South Canterbury Deerstalkers Association president Tim McCarthy says his group is "ropeable" about a proposed 1080 drop near Lake Hawea.

Southern deer stalkers are "absolutely ropeable" about an imminent 1080 drop in a popular hunting block on the north-eastern shore of Lake Hawea, known as Timaru Creek.

Members of the New Zealand Deer Stalkers Association's South Canterbury branch, along with members from Southern Lakes, Upper Clutha, Palmerston and Otago were meeting in Hawea on Thursday to discuss the ramifications of the drop, which takes place in April.

South Canterbury Deerstalkers Association president Tim McCarthy said the branch was only informed about the planned 1080 drop on Wednesday.

"Everyone wants to protect the native birds, but this proposed drop is indiscriminate. We're absolutely ropeable," McCarthy said.

The operation, which will be carried out by Ospri (formerly TBFree NZ) is designed to eliminate bovine Tuberculosis (TB) in the area.

It will cover 7863 hectares around Timaru Creek, which borders pastoral land on the lake edge, then on to Breast Hill and Dingle Peak Mountain Range in the east. It is a popular spot for hunters, including many from South Canterbury.

McCarthy said there must have been a breakdown in communication somewhere.

"The first I heard of it was this week".

Monitoring has shown that ferrets and pigs infected with TB have recently been detected in the Timaru Creek area.

However, McCarthy was concerned that the drop would also affect native birds in the area, particularly kea.

"The operation covers such a vast area. We're concerned about the risks to wildlife."

"They're just going to blitz the area. Keas get hammered if they eat the baits. It will knock the deer population in the area.," he said.

According to Ospri, possum numbers need to be kept extremely low – around one to two animals every 10 hectares, to eradicate bovine TB.

Ospri spokesman Oliver Bates said there had been consultation about the proposed drop for nearly a year.

"For this operation we have been working through the consultation process with DOC, landowners and NZDA, " he said.

"As a result of consultation with the Upper Clutha branch of the NZDA, deer repellent is now being used and covers 40 per cent of the operation."

McCarthy said Ospri should cover more of the drop with deer repellent.

"It's difficult. If they need to eradicate TB then they have to go ahead quickly, but the scale of the operations concern us. There doesn't seem to have been any real consultation," he said.

Ospri will also need to file consents for the 1080 drop with DOC and Public Health before it takes place. The consents will be publicly notified.