'Renegade' poachers ruining it for Hawke's Bay hunters

Rural officer Senior Constable Pete Gimblett said poaching had been a big problem during this year's roar. Photo / File

Rogue and "renegade" poachers are rife across Hawke's Bay this year.

Rural officer Senior Constable Pete Gimblett has seen too many "near-misses" in his job and worries about firearms safety with people running around with high-powered hunting rifles.

"The risk is there's going to be some harm done to an individual. That's what we are trying to prevent."

More hunters were expected to head into the bush this season, with last year's roar essentially cancelled due to the lockdown.

Despite this, Gimblett said he was as busy as he'd ever been throughout last year and this year was proving to be no less busy.

"This week alone I dealt with three separate poaching incidents."

He said it was "frustrating" and those caught tried every excuse in the book.

"By and large, it's a pastime that hunters are passionate about and do it safely.

"But we have a handful of renegades who float the rules and regulations for their own satisfaction.

"They think they have some kind of right to go wherever they like on private land and hunt at odd hours."

He said it was this group who ruined it for others and contributed to there being "less and less" blocks where people could go hunting.

It was especially frustrating for the hunting fraternity and landowners, he said.

"We don't want that to boil over."

Poaching is an offence which carries a maximum penalty of $100,000 or up to two years' jail time - reflective of the risk posed by the firearms-related offending.

Authorities also have the ability to seize any article used during an offence, including dogs, vehicles, helicopters and firearms.

Those caught poaching might also lose their firearms licence.

Gimblett encouraged people to call in suspicious activity right away so police could begin gathering evidence and warned against people taking the matter into their own hands.

He said safety was paramount when it came to hunting.

"Police are not here to be killjoys," he said.

"We want people to pursue their past time in a lawful and safe way so everyone gets home at the end of the day."