Ruahine Forest (West) Conservation Area
Ruahine Forest (West) Conservation Area is a 455 ha block in the Manawatu-Wanganui region, taken out under the Ruahine Forest Park permit area on the western flank of the range. Elevations run from about 204 m up to 975 m, with a median around 690 m, so it sits as a stretch of foothill-to-mid-altitude bush country well below the bushline.
The block has a westerly lean, with about 18% of the country facing west, 18% south-west and useful shares also picking up south and north-west. Easterly aspects are limited. That gives a clear set of cool westerly sidles, which is typical of the country dropping off the western Ruahines.
Game on the permit includes red deer, fallow deer, sambar and wild goat. The sambar listing reflects the small introduced range crossing this western Ruahine country.
Open Ruahine Forest (West) Conservation Area on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 1,318 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 204–975 m
- Median elevation
- 690 m
- Middle 50%
- 301–773 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 0%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 0%
- Dominant aspect
- west-facing
204–975 m, lowland / foothill country, leaning west-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
There are no huts inside the block, but Piripiri Campsite sits on the road network nearby and works well as a vehicle base for day or weekend trips. Otherwise plan to fly-camp.
Air access by helicopter is permitted, giving an option to drop in onto a likely face on the western Ruahine flank. The block is also flagged for wild animal recovery operations (WARO), so commercial helicopter parties may be working the same country.
Huts & campsites
Campsites: Piripiri 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 block is classed as Ordinary with hunting permitted year-round, so there is no ballot or seasonal restriction to plan around.
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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