Mount Dobson
Mount Dobson is a 2,293 ha public hunting block in Canterbury. Elevations run from around 621 m on the lower faces up to 1,904 m on the tops, with a median of about 1,233 m.
The block sits as a mix of bush and tops — roughly 53% of the ground sits above the 1,200 m bushline, and about 23% pushes into true alpine country above 1,500 m. Slopes lean south-east, which gives cooler shaded mornings on the dominant aspect and warmer afternoon sun on the opposite faces.
The species list is broad: red deer, fallow deer, tahr, chamois and wallaby. That mix of fallow, tahr, chamois and wallaby on one block is unusual for Canterbury and makes Mount Dobson a strong pick for hunters wanting variety off a single trip.
Open Mount Dobson on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 7,547 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 621–1,904 m
- Median elevation
- 1,233 m
- Middle 50%
- 1,009–1,477 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 53%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 23%
- Dominant aspect
- south-east-facing
621–1,904 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning south-east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Air access is permitted on Mount Dobson, including helicopters, which is useful for getting up to the alpine ground quickly. WARO is not permitted on the block, so commercial helicopter recovery operators won't be working it.
There are no huts or campsites inside Mount Dobson. Parties will need to fly camp, carry a tent or hunt the block as a day trip from accommodation nearby.
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.
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 to hunt Mount Dobson. It's an Ordinary block with a Permitted status, so permits are issued through the standard Canterbury permit system rather than a ballot. Permits are free but must be carried while hunting.
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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