Hunting NZ

Tararua Forest Park

Ordinary118,765 haPermit: Permitted

Tararua Forest Park is the heart of the lower North Island ranges — a 118,765 ha block of bush and tops country backing onto Wellington, Wairarapa and the Horowhenua coast. Elevations run from about 80 m up to 1,552 m, with the median ground around 594 m. Around 4% of the park sits above the 1,200 m bushline, so this is a mix of bush and tops, with the higher main range pushing into the alpine.

Aspect leans east, with strong shares also on west and north-west faces. The Tararuas are famous for steep spurs, deep stream-cut valleys and fast-changing weather, with the main range running roughly north-east to south-west. Most of the country is bush hunting up steep faces and ridges, with the tops only opening up on the highest parts of the range.

Game on the permit includes red deer, sika, wild goat and wild pig. Sika in the Tararuas are on the southern edge of their North Island range and numbers are low, but the mix of species and the size of the country make this one of the most significant hunting blocks in the lower North Island.

Open Tararua 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 354,868 DEM points inside the block.

Elevation range
80–1,552 m
Median elevation
594 m
Middle 50%
446–790 m
Above bushline (1,200 m)
4%
Alpine (1,500 m+)
0%
Dominant aspect
east-facing

80–1,552 m, foothill country with low tops, leaning east-facing.

What you can hunt here

Access & getting there

Tararua has one of the densest hut networks in New Zealand — more than 40 huts and bivvies scattered through the park, including Mitre Flats Hut, Powell Hut, Jumbo Hut, Atiwhakatu Hut, Totara Flats Hut and Waiopehu Hut on the more popular sides, and quieter bivvies like McGregor Bivvy, Mid King Bivvy and Winchcombe Biv deep in the range. Three formal campsites sit at the main road ends: Kiriwhakapapa Campsite, Holdsworth Campsite and Waiohine Gorge Campsite.

The park is open to air access, which is a useful option for hunters wanting to start deep in the range rather than grind in on foot. WARO operations are also flagged here, so check current commercial helicopter activity before heading in.

Huts & campsites

  • Blue Range Hut

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

  • South Ohau Hut

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

  • Cow Creek Hut

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

  • Mangahao Flats Hut

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

  • Elder Hut

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

  • Totara Flats HutBookable

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

  • Mcgregor Bivvy

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

  • Dundas Hut

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

  • Tutuwai Hut

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

  • Mid Waiohine Hut

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

  • Field Hut

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

  • Sayer Hut

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

  • Arete Hut

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

  • North Mangahao Bivvy

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

  • Te Matawai Hut

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

  • Maungahuka Hut

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

  • Dorset Ridge Hut

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

  • Mitre Flats Hut

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

  • Burn Hut

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

  • Dracophyllum Hut

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

  • Nichols Hut

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

  • Atiwhakatu HutBookable

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

  • Herepai Hut

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

  • Renata Hut

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

  • Alpha Hut

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

  • Jumbo HutBookable

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

  • Waiopehu Hut

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

  • Tarn Ridge Hut

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

  • Mid King Bivvy

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

  • Kime Hut

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

  • Neill Forks Hut

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

  • Arete Forks Hut

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

  • Cattle Ridge Hut

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

  • Roaring Stag Hut

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

  • Powell HutBookable

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

  • Carkeek Hut

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

  • Kapakapanui Hut

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

  • Winchcombe Biv

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

  • Aokaparangi Hut

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

  • North Ohau Hut

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

  • Penn Creek Hut

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

  • Anderson Memorial Hut

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

  • Waitewaewae Hut

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

  • Cone Hut

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

  • Blue Range Hut

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

  • South Ohau Hut

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

  • Cow Creek Hut

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

  • Mangahao Flats Hut

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

  • Elder Hut

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

  • Totara Flats HutBookable

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

  • Mcgregor Bivvy

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

  • Dundas Hut

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

  • Tutuwai Hut

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

  • Mid Waiohine Hut

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

  • Field Hut

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

  • Sayer Hut

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

  • Arete Hut

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

  • North Mangahao Bivvy

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

  • Te Matawai Hut

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

  • Maungahuka Hut

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

  • Dorset Ridge Hut

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

  • Mitre Flats Hut

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

  • Burn Hut

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

  • Dracophyllum Hut

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

  • Nichols Hut

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

Campsites: Kiriwhakapapa Campsite, Holdsworth Campsite, Waiohine Gorge Campsite.

Permits & rules

You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the Tararua 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 for Tararua Forest Park. The park sits under its own Tararua Forest Park permit area and is classed as an Ordinary block with hunting permitted year-round.

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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