Spent the last couple of days exploring Tongariro Forest (old State Forest 42). Plenty of recent sign, esp on tracks despite the reasonably high number of people in there on all forms of transport.
Had a DoC staff member zip past in his Postman Pat UTV on the way in, and several hours later had him come past again. However this time it was with one of our quads partly dismantled for repairs on the side of the track. Now despite us having a small workshop's worth of tools with us, and the room on the track somewhat limited with the quads piled up, he sped past, studiously avoiding eye contact, with nary a slow down in speed. Now I would have thought that as a Public Servant, and given the remote nature of a lot of the area, he would of at least stopped and exchanged pleasantries, to ascertain we were fine, before heading off again. Perhaps I was expecting too much from them???

Was a public servant myself for 26 years. The term is still in legislation, hence I continue to use it. I use it to remind people where their salary/wage packet comes from. Your and my taxes. And what the mandate from the Gov't is for their jobs' existence.
But asides from that: The tools weren't in evidence. Stored inside the paniers. Just a bike in bits. Had to squeeze past us, at a bit of a clip I might add. No rifles or camo evident. Just  some guys and a girl scratching their heads.  I would still expect  a conversation, even a few seconds long, or the archetypal Kiwi  tipping of the head upwards as if to say 'Gidday",but no, a studious avoidance of eye contact.... in the middle of nowhere. Go figure.

Were you lost? NO
Were you hurt? NO
Did it look like you need assistance as you were alone
or struggling? NO

So its just about your hurt feelings I guess  I am happy for DOC staff to go on with their business as should they stop by for casual chat here and there they wont be doing anything else...Don't wont to be rude but that's just the way I see it... 

Here's another perspective.

DOC staff in Tong forest get constant shit from hunters including personal abuse and threats. Lots of it is about 1080. The staff are constantly cleaning up after hunters  by the truck load - rubbish and rotting carcasses. Add to that hunters chopping down trees and clear felling for private bivies and huts.

I agree that common courtesy like a nod or meeting of the eyes could at least be expected, but I can understand why some DOC staff avoid hunters. If they engage with them often as not they will get abuse.

I agree though that the reported behaviour that started this thread is inexcusable and what I've said is not an excuse for what the DOC person did. But sometimes we do need to look at things from their perspective.

I'll say that in previous years I have bumped into DoC staff in there, and had a right old chin wag with them . Hence my disappointment when this guy actively avoided contact. Remember that we weren't dressed as hunters: no rifles, camo, just flashy riding gear and smart looking quads and two wheelers (certainly  could not be mistaken for dirty smelly hunters on quads )

Yeah, but flash looking knobs

XRhunter wrote on Jan 19^th, 2018 at 9:36pm:


He might have felt a bit underdressed. 

I guess when I think about it I cannot remember a time in the bush (late 1960's till now) when I got no recognition from another person (active avoidance of eye contact even)  when passing within a few feet of each other. No matter if they were a tramper/trapper/hunter/cyclist or worker. In fact we passed three different 'classes' of people in there apart from the DoC worker: overseas mtb/local trapper/dirt bikers, and all stopped for a chat, some albeit only a handful of words.