Smyth Creek, Wanganui River
The Franz Josef - Waiau area covers a large area of the southern West Coast between the Waitaha Valley south to Fox Glacier. There is about 200,000 ha of public conservation land within this area that includes part of Westland National Park, many small reserves and large areas of stewardship land. The Franz Josef area is administrated from the Franz Josef Village Visitor Centre.
You can hunt deer, chamois, goats and tahr in the area.
Find out about the terrain and climate of the Franz Josef hunting area.
Find out where to hunt in the Franz Josef area.
Find out where you can stay when hunting on public conservation land in the Franz Josef area.
Find out how you can plan and prepare for a safe and enjoyable hunting trip in the Franz Josef area.
View West Coast Tai Poutini Conservancy's most recently issued pesticide summary.
Learn about tahr hunting in the South Island of New Zealand.
This video shows how hunting on the West Coast can be tough work, with long walks, steep terrain, as well as one of the most difficult animals in New Zealand to hunt, the introduced Himalayan tahr.
NZ weather
New Zealand topographic maps are available from DOC Visitor Centres
Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Safety information
Always contact the nearest visitor centre for the latest information about facilities and conditions.
