Waitaanga Conservation Area
Waitaanga Conservation Area is a major 16,708 ha block in the Manawatu-Wanganui region, taken out under the Taranaki Forests permit area. Elevations run from about 116 m up to 592 m, with a median around 405 m, so this is lowland to foothill bush country well below the bushline.
Aspects are evenly spread, with a slight lean to south and west. There is no single dominant face — the block is a broad rolling spread of bush-clad spurs and gully systems typical of the Taranaki-Whanganui interior. At over 16,000 hectares it is a serious piece of country with substantial room to set parties on different sidles.
Game on the permit includes red deer, fallow deer, wild goat and wild pig. It is bush hunting, with pigs likely in the lowland stream country.
Open Waitaanga Conservation Area on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 47,229 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 116–592 m
- Median elevation
- 405 m
- Middle 50%
- 349–451 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 0%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 0%
- Dominant aspect
- south-facing
116–592 m, lowland / foothill country, leaning south-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 from the surrounding road network and either day-trip or fly-camp.
Air access by helicopter is not permitted here. The block is 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 Taranaki Forests permit area, with a hunting status of Permitted.
Commercial wild-animal recovery (WARO) operates over this area — expect helicopter activity and pressured game.
A DOC hunting permit is required, taken out under the Taranaki Forests 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
- Pesticide (1080 or similar) has been laid in or near this block — check current dog and carcass restrictions before you hunt.
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 →