Cotters Creek
Cotters Creek is a 5,704-hectare public hunting block in Otago, within the Hāwea Conservation Park / Lake Wanaka / Lower Matukituki permit area. Elevations run from about 380 m up to 1972 m with a median around 1247 m, putting most of the ground in mostly above-the-bushline tops country.
About 24% of the block lies above 1,500 m, giving genuine alpine ground in the upper basins on top of bush and shrubland lower down. Slopes lean north-east-facing, which shapes where sun, snow and feeding animals concentrate through the day.
Recorded game on the block includes red deer, tahr and chamois. That gives hunters three quarry species — bush-edge and lower faces for reds, the higher tops and rocky basins for tahr and chamois. It sits in the lakes-and-mountains country west of Lake Hāwea and Lake Wānaka where bush bottoms grade up into open tops.
Open Cotters Creek on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 18,947 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 380–1,972 m
- Median elevation
- 1,247 m
- Middle 50%
- 964–1,486 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 55%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 24%
- Dominant aspect
- north-east-facing
380–1,972 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning north-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
Helicopter access is permitted on this block, which gives charter operators a way to put hunters into upper basins and faces that would otherwise mean a long valley walk. Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) is also permitted, meaning commercial helicopters may be working the same country at times — worth factoring into trip timing.
There are no DOC huts or campsites recorded inside the block, so hunters need to base themselves outside the boundary or carry a fly or tent.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Roar block in the Hawea Conservation Park/Lake Wanaka/Lower Matukituki Valley 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.
Cotters Creek is classified as a Roar block under the Hawea Conservation Park/Lake Wanaka/Lower Matukituki Valley permit area, with a Permitted hunt status. A DOC hunting permit is required but no ballot applies — apply through the standard online system. Expect more pressure through the roar window in late March and April.
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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