The Southland Conservation Board (SCB) warnings of a looming major ecosystem collapse if urgent action is not taken to control feral deer populations in Southland and particularly on Rakiura/Stewart Island.

SCB chairperson Shona Sangster said that while deer presented a serious issue throughout Fiordland and Murihiku, the board was particularly concerned about the impact on Rakiura, where deer were destroying the understory of some of the most precious forest areas.

"It is having significantly negative implications for biodiversity, for carbon sequestration and the forest health in general,” she said.

“The damage the deer are doing is especially clear when you compare mainland Rakiura with Ulva Island. We have heard many observations regarding the pristine state of the forest on Ulva and the amount of shrubs and ferns below the canopy when compared with the likes of the Rakiura track,” Sangster said.

“We are very strongly advocating that action be taken around deer on Rakiura, in particular, but also in the wider Murihiku region, as soon as possible to avoid further depletion of the forest health and what could ultimately lead to major ecosystem collapse.”

The SCB is hoping some of the government's budgeted $30million, allocated to deer and goat control over the next 4 years, will be spent in the south where the impact of deer could be devastating if not managed effectively.

“Quite simply, a lot of this money allocated to deer control needs to make its way south – Rakiura is in desperate need of deer control measures and the sooner this is actioned, the better,” Sangster said.

The SCB also held concerns about the Crown’s Te Tiriti obligation to protect indigenous biodiversity and our taonga species.

“The lack of management of deer and other introduced species to Rakiura is a breach of these obligations and the Board, along with Ngāi Tahu, is very concerned about the mauri of Rakiura being lost to introduced species,” Sangster said.

The SCB advocates for control of deer rather than eradication, and promotes a collaborative effort to manage the situation – for the benefit of both the forest health, and hunters.

Western Southland Deerstalkers spokesman Lindsay Youngman said he was surprised to hear there was such a deer problem on Rakiura/Stewart Island as the island's blocks were very popular with hunters.

However he admitted that in his 45-year hunting career, there had never been more deer in New Zealand than there were today.

Youngman said while hunting was still as popular as ever, hunters were tending to just shoot one instead of trying to shoot as many as they could, because there was now no market for wild venison.

He said it was noticeable that helicopter harvesting operations had also ceased.

Youngman also said hunters reluctance to target hinds was contributing to the population problem.

Actively shooting hinds would not only reduce overall numbers, but would also promote a much more active roar session for hunters, he said.