Empowering hunters is the smartest solution for managing game animals, says Game Animal Council chief executive Corina Jordan, who rejects claims hunters cannot be trusted to keep numbers down.

“It’s a no-brainer that you would give the people who have the expertise the opportunity to manage the animals that they value,” she says.

She says hunters harvest about 370,000 big game animals a year, more than official control operations. She says the Sika and Wapiti herds show hunter-led management works, with lower animal numbers and healthier forest.

She rules out mandatory hunting licence fees, saying no licence will be put on harvesting food.

CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.