Brian Murphy, chief executive of the US Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), visited Poronui in early December to view Poronui’s deer management and hunting program. QDMA have been a leader in the move to improve deer herds in the USA through sound management and habitat improvement practices.

Brian, who was visiting New Zealand to present a paper at the Australasian Wildlife Society Conference, was particularly interested in the radio tagging study being undertaken to monitor the movements of Sika stags. He was also interested in the steps taken to improve habitat quality and provide feed plots. While introducing areas of feed crops is a standard approach employed in the United States it is not commonly practiced on a large scale in New Zealand.

Poronui will again exhibit at the QDMA national conference in 2010, providing the opportunity to increase awareness of our hunting and management programs as well as cement the positive working relationship between the two organisations.