27 - Snowden Creek
Block 27 - Snowden Creek is a 6,418 ha balloted roar block in the South Westland - Weheka permit area. Elevations run from 50 m on the valley floors up to 2,243 m on the high tops, with a median of 816 m.
The country is a strong mix of bush and tops — around 24% of the block sits above the 1,200 m bushline and 8% pushes above the 1,500 m alpine line. Expect heavy West Coast bush on the lower faces grading into scrub, tussock, bluff and snowgrass along the upper basins and ridges. Slopes lean west on the dominant aspect.
The block carries red deer, tahr and chamois. Reds work the bush and bush-edge; the higher basins and ridges give hunters a strong chance at tahr and chamois on the same trip.
Open 27 - Snowden Creek on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 21,433 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 50–2,243 m
- Median elevation
- 816 m
- Middle 50%
- 435–1,179 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 24%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 8%
- Dominant aspect
- west-facing
50–2,243 m, a mix of bush and tops, leaning west-facing.
What you can hunt here
This is a balloted roar block — the red deer roar peaks from late March into April, and competition for the block is highest then.
Access & getting there
Air access is permitted, including helicopters, which opens up the upper catchment for hunters happy to fly in. WARO is also permitted, so commercial helicopters may be working in the same country.
There are no DOC huts inside the block. Plan on fly camp or tent for any overnight trip.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Balloted Roar block block in the South Westland - Weheka permit area, with a hunting status of Permitted.
Commercial wild-animal recovery (WARO) operates over this area — expect helicopter activity and pressured game.
This block sits within a DOC air-access zone — fly-in hunting and helicopter drop-offs may be permitted.
A DOC hunting permit is required. Snowden Creek is a Balloted Roar block — access during the roar is allocated through DOC's South Westland ballot, with successful applicants drawing exclusive use of the block for a defined period. Outside the balloted roar window, check current DOC rules for the permit area.
1080 & pesticide status
- Pesticide (1080 or similar) has been laid in or near this block — check current dog and carcass restrictions before you hunt.
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