Hunting in Wellington
Overview
Wellington and the Wairarapa are bracketed by three forest parks: the long spine of the Tararua running north from the Manawatū Gorge to the Rimutaka Range, and the standalone Aorangi (Haurangi) Range on the south-east tip of the North Island, looking across to the South Island. Combined with the Wairarapa coast and the Manawatū hill country to the north, the region offers one of the country's most accessible big-bush hunting experiences — and some of its most punishing weather.
For Wellington-based hunters this is the home patch: a Friday night drive into the Tararua puts you in the bush before dawn. The Aorangi is quieter and harder to reach but holds a famously secretive population of sambar — New Zealand's largest deer — that exists in only a handful of places nationally.
What You Can Hunt
- Red deer — the most widespread species; present throughout the Tararua, Rimutaka, and Aorangi.
- Sika deer — established in the southern Tararua, having moved south from the Kaweka and Ruahine over the last several decades.
- Fallow deer — small pockets through the Wairarapa hill country and on private blocks.
- Sambar — a low-density but established population in the Aorangi Range and the Wairarapa coast, plus pockets near Castlepoint.
- Wild pig — strong populations in southern Wairarapa and the eastern Tararua foothills.
- Wild goat — common in coastal Wairarapa scrub and bush margins around the Aorangi.
Where to Hunt
- Tararua Forest Park — the main event. A long, steep beech-bush range with a dense hut network; red deer throughout, sika in the southern half, pig and goat at the margins.
- Rimutaka Forest Park — the small range immediately east of Wellington. Red deer, pig, and goat in regenerating bush.
- Aorangi (Haurangi) Forest Park — south-east Wairarapa. Quieter than the Tararua; classic sambar country plus red deer, pig, and goat.
- Wairarapa coast (Castlepoint to Cape Palliser) — a long coastal hill country band with pockets of sambar and good pig hunting on private and trust land by arrangement.
- Manawatū hill country (north end) — fallow and pig on a mix of forestry and private land.
Getting In
- Road — sealed access to all three forest park boundaries. The Tararua is reached from Otaki, Levin, Masterton, and several smaller eastern settlements; Aorangi via Cape Palliser Road; Rimutaka from Wainuiomata and the Hutt Valley.
- Foot — virtually all public hunting in the region is foot-access from the road end. Track and hut networks are excellent in the Tararua; sparser in the Aorangi.
- Air — limited. Some helicopter access is used in the central Tararua and Aorangi, particularly for multi-hunter sambar trips, subject to current DOC rules.
- Water — minor. A handful of east coast hunters reach Aorangi blocks from the sea in settled weather.
Seasons & Weather
Wellington's reputation for wild weather is well-earned. The Tararua in particular catches the prevailing nor'westers head-on and generates some of the most severe wind and rain in the country. Plan around weather windows rather than calendar dates.
| Period | What's happening | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mar–Apr | Red roar | Reliable in Tararua, Rimutaka, and Aorangi. |
| Apr–May | Sika roar | Southern Tararua and overlapping into Aorangi. |
| May–Jun | Sambar peak rut | Aorangi and Wairarapa coast — most consistent sambar period. |
| Jun–Aug | Winter | Snow on the tops, deer feeding low. |
| Sep–Nov | Spring | Pig hunting strong as ground dries. |
| Dec–Feb | Summer | Bush hunting dawn and dusk; tops accessible. |
Gear & Conditions
The Tararua is famously steep and slippery, with knee-deep mud on greasy ridges and leatherwood scrub on the tops. Boots, gaiters, and serious wet-weather gear are essential. Most deer shots are inside 100 metres in dense bush — medium calibres in 6.5mm through .308 are ideal, with stiffer setups for sambar. Sambar hunting in particular demands quiet, patience, and time; most successful hunters dedicate trips of three to seven days.
Permits & Regulations
A free DOC permit is required for all three forest parks. Permits are issued by district — make sure the permit covers the specific block. Pig dog hunting on conservation land is permitted but subject to current dog-control conditions and active pest-control operations. Spotlighting is not permitted on conservation land. Some private forestry blocks in the Wairarapa offer paid permits through the relevant forestry company — separate from DOC arrangements.
Open the Map
Open Wellington & the Wairarapa in the full hunting map →
Tararua, Rimutaka, and Aorangi forest parks with hunting blocks, tracks, huts, and current pesticide operations layered together.
Useful Links
Game animals in Wellington
Hunting areas in Wellington
5 DOC hunting blocks — species, huts, access and an interactive map for each.