An increase in wallaby numbers is creating a nuisance for South Canterbury farmers and landowners.
The Canterbury Regional Council says it will meet soon to discuss dropping 1080 to control the wallabies. The pesticide is commonly used to control possums and rodents.
The number of wallabies has doubled over the past decade and it is estimated that there are about 50,000 in the area. The council has now declared them a pest.
Hunters Hill farmer Ralph Pfister says wallabies now outnumber sheep three-to-one in the high country and are competing with sheep for food.
"Maybe a year ago or so it started to build up. You look out on the paddocks and hills and you see up to 10 wallabies grazing happily away."
However, Mr Pfister says there are some concerns over how to manage the pest.
He says he shoots them and though the use of 1080 controls the population "quite well", he does not really want it used on his land.
