Hunters eradicate more than 3,000 pests during annual Waimate pest search

More than 3,000 plagues were exterminated by hunters during the Waimate Shooters Club Annual Pest Quest.

Participant numbers were higher than previous years at the event held Friday through Sunday, with 96 juniors, from 70 in 2021, and 161 adults, compared to 130 in 2021, hunting around South Canterbury.

Club president Nick Henderson said the weekend of hunting was “absolutely brilliant” and beautiful weather graced the Waihao Forks Hotel on Sunday.

“It was a nice and sunny day, and the weigh-in went very well,” Henderson said.

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During the annual hunt, participants captured 1,384 wallabies, 914 rabbits, 160 pigs, 496 possums, 38 deer, 30 goats, two ferrets and 11 other animals (including thar, turkeys and ducks).

Henderson said the number of eradicated wallabies was lower than last year, but the number of other pests eradicated was “quite high.”

“We hit almost 100 participants for the juniors, and they brought in a lot of animals.”

The heaviest wallaby was 19.5 kilograms, the heaviest pig 79.5 kg, the heaviest rabbit in the junior category was 3.10 kg, the heaviest pig in the junior category was 55 kg, the heaviest possum in the junior category was 5 , 56 kg and the heaviest possum in adult category was 5.01 kg.

The highest rabbit count by a single team was 146 and the highest rabbit count was 101.

The search was canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19. In 2019, more than 2,000 pests were eradicated and in 2021, hundreds more were killed.

Henderson has previously said it is positive to see the increase in the number of juniors attending the annual event.