Today Niangala was the starting point for a huge annual aerial bating program where 147,000 baits will be dropped along 3675km of pre-determined bait lines across both private and state property.
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The annual Northern Tablelands baiting campaign will work its way up to Legume north of Tenterfield by the end of May.
Yarrowitch Wild Dog Association president Don Noakes said last year’s baiting program was a success in his area.
“The wild dogs haven’t been too bad although in the last month or six weeks there have been a few dogs coming into the area,” Mr Noakes told the Country Leader.
“We’ve had a pretty good run since the last bating program although some other areas, including Moona Plains, have had a bad run.”
He highlighted the importance of aerial baiting.
“It’s our main tool to control wild dogs and it strikes areas where we can’t get to any other way and really it’s the only thing that’s saving us,” Mr Noakes said.
Moona-Winterbourne Wild Dog Association president Rob Costello said a number of sheep were lost in his area, about 40km east of Walcha, earlier in the year.
“There were some dog attacks at the start of the year,” Mr Costello said. “One dog was trapped but five were caught on camera.
“We did two rounds of ground baiting, but the dog attacks continued. At the moment it’s quiet, but the sheep were moved and the dogs may have moved on.”
Only three properties in the area run sheep now.
Mr Costello, who only runs cattle at “Moona Station”, but is still passionate about controlling the wild dogs, said the biggest issue was that not all landowners took part in the baiting program, leaving wild dogs with safe harbours.
“A lot of cattle people take the view that they don’t have a problem with dogs so they don’t bother baiting,” Mr Costello said. “Ten people do the right thing by baiting then one person ruins the effort.”
Another potential problem with the baiting program was baits being eaten by feral pigs and foxes.
“Fox numbers have increased a lot in the last few years,” Mr Costello said.
“Pig numbers have also been increasing here and that can have a negative impact on the baiting – a really big pig could eat about 20 dog baits before it even gets a bellyache.”
The baiting program is a joint effort between land holders, the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and NSW Forestry Corporation and this year’s effort with 147,000 baits will be the biggest to date.
In addition to the aerial baiting, more than 15,000 ground baits will be distributed by landholders from 29 wild dog control groups.
