Oteake
Oteake is a major Canterbury block of roughly 79,339 hectares within the Oteake Conservation Park and Areas permit area. Elevations run from about 569 m up to 2,085 m, with a median of 1,284 m, so this is a substantial range that includes plenty of country above the bushline.
With 60% of sampled ground above the 1,200 m bushline and 21% in true alpine country above 1,500 m, the block is mostly above the bushline and reaches into proper alpine tops. Slopes lean predominantly east, with strong shares across every other aspect as well, giving a wide spread of sunlit faces, shaded basins and tussock sidles to work through.
Game on the permit includes red deer, fallow deer, tahr, chamois and wild pig. The scale and variety make this serious multi-day country with room to spread out.
Open Oteake on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 272,215 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 569–2,085 m
- Median elevation
- 1,284 m
- Middle 50%
- 1,076–1,466 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 60%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 21%
- Dominant aspect
- east-facing
569–2,085 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
There are several huts inside the conservation park. Chimney Creek Hut, Brown Hut, Wire Yards Hut, Top Hut (Otago), Hut Creek Hut, Otamatapaio Hut, Buster Hut and Ida Railway Hut are all available, none of them bookable. Facilities vary: most carry heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and water from a stream, while Wire Yards Hut and Buster Hut are more basic.
The block is open to air access, useful given the scale of the country and the climb to the tops. Oteake is also flagged as a wild animal recovery operations (WARO) zone, so commercial helicopter activity may overlap with hunters on the ground. Check current WARO status before heading in.
Huts & campsites
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Mattresses
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Mattresses
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, 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 Oteake Conservation Park and Areas 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 Oteake. The block sits under the Oteake Conservation Park and Areas permit area and is classed as an Ordinary block with hunting permitted year-round, so there is no ballot or seasonal restriction to work around.
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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