drones for pest control
Aotearoa is a country plagued by pests, but conservationists are hoping advances in drone technology could turn the tables. Producer William Ray looks at how drones are being trialled in controlling… Video, Audio
From the Archives - D-Day for Ducks
In 1973 Alan Wilkes was out with his Labrador Zara and comrades at the opening of the duck shooting season. This story from the Spectrum archives was recorded on Kohangatera, a network of lagoons… Audio
Duck shooting - a family tradition
West Otago farmer, Adrian McIntyre, says the late grain harvest down his way means there are plenty of ducks around for the opening of the duck shooting season. The first weekend is a bit like… Audio
Game for the challenge: Fish and Game's new chief executive Corina Jordan
In August 2022, Fish and Game announced Corina Jordan as its new chief executive, a role many would have considered a poisoned chalice. Audio
E09: Don't Dream. It's Over.
The era of live deer capture had an aura of glamour to it. But the reality for those involved was very different. Audio
E08: Getting Away With It
The success of live capture and the skyrocketing prices inevitably encourage poaching. Audio
E07: Deer Wars
By the mid 70’s things were about to change dramatically. The hunters had become so efficient they were shooting themselves out of a job. Audio
E06: Deer Devils
The mid 1960’s are the golden years for aerial hunters. Venison prices are high, fuel costs low and there seems no end to the deer. But something has to change. Audio
E05: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
Shooting from choppers is a game changer but teams are learning from scratch, working at break-neck pace in such dangerous terrain that an accident is always on the cards. Audio
E04: Game Changer
The arrival of helicopters turns the culling business on its head. Hunters shoot deer from the air and with big money to be made, venison recovery will never be the same. Audio
E03: Shape Up Or Ship Out
Suddenly everyone wants to be a culler but who will make the cut? Audio
E02: Good Keen Men
The elimination strategy hasn't worked. In 20 years, the cullers have shot perhaps 10% of the deer. It’s time to up the ante. Audio
E01: The Last Great Adventure
Red deer run rampant across the high country in New Zealand, causing extensive environmental damage. A 50-year effort to control the invasive animal gets underway. Audio
Trailer: Deer Wars
Deer Wars tells the story of the 50-year struggle to control New Zealand's red deer population. Lives were lost and fortunes made. Audio
"Bring the cash in a suitcase and the farm's yours!"
Karamea dairy farmer Peter Langford says he and his wife Debbie are ready to hang up their gumboots. With none of their four children keen on taking over the farm, it's now up for sale - lock, stock… Audio
Wild goats in hunters' sights in crack down on destructive population
Two organisations have teamed up to encourage hunters to cull high-density goat populations across the country with prizes up for grabs. Audio
