Is it time to ban alcohol at DOC huts?

thats fair and reasonable

hte smaller parks should ban helicopters, especially when they are near major population areas, too much clashing between different people. trampers are the majority and hunters go for only a certtain number of locations like Tarn ridge, one of hte great things about tramping a bit further is normally you get more peace and quiet and you tend to run across the nicest people , except when you come across helihunters it was bad enough when i got buzzed several times by a helicopter above my head on the kepler in a park where there were no end of other choices where the helicopters could go...

more about the jetboating episode here https://www.wildernessmag.co.nz/jetboaters-victim-speaks/

Interesting read wayno; and it doesn't surprise me. Clearly the ability to transport large amounts of booze into the backcountry via chopper or jetboat increases the odds of this sort of boorish behaviour. Chopper operators might think twice if their license was at risk when they hauled in huge loads of booze, and boaties if they stood the chance of having their machines confiscated. Just 'naming and shaming' would go a long way in most cases. Still as geeves notes; this isn't yet a common problem. In all my years in and out of huts I can think of maybe two or three times I felt uncomfortable with what was going on. 99% of the time most people are somewhere between tolerable and great company. But as with all things, times change and the backcountry is coming under more pressure. Everyone using it needs to be aware that it's a privilege to be there. Maybe a simple, clear cut 'code of conduct' would convey the message.

you've got more flasher huts now, the new tarn ridge hut is a five star hotel compared to the old one in bad weather, which was an old forest service hut, galvanised iron was all that seperated you from the elements, above the bush line, so no fire, and drafty, in winter you went to bed early to keep from freezing , a lot of the old huts dont have insulation, the new ones do, and often nowhere to sit other than on your bunk or maybe a stool but no table.. the new huts encourage people to make themselves at home for longer..

"Chopper operators might think twice if their license was at risk when they hauled in huge loads of booze" Be good if DOC would actually enforce a rule about carting bulk booze - or drunken passengers (it has happened). and taking out clients rubbish. Nearly all of the flyin hunters behave fine, that I've seen. have walked into huts like carkeek in the Roar. cartoons of beer, plenty of wine/spritis, and wondered what I'm in for. I've never experienced really bad behaviour, but know of a few that have. personally, cant see the point in taking lot of booze into the bush. hunters/trampers that door, may as well stay in the pub. As mentioned, flying in/out has changed the hut/backcountry experience. And DOC seems to want to make it easier. There used to be "no fly" zones in the Tararuas, but latest CMS is allowing more landings, I think. trampers fly in also, which doesn't make much sense to me. thought the idea is to actually tramp. I'd be happy if all heli access was stopped. But its not the 1960/70s any more, so guess we have to adapt

do they still have a wilderness area in the Tararua's? if so are they allowed to fly in there?

There is. Essentially its everything between Waitawaewea and Ohau. No issues in there about rowdy hunters in huts. There isnt any huts and even the tracks are no longer maintained. Friend in there a couple of years ago going from Manakau South to Waitawaewae spent 2 hours crawling under leatherwood to cover less than 2km

my record there was 800m in 2 hours.... the ret of the day took me 8 hours to go 15k....

As much as we hope these incidents will continue to be few and far between, it's not looking like it. "Backcountry Pubs" is a growing problem and needs to be sorted out by DOC. "...The place was a mess and numerous cartons of beer were piled up around and in the hut..." https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qksAVzuAVGA/Wg6VcBSu6YI/AAAAAAAAEYo/weBAEPuwPf4N1xqiU3hqOY4GCwDP5IU6gCEwYBhgL/s1600/9.jpg Ref: http://mulvanyadventures.blogspot.co.nz/2017/11/the-great-southern-lakes-expedition.html