Half Moon
Half Moon is a 6,618-hectare roar block on the Molesworth Station and Clarence grazing lease, one of the larger blocks in the system. Elevations run from 879 m to 2,126 m with a median of 1,162 m, giving the block both bush-edge country and serious tops within the same boundary.
Forty-two per cent of the block sits above the 1,200 m bushline and 9% is alpine, putting it on the tops side of mixed country — beech and scrub through the bottoms, broad tussock basins above. The country leans east-facing, with strong east, south-east and north-east aspects catching morning sun.
The permit covers red deer, chamois, wild goat and wild pig. The size and country mix give hunters real options — reds in the bush belt, chamois on the upper faces, pigs and goats spread through the scrub and broken lower ground.
Open Half Moon on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 20,705 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 879–2,126 m
- Median elevation
- 1,162 m
- Middle 50%
- 1,059–1,306 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 42%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 9%
- Dominant aspect
- east-facing
879–2,126 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning 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
Air access is not permitted on Half Moon, and WARO is not permitted either, so the country is left to foot-based hunters during the roar. Access runs from the legal entry points on the Molesworth and Clarence side.
No DOC huts sit within the block, so this is a fly-camping job. The size of the block rewards parties who pick a camp position carefully and work multiple drainages from it. Carry a fly or tent and check Molesworth access conditions before leaving.
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.
Half Moon is a Roar block with Restricted hunt status under the Molesworth Station and Clarence grazing lease permit area. Apply specifically for the roar period through DOC's standard process; rolling permits do not cover this block. Check current season dates and access rules before applying.
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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