Eleven Waikato Regional Councillors were taken on a field trip around the Waikato Region. Part of that trip involved visiting the Totara Walk – a short loop-track situated near Bennydale.

The presenters, which included the Department of Conservation, implied that the impressive birdsong was as a result of aerial 1080 poisoning operations. Waikato Regional Councillor Kathy White returned with Clyde Graf to dig a little deeper …
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Department of Conservation leads Councillors Down “Garden Path”

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20 Comments

  • steve garnett

    I personally find an issue like this too hard to debate because of the emotion involved.  There is no excuse for animal suffering and torture and to say "well what else have we got?" borders on lunacy.  If this situation were broadcast on the news day in and day out like problems overseas there would be a huge hue and cry.  The declaration of our wild game animals as noxious in this day and age is totally abhorrent to me and outdated..  A solution to the opossum needs to be found but it sure ain't poisoning all and sundry in the meantime.  NZ green? W.T.F! yeah green with pellets!

  • AvidHunter

    This makes me feel Sick inside… How the NZ Govt gets aways with criminal behaviour by poisoning our bush, water ways etc , etc. People are sick to death of reading and hearing about how 1080 is "saving birds"…when intact we know it's the complete opposite. Look at the Kea and lots of other natives birds for instant, just about gone! And Doc are blaming the rat / possum , etc.
    Pull your head out of your arse Doc… your full of Shit!.

    I went for a hunt into our "National park" where you'd expect to hear and see a lot of out native birds etc, near Ohakune and the bush life was Absolutely DEAD SILENT! the terrain is easy to walk as well. No question it's been 1080.
    I rang Doc and told them what I "hadn't" heard….saying …..where is the bird life?….they said "The birds have probably moved out of the area to follow the seeds and flowers". Yeah what ever I thought!. 1080 came to mind. I've been  back several times during the year and no bird or animal life has change,  still Dead and quiet. Sad and sickening.

    Doc, AHB and some councils are a bunch of bloody criminals.
    The sooner we get rid of 1080 the better for the bush, birds and life.

    Well, put together vid G boys. 
    Keep em coming.

  • geoff button

    We just need to stop making conspiracy theories about DOC and get real about the problem. Try the providing solutions approach please (ground trapping is not an option on the scale that is needed, it would have been the solution long ago if it was effective ) Completely understand people not wanting poison dropped on the land and impact the food taken by hunters (I don't want poison dropped either!!). Completely valid view and understood but you lose credibility by accusing DOC of a big conspiracy, it just is not!! … you just disagree with their approach. We need to encourage an intelligent debate. Signed …"not" a DOC worker!

  • Ian Sirrell

    Yet again we see the killing of a Countries Fauna by the people who are voted in by the Public to be guardians and protectors of their Land.  This is a Criminal act by these so called protectors. The day has to come soon when these people will be held accountable for their actions.  Thanks again for bringing this to the Publics attention. Depressing and disturbing viewing.

  • southstalk

    Poison of any sort is no way to kill any animal, the issue really needs attention on public T.V. to make more people in our nation aware, getting the attention of global media may help some, show the world just how clean and green we are, 100% pure N.Z……….Yeah right! Deer and other feral species  do need some sort of control, in my opinion hunters and trappers are the way to go, personally I wouldn't even poison a mouse, traps are more humane. As a hunter I know not every deer shot is an instant kill although I try my best to make that happen, I will shoot again as soon as I can to ensure it is killed A.S.A.P. What D.O.C. does in my view is akin to me shooting a deer and waiting for it to dies slowly, even if that takes hours, if ANY hunter got caught doing this there would be a massive backlash and accusations of inhumane treatment.

  • SirChristoffee

    What are your thoughts on the CO2 piston traps being made by the kiwi company goodnature?

    Personally I'd like to see funding from 1080 put towards rolling those out (preferably with larger CO2 canisters). They definitely seem to me to be in the right direction. I don't see how DoC isn't moving in that direction seeing as they have run their own extremely successful trails with them, so they clearly know about it. 

  • The Mountaingoat

    1080 is highly soluble in water which restricts the level of impact it can have on freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Argue against 1080 all you like but don't emphasise irrelevant points.

  • Wildnewzealand Films

    Just more Bullshit from DOC …. they will get caught out soon because people like the Graf's and I care …. and do something about it

  • Chris and Jan Barker

    Thanks Clyde and Cathy. Fully endorse this video clip. It backs up what we have found over the last few years. One area that we own is just starting to get some bird life back ( 7 years since the last 1080 drop). My wife and I own 6000 acres including 4000 acres of bush. We are stake holders and caretakers of this land and will do what we can to never allow 1080 on our land again. In the past 1080 drops have personally cost us dearly with dead livestock, financial penalties, altered management issues and stress. 1080 is a tool that is being abused and is now a very corrupt industry.

  • Trialoff8

    Hi Graf boys, I think you've done a good job highlighting the huge problem with 1080 use in NZ. It's a pity the fools behind it just can't seem to get the message or are blatantly ignoring it. 1080 use makes me mad!! As a hunter, I always use DOC's page to see where they have placed 1080. Can't tell you how many times I've driven from Rangiora over to parts of the West Coast (3+ hrs drive sometimes) thinking the spot I'm heading to is sweet only to get to the spot and see signs for 1080 everywhere!! What's that about?!

  • Martin Ellis

    During april this year I spent 2 days hunting about a kilometre down the road from were you are in this video I saw 1 bush robin for 12 hours walking through the bush.  I used to hunt this area in the early 80s before any poison drops with a good friend Chris Short. I noticed most of the bird life was killed off during the early poison drops when they used carrot 1080 baits never to recover. To keep aerially poisoning this bush just to keep greedy people employed is crazy.

  • firebuffvideo

    Thanks for sharing. .  .  The old time video era. . .  That is something to see riding of the rear step.  Nice video,  That was the time video was cherished and rare.  That's what I hate about today.  Everyone is a photographer / videographer