Hunting permit
To go hunting on public conservation land you need a DOC hunting permit.
Each person within a hunting party must have a separate permit, whether hunting with a firearm, bow or knife. Permits cannot be transferred to, or be used by, anyone else.
DOC hunting permit areas are either open or restricted.
Open area hunting permits
With open area hunting permits you can apply online or at your local DOC office, you can hunt certain species and you may have to follow special conditions.
Get open area hunting permits:
If applying by phone, email or fax at a visitor centre or area office you will need to provide your name, address, date of birth and the name of the open hunting area(s) you want to hunt in.
Find open hunting areas
Get maps showing the location of the open areas as well as the special conditions that may apply in these areas. You can also apply for a permit.
Special conditions in open hunting areas
Special conditions may apply in some open hunting areas and the permit is only valid within the boundaries of the open hunting area.
In some open areas the special conditions will state that the permit is not valid during busy times when the area is balloted or blocked.
In some areas the special conditions will require you to apply for a separate dog permit.
Open permit species
With an open area permit you can hunt: pigs, goats, deer, wallabies, chamois and tahr.
Restricted area hunting permits
If the area that you want to hunt is on public conservation lands, but isn't one of the open hunting areas, then it will either be a restricted or prohibited area.
Restricted areas will have extra requirements for hunting within them and include blocks that must be booked all year (e.g. Stewart Island coastal blocks).
You get permits for restricted areas from the DOC office that manages hunting in the restricted area. You can not get them online.
You can obtain a hunting permit or further information for a restricted area from:
Rabbit, Arthur's Pass National Park
Small game
From April 2012 you will need a small game hunting permit from DOC for the recreational hunting of small game on public conservation land. The permit is for small game including: Canada geese, feral geese, hares and rabbits (which are unprotected game animals).
Gamebirds - both licence and permit required
You need a separate permit to hunt gamebirds on any public conservation land in addition to the gamebird hunting licence issued by Fish and Game NZ.
Gamebird hunting permits are for specific areas and periods and are issued only though the DOC area office that administers that site.
Canada geese or feral geese: You need a small game hunting permit to hunt these birds.
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