Hunting NZ

Ruahine Forest Park

Ordinary99,828 haPermit: Permitted

Ruahine Forest Park is the headline block of this region — a 99,828 ha forest park straddling the Ruahine Range and providing the spine of the eastern Manawatu-Wanganui back country. It is long-established and well-known sika country, with reds, fallow and wild pigs also taken on the permit.

Elevations run from about 234 m up to 1,727 m, with a median around 934 m and a 75th percentile at 1,146 m. Around 19% of the park sits above the 1,200 m bushline, and about 2% above the 1,500 m alpine line, so the park is a true mix of bush and tops: long bush sidles and gully systems in the foothills, leading up to broken alpine ridges along the main divide. Aspects are very evenly spread — there is no single dominant face across a block this size.

Game on the permit includes red deer, fallow deer, sika, sambar, wild goat and wild pig. The Ruahines are one of the best-known sika ranges in the country, and the park also sits within the small introduced sambar range.

Open Ruahine Forest Park on the interactive map

Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.

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Terrain & elevation

Based on a sample of 289,978 DEM points inside the block.

Elevation range
234–1,727 m
Median elevation
934 m
Middle 50%
740–1,146 m
Above bushline (1,200 m)
19%
Alpine (1,500 m+)
2%
Dominant aspect
east-facing

234–1,727 m, a mix of bush and tops, leaning east-facing.

What you can hunt here

Access & getting there

Ruahine Forest Park has an extensive hut and bivvy network — over 40 huts and bivvies including Sunrise, Triplex and Rangiwahia (all bookable in season) and numerous non-bookable huts and biv shelters such as Howletts, Waikamaka, Iron Gate, Daphne, Top Maropea and many more. Hut facilities are generally heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and untreated tap or stream water that needs boiling. Pohangina Base Campsite gives a road-accessible base on the western side.

Air access by helicopter is permitted, which opens up the back valleys for fly-in trips. The park is also flagged for wild animal recovery operations (WARO), so commercial crews may be working the same country — be aware of activity, particularly on bush faces and around the alpine tops.

Huts & campsites

  • Aranga Hut
  • Crow Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Mckinnon Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Parks Peak Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Smiths Stream Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Iron Gate Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Purity Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Sentry Box Hut (Historic)

    Heating, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Triangle Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Waikamaka Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Taruarau Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Tarn Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Traverse (A-Frame) Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Hinerua Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Howletts Hut

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Dianes Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Longview Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Cattle Creek Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Awatere Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Herricks Hut

    Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Stanfield Hut

    Cooking, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Mid Pohangina Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Ngamoko Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Ruahine Corner Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Colenso Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Iron Bark Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Toka Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Ikawetea Forks Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Upper Makaroro Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Barlow Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Daphne Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Gold Creek Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Wakelings Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Top Maropea Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Sunrise HutBookable

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Waterfall Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Ruahine Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Piripiri Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Te Ekaou Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Pourangaki Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Otukota Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Triplex HutBookable

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Top Gorge Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Kelly Knight Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Rockslide Hut

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Sparrowhawk Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Maropea Forks Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Waipawa Forks Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Kylie Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Forks Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Kiritaki Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge

    Heating, Mattresses, Lighting, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Rangiwahia HutBookable

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Leon Kinvig Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Dead Dog Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Hapi Daze Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Mākāretu Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Aranga Hut
  • Crow Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Mckinnon Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Parks Peak Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Smiths Stream Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Iron Gate Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Purity Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Sentry Box Hut (Historic)

    Heating, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Triangle Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Waikamaka Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Taruarau Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Tarn Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Traverse (A-Frame) Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Hinerua Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Howletts Hut

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Dianes Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Longview Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Cattle Creek Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Awatere Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Herricks Hut

    Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Stanfield Hut

    Cooking, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Mid Pohangina Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Ngamoko Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Ruahine Corner Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Colenso Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Iron Bark Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Toka Bivvy

    Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Ikawetea Forks Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

  • Upper Makaroro Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Barlow Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Daphne Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Gold Creek Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Wakelings Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply

  • Top Maropea Hut

    Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply

Campsites: Pohangina Base Campsite.

Permits & rules

You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the Ruahine Forest Park 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, taken out under the Ruahine Forest Park permit area. The park is classed as Ordinary with hunting permitted year-round, so there is no ballot to work around. Some neighbouring conservation areas have different conditions — check the specific block before planning a trip.

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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