Auckland Council is forking out the big bucks to hunt down feral goats – but the goats themselves aren't having a baa of it.

Zero goats were killed in south Auckland's Hunua Ranges during the 2016/2017 financial year, despite the council spending $91,742 on the hunt.

West Auckland hunter Paul Cheetham said he would go into the ranges and shoot the pests for free.

"I think hunters would be willing to to hunt anywhere, given the opportunity," he said.

READ MORE:

* Man who shot Kaimai hunter pleads guilty at first court appearance

* Plants destroyed by feral goats at a Taumarunui reserve

* Watching the video police don't want you to see - a goat tasered 13 times

* Feral tribe of goats to be culled

"If I could hunt in the Hunua Ranges, I would probably go every weekend and I would take my kids."

Supplied West Auckland hunter Paul Cheetham would love the chance to hunt goats for free in the Hunua Ranges. He could take his daughters Ella, centre, Mia, and dog Stan.

The council has spent $401,658 on feral goat management in the Hunua Ranges over the last five years, according to figures released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.

Just 244 goats were culled during that period, meaning each goat cost an average of $1646 to kill.

During the same period, $325,220 was spent on culling 677 feral pigs in the Waitākere Ranges – an average of $480 per pig – and $3750 spent on 126 feral pigs in Te Rau Puriri in South Head – an average of $29.76.

STEPHEN BARKER Feral goats are climbing higher to avoid professional hunters in the Hunua Ranges.

A council spokeswoman, who released the information under the LGOIMA request, said the project to eliminate feral goats in the Hunua parkland had been successful.

"However, feral goats can re-establish a large population from a few remnant individuals.

"This is why it is important to continue intensive surveillance for a couple of years to eliminate any remaining animals that could lead to a resurgence of the population."

Council rules governing the Hunua Ranges prohibit amateur hunters from hunting goats in the area. Pig hunting was allowed by permit.

Hunting was not allowed in the Waitākere Ranges in West Auckland.

​"The reality is, I have to drive hours to do any hunting on public land – Taupō is probably the closest," Cheetham said.

Cheetham has been hunting for 30 years and believed amateur hunters would be as safe as the professionals.

"Everyone gets given the same firearms licence, whether you are a professional hunter or not," he said.

"Obviously, if it's council land there may be some concerns but I would be keen to do a day course if it meant I could go into the local areas and hunt."

Cheetham said he wouldn't break the law but hoped Auckland hunters would eventually be given the green light to hunt closer to home.

"I won't go in there because I love hunting so much that I don't want to risk losing my firearms licence but if I could, I would be all over it."

According to information released under the LGOIMA request, most of the costs involved in the control operation was the labour required to search for the animals.

The lower the number of animals, the longer it took, and the more it cost to find them.

Feral goats can damage biodiversity and change the composition of native forests by their selective browsing of preferred plants.