Big Bush
Big Bush is a 7,008 hectare Roar block on Molesworth Station and the Clarence grazing lease, in inland Canterbury. Elevations run from around 843 m at the lower edges to a high point of 1,824 m, with a median of 1,073 m and a mean of 1,113 m. About a quarter of the block (26%) sits above the bushline, with 4% in true alpine country above 1,500 m.
This is classic Molesworth country — a mix of bush and tops, with beech faces in the lower and middle elevations giving way to tussock and short scrub on the higher ridges. The dominant aspect is south-east, but the block carries a fairly even spread of slopes, so there is sun on something most of the day and shaded faces to fall back on when the wind turns.
Game on the permit includes red deer, chamois and wild pig. With a maximum elevation pushing past 1,800 m and plenty of bush below, hunters can work either the timbered faces and gully heads or push up to glass the higher tussock during the roar.
Open Big Bush on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 21,972 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 843–1,824 m
- Median elevation
- 1,073 m
- Middle 50%
- 978–1,207 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 26%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 4%
- Dominant aspect
- south-east-facing
843–1,824 m, a mix of bush and tops, leaning south-east-facing.
What you can hunt here
This is a roar — the red deer roar peaks from late March into April, and competition for the block is highest then.
Access & getting there
There are no huts or campsites recorded inside the Big Bush block, and the block is not flagged for air access or WARO. Hunters should plan for a foot-in trip from a vehicle access point on Molesworth or the surrounding lease country, and be prepared to fly-camp.
Given the spread of bush, scrub and tops, expect to put time into glassing the south-east faces and gully systems early and late, and to sidle around onto the shaded aspects when the wind allows. Conditions on Molesworth can swing fast — a settled morning can turn into a hard north-west blow by afternoon — so go in with weather contingency.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Roar block in the Molesworth Station and Clarence grazing lease permit area, with a hunting status of Restricted.
A DOC hunting permit is required, and Big Bush is restricted as a Roar block within the Molesworth Station and Clarence grazing lease permit area. Roar blocks are managed for the late-March to April rut, with access controlled to limit hunter numbers during the most productive few weeks — check the current ballot or allocation process before planning a 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.
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