The Limestone Coast Landscape Board says it has not received any feedback that low-flying helicopters have impacted spring lambing or calving.

The board also says it has not received any complaints its letters to farmers from its lawyer are threatening.

Media and communications officer Andrea Bartetzko said the board “took every means to notify participating landholders and their neighbours of the presence of low-flying helicopters to provide every opportunity to minimise issues to livestock”.

“This includes print media, direct mail to each landholder and opportunities for landholders to advise of exclusion zones,” she said.

“Helicopter operations follow the advice and directions of participating landholders such as exclusion zones.

“All landholders are able to contact the LC Landscape Board with their concerns and are encouraged to do so.”

Ms Bartetzko made the comments in response to some farmers who claimed low-flying helicopters had caused stressed livestock to smash through fences and mis-mother spring calving and lambing enterprises. But they feared retribution if they spoke out against the board’s operations and instead continued to turn to farmer, hunter and businessman Jake Nicholson.

Meanwhile, letters from a Mount Gambier lawyer employed by the board advise property owners of their obligations under the Landscape Act.

The letters encourage farmers to participate in the current spring aerial shooting program.

Letters state that landholders may elect to do their own control measures.

“However, if subsequent monitoring finds feral deer are being harboured on private properties, the LC Landscape Board can commence enforcing the removal of feral deer pursuant to the Act, and may seek to recover costs,” the letter says.

In response to some farmers claiming the letters are threatening, Ms Bartetzko said no farmers had contacted the Limestone Coast Landscape Board with these claims.

“Any concerns can be directed to the general manager Steve Bourne,” she said.

Farmer, hunter and businessman Jake Nicholson believes the Act is flawed.

“Farmers can have no deer on their property one day, then have deer on their property on the next, making them compliant one day, noncompliant the next,” Mr Nicholson said.

“So thermal counting on properties will always give mixed results. Wild deer are exactly what the name suggests, wild.

“They are transient animals that will move around in the landscape searching for quality feed.

“So far, it’s very clear that the landscape board will use all the power at its disposal to make sure every farmer is signed up to the Aerial Culling Program, which then magically makes you compliant within the Act whether there’s deer on your property or not.

“The extreme pressure that the landscape board is putting on wild deer is pushing them all over the state, into places where they aren’t usually found.

“I have had numerous farmers raise issues around this subject, but most are reluctant to raise this issue because they fear it could result in more unwanted attention, disruption to their lives and farming practices.

“Farmers generally want to get in and get things done. For example, if they have a pest problem, they get it sorted, by whatever means necessary that work with their farming practices. They deserve that choice.”

Last February Mr Nicholson organised a meeting for concerned farmers and hunters in the Naracoorte Town Hall which was attended by around 300 people.

Since then many farmers have told The [Naracoorte Community] News they have continued to liaise with him to share their issues and concerns.

This article appeared in the  Naracoorte Community News.