Introducing: Deer Wars

Deer Wars tells the story of the 50-year struggle to control New Zealand's red deer population. Lives were lost and fortunes made.

Deer Wars tells the story of the 50 year struggle to control New Zealand's red deer population. Numbering in the millions, the deer were causing serious, escalating damage in the backcountry.

The estimated two million deer shot by ground cullers made little impact. It took the arrival of helicopters with deadly shooters onboard and then a dramatic switch to live capture to get the numbers down.

Each period brought its challenges - from isolation, food shortages, and a lack of huts, bridges or communications for the ground cullers, to the daring and dangerous efforts to shoot deer from the air.

The risks were huge, it was all learning on the job and resulted in many crashes and accidents, deaths and injuries. The move to live capture doubled the danger and risk but also the profits.

This nine-part podcast series shares the unique and compelling story told by those who lived it.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details