Police say there is a possibility of someone getting killed as poaching increases in the Waitaki Valley and Central Otago.
Constable Craig Bennett, of Kurow, said there was a noticeable increase in poaching in the Kurow, Omarama, Hakataramea Valley and Central Otago areas.
"My locals are reporting spotlights going across their houses in the early hours of the evening. At times, even into the middle of the night, their bedrooms are being lit up by spotlighting by someone on their land or from the roadway.
"People are shooting from roadways and from vehicles shooting towards houses and the potential for something to go wrong is huge.
"There's real potential at the moment for loss of life,'' Const Bennett said.
In addition, legitimate hunters who had the permission of landowners would be on properties thinking they were the only ones in a particular area, until they started ‘‘hearing bullets going above their heads'', he said.
"They're like, ‘We should be the only ones out here'.''
Carcasses of deer and sheep were being found discarded under bridges as well, he said.‘‘They've been gutted on site.
"Generally, if they're under the bridge, they're not from organised hunting parties. If they were, they'd be going into offal pits.''
He said poachers were taking liberties with farmers and their livelihoods.
"No farmer gives you permission to go on to their land to shoot their sheep so you can butcher it under a bridge.''
To help solve the problem, Const Bennett has started what is effectively a neighbourhood watch rural network targeting poachers.
He has people recording the movements of unfamiliar vehicles and numberplates, while he runs a series of mobile security cameras that he alternates between different spots.
"I've had meetings with my local farmers. They're aware of what's going on. They know if they see anything to get hold of me.''
● Kurow police 03 436-0807, Crimestoppers 0800 555-111.
The law
• Poaching carries some severe penalties.
• Firearms and vehicles may be seized.
• Firearms licences will be revoked.
• The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment, $100,000 fine.
