Tahakopa Bay
Tahakopa Bay is a 458 ha Balloted Roar block in the Catlins permit area, on the southern Otago coast. Elevations run from 1 m at the bay edge to 230 m on the inland faces, with a median of just 6 m — sea-level coastal country with no bushline.
This is very low coastal country, leaning south — much of the block sits close to sea level, with coastal podocarp-broadleaf forest and bush margins backing the bay. Country is short and dense, and stalks are close-range. Salt-air and on-shore weather come with the territory.
Game on the permit is red deer and wild pig. The Catlins reds in this coastal bush carry the reputation for mature heads, and a balloted roar block at this scale gives a single party the run of the country for the rut.
Open Tahakopa Bay on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 1,375 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 1–230 m
- Median elevation
- 6 m
- Middle 50%
- 5–8 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 0%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 0%
- Dominant aspect
- south-facing
1–230 m, lowland / foothill country, leaning south-facing.
What you can hunt here
This is a balloted roar block — the red deer roar peaks from late March into April, and competition for the block is highest then.
Access & getting there
Helicopter access is permitted on Tahakopa Bay, and Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) are also permitted, so commercial operators may be working the block at times.
There are no DOC huts or campsites recorded inside the block — plan for a day trip or short fly-camp using nearby accommodation.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Balloted Roar block block in the Catlins 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, and Tahakopa Bay is a Balloted Roar block in the Catlins permit area. The block is balloted for the roar — apply through DOC's standard roar ballot before the annual cutoff.
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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