Hunters as Conservation Partners | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 25, 2026 · 2m

ACT is pushing for a bold new conservation model that puts hunters at the heart of land management, transferring game animal oversight from DOC to the Game Animal Council and legally recognizing these species as vital natural resources. They want to empower hunters—already volunteering thousands of hours for predator control and track maintenance—by giving them formal roles, funding, and legal protections, including penalties for drone or helicopter interference. With the Stewart Island whitetail deer among the first “Herds of Special Interest,” ACT envisions a future where hunters aren’t…