One of Australia’s most active hunting organisations is working with a New South Wales Local Land Service (LLS) to develop practical solutions to the region’s feral pig problem.
The Australian Pig Doggers and Hunters Association (APDHA), the Northern Tablelands LLS, public land managers, deer hunting representatives and professional pest controllers all now sit on the Northern Tablelands Regional Pest Animal Committee (RPAC).
Initially founded in 2017, the Northern Tablelands RPAC is intended to inform development of the Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan and has recently opened its doors to hunters to offer their point of view on control measures, as well as their expertise and field-based knowledge of feral pig behaviour.
APDHA national president Ned Makim sits on the RPAC committee and said the organisation was thankful for a seat at the table.
“From the hunting perspective, I feel we have something to offer, not just in terms of the numbers of pigs hunters remove, but in offering our insight into how pigs operate, landholder relations and long-term strategic thinking,” he said
“The roundtable nature of proceedings has also cultivated a sense of freedom to ask questions, offer ideas and disagree.
“I see it as a breakthrough in terms of the relationship between all involved. If you are all in the same room regularly, you get to know one another as people, rather than ideologies, and you find the way to respectfully discuss the issues.”
It is understood that last financial year, 1368 property holdings participated in pig, deer, fox and rabbit control activities with Northern Tablelands LLS, with 10,798 pest animals culled in aerial shooting programs.
In the media release issued by APDHA, Northern Tablelands LLS general manager Paul Hutchings said the diversity on the panel had created a broader approach to pest animal management issues and was already paying dividends via superb pig control outcomes.
“Northern Tablelands LLS sees hunters and professional pest controllers as providing the baseline level of control on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
“Our role then is to build on that with targeted programs that deliver in specific areas to maximise the return for the money we’ve been allocated.
“We’ve found the input of hunters to be very useful in terms of our consideration on program planning.
“We all have different roles to play but the more open the communication the better the understanding of those roles and their potential crossover for the public benefit.”
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