Lake Sumner Forest Park
Lake Sumner Forest Park is an 8,519 hectare Canterbury block of bush and lower-altitude tops country. Elevations run from 482 m up to 1,834 m, with a median around 909 m. 16% of the block sits above the bushline and 3% climbs into true alpine country, so this is largely a bush hunting block with the option to push up onto tops in places — a mix of bush and tops weighted toward the bush.
The park is dominated by north-facing slopes, with the north-east and south-east aspects also strongly represented. Sun-facing bush faces tend to be more open and easier to move through, while shaded southern sidles carry denser cover and feed where deer hold during the day.
Game on the permit includes red deer, chamois and wild pig. With five huts spread across the block and a wide range of country to hunt, it suits multi-day trips and parties working from a hut base.
Open Lake Sumner Forest Park on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 26,803 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 482–1,834 m
- Median elevation
- 909 m
- Middle 50%
- 685–1,124 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 16%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 3%
- Dominant aspect
- north-facing
482–1,834 m, a mix of bush and tops, leaning north-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
The block has a strong hut network. Top Hope Hut, St Jacob's Hut, Doubtful Hut and Lucretia Hut all offer the standard set-up of heating (Lucretia without mattresses, Doubtful without heating), mattresses, non-flush toilets and stream water — none are bookable, so plan for shared use. Nina Hut is bookable and has heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and tap water (untreated, boil before use), making it a useful base.
The block is open to air access and is flagged for WARO, so be aware that helicopter operations may be active over the higher faces and tops. With most of the country sitting in the bush, much of your hunting will be on foot working faces and gully systems out from the huts.
Huts & campsites
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
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
- Nina HutBookable
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, 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
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 Lake Sumner Forest Park. The block sits under the Canterbury permit area as an Ordinary block with hunting permitted year-round, so no ballot or seasonal restriction applies.
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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