Waewaepa Scenic Reserve
Waewaepa Scenic Reserve is a 1,093 ha block in the Manawatu-Wanganui region, taken out under the Wairarapa Reserves permit area. Elevations run from about 299 m up to 796 m, with a median around 599 m, so it sits as mid-altitude bush country well below the bushline.
Aspects are very evenly spread across the eight directions, with no single dominant face. That makes the block useful for setting in on any wind direction — there is workable country regardless of which way the breeze sits. It is bush-and-spurs hunting through the Waewaepa Range country.
Game on the permit is red deer only. The block carries a narrow species permit compared with the surrounding country, so plan around reds specifically.
Open Waewaepa Scenic Reserve on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 3,194 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 299–796 m
- Median elevation
- 599 m
- Middle 50%
- 522–674 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 0%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 0%
- Dominant aspect
- west-facing
299–796 m, lowland / foothill country, leaning west-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
There are no huts or formal campsites inside the block, so plan to work in on foot and either day-trip or fly-camp from a vehicle base.
Air access by helicopter is permitted, giving an option to drop in onto a likely face. The block is also flagged for wild animal recovery operations (WARO), so commercial helicopter parties may be working the same country.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the Wairarapa Reserves 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 Wairarapa Reserves 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.
Get roar & 1080 alerts for the areas you hunt
We'll email you when pesticide operations, ballot dates or access conditions change for Manawatu-Wanganui.
Sign up →