Farmers battling wild goats can sign vetted hunters onto their property through the National Wild Goat Hunting Competition, Minister for Hunting and Fishing James Meager says.

The competition, run with DOC, NZDA and landowners, has removed 33,000 goats since 2023.

“These animals do have an impact on our native bush,” he says.

He says National would reorganise the wild animal management framework, now split across MPI, DOC and regional councils.

“Rather than one-off trials here and there where we put a bit of resource in, it works for a bit, and then we walk away, and the problem comes back.”

The contest runs to 26 November with $60,000 in prizes.

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