More than 10,000 wild goats have been removed from New Zealand’s landscapes during this year’s National Wild Goat Hunting Competition, with the Government hailing the event as a successful example of ‘hunter-led conservation’.
Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager said the 2025 competition resulted in the removal of 10,349 wild goats, bringing the total culled since the initiative began to 33,418. He said unmanaged wild animal populations can cause significant damage to native bush, farmland and forestry.
The competition, now in its third year, is run in partnership with the Department of Conservation and the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association, with additional support from businesses and industry sponsors.
A total of 863 people took part this year, including 211 hunters under the age of 18. Mr Meager said wild goats provided an accessible entry point for young hunters interested in conservation-focused hunting, noting that two cabinet ministers also participated.
Survey results from the event showed 75 percent of entrants were more likely to target wild goats as a result of the competition, which Mr Meager said demonstrated the impact of collaboration between hunters, landowners and government agencies.
The hunting sector also donated more than $70,000 worth of prizes, as well as time and resources to act as collection points for goat tails used in the competition. Nearly one in five participants won one of 153 rewards.
Mr Meager thanked organisers, participants and sponsors, saying the competition had quickly established itself as a major fixture on the hunting sector’s annual calendar.
Image credit: Yoann Donze
Was there any autopsies done on these animals? I wonder how many were sublethally poisoned by 1080 and no one knew? Were any eaten ?