Ahuriri
Ahuriri is a 27,792-hectare block in the upper Ahuriri catchment of inland Canterbury, climbing from valley floors near 720 m to summits at 2,476 m. With a median elevation of 1,373 m and 66% of the country sitting above the 1,200 m bushline, this is mostly above the bushline tops country with broad open faces and only a fringe of beech at the lower margins.
The block leans east-facing, with significant east and south-east aspects that catch morning sun and hold animals on warm sidles. Thirty-eight per cent of the area is alpine, so expect rocky basins, snow tussock and exposed ridges through the upper guts.
The block carries red deer, tahr and chamois, giving hunters three quarry species in one drainage. The combination of bush-edge for deer and high tops for tahr and chamois makes it one of the more versatile public-land blocks in the wider Mackenzie–Ahuriri district.
Open Ahuriri on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 92,541 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 723–2,476 m
- Median elevation
- 1,373 m
- Middle 50%
- 1,085–1,647 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 66%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 38%
- Dominant aspect
- east-facing
723–2,476 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Helicopter access is permitted on this block, which opens up the upper Ahuriri tributaries and the higher faces that are otherwise a long valley walk. Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) are also permitted, so commercial helicopter shooting can be expected at times.
Three DOC huts sit within the block, all in Ahuriri Conservation Park and none requiring booking. Ahuriri Base Hut and Shamrock Hut both have heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and stream or tap water. Top Hut, further up the catchment, has heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and stream water. All three give walk-in hunters a fixed base to push the tops from.
Huts & campsites
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the Canterbury 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 for the Canterbury permit area, covering this Ordinary block. The block has Permitted hunt status, so no ballot applies — permits can be drawn through the standard DOC online system before each trip.
1080 & pesticide status
No current, planned or proposed pesticide operations intersect this block in our data. Always confirm with DOC before taking a dog in.
Get roar & 1080 alerts for the areas you hunt
We'll email you when pesticide operations, ballot dates or access conditions change for Canterbury.
Sign up →