27th July 2026 Election 2026 / Hunting / NationalIn the first tourism-related policy to be released before the general election, National says it wants to promote premium guided hunting.
16th July 2026 H&F Minister / HuntingFiordland’s wapiti herd and the sika deer herd in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks have been designated New Zealand’s first two Herds of Special Interest (HOSI).
26th June 2026 H&F Minister / HuntingParliament has passed legislation clarifying how Herds of Special Interest (HOSI) can operate within national parks.
27th May 2026 H&F Minister / HuntingA new commercial game preserve will open in Hawke’s Bay from the 2027 game hunting season.
10th November 2025 H&F Minister / HuntingNew Zealanders will soon be able to have their say on plans to manage sika and wapiti deer as the country’s first two Herds of Special Interest.
23rd July 2025 HuntingThe Game Animal Council (GAC) is calling on hunters to speak up for the future of big game hunting in New Zealand, with submissions on the Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Bill closing Thursday 24 July.
30th June 2025 Hunting / RegulationLegislation to clarify how Herds of Special Interest operate in National Parks has passed its first reading in Parliament.
14th May 2025 H&F Minister / HuntingHunting and Fishing Minister James Meager will consider formally designating wapiti deer as a Herd of Special Interest (HOSI) in Fiordland National Park.
5th May 2025 HuntingHunting and Fishing Minister James Meager joined around 60,000 New Zealanders taking part in the annual game bird hunting season opening.
31st March 2025 DOC / HuntingMinister for Hunting and Fishing James Meager says a new and improved hunting permit system will make it easier for New Zealanders to go hunting on public conservation land.
6th March 2025 HuntingMangakahia near Whangārei, 359 hectares, Lagoon Hill at southern Wairarapa, 653 hectares, and Grange Hill in South Canterbury, 2481 hectares, can now be used for recreational hunting.
4th November 2024 DOC / HuntingMinister for Hunting and Fishing Todd McClay has launched an Access Charter to ensure better access for recreational hunting and fishing on public conservation land (PCL).
