Catlins-MacLennan
Catlins-MacLennan is a 21,647-hectare public hunting block in Otago, in the Catlins permit area in southern Otago. Elevations run from about 19 m up to 715 m with a median around 380 m, putting most of the ground in lowland and foothill country.
The block stays below the bushline throughout, so hunting is in bush, regenerating scrub or open faces rather than alpine tops. Slopes lean south-facing, which influences where animals feed and bed through the day.
Recorded game on the block includes red deer, fallow deer, wild goat and wild pig. It is mixed bush and edge country with deer, goats and pigs available rather than alpine game. The Catlins are coastal podocarp-broadleaf bush country, very different from the high alpine blocks further inland.
Open Catlins-MacLennan on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 78,015 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 19–715 m
- Median elevation
- 380 m
- Middle 50%
- 277–466 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 0%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 0%
- Dominant aspect
- south-facing
19–715 m, lowland / foothill country, leaning south-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
Helicopter and fixed-wing access is permitted on the block, though for low country like this most hunters drive in and walk from a vehicle. Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) is also permitted, meaning commercial helicopters may be working the same country at times — worth factoring into trip timing.
One DOC hut sits within the block: Maclennan Hut in Catlins coastal area, with mattresses. It is not bookable — first-come, first-served. There is also a DOC campsite on the block (Tawanui Campsite), useful for vehicle-based parties working the lower country.
Huts & campsites
Mattresses
Campsites: Tawanui Campsite.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Balloted Roar block block in the Catlins 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.
Catlins-MacLennan is a Balloted Roar block, meaning access during the roar window is allocated by ballot. A DOC hunting permit is required for the Catlins permit area, and outside the balloted period normal ordinary permit rules apply where the block is open.
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 Otago.
Sign up →