Draft herd management plan for proposed sika deer Herd of Special Interest
Following this consultation, the Minister for Hunting and Fishing announced publication of a final herd management plan and designation of sika deer in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka forest parks and Kaweka Conservation Area as a Herd of Special Interest on 15 July 2026.

This decision followed a formal statutory process under the Game Animal Council Act 2013. The process included development of the Herd Management Plan and related public consultation, as well as a range of engagement with Treaty partners, relevant agencies and organisations.

The herd management plan

The herd management plan sets out how sika deer will be managed under as a Herd of Special Interest. The plan includes objectives and targets for:

  • deer browse and seedling regeneration
  • the maintaining and improving recreational hunting opportunities
  • increasing the involvement of Treaty partners and hunters in sika management
  • regular monitoring and reporting.

The herd management plan also includes maps identifying the sika Herd of Special Interest area, and a range of relevant information on the herd, its value to hunters and the management framework.

The herd management plan must be reviewed at intervals of not more than five years.

HOSI designation confirmed

The designation of sika deer as a Herd of Special Interest applies in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka forest parks and Kaweka Conservation Area. The designation provides a clear framework for managing sika as a high-quality hunting resource within a defined area of public conservation land.

Day-to-day management of the Sika HOSI will be delivered by the Game Animal Council (GAC) under delegated authority, in line with the approved herd management plan.

Find out about the Sika Herd of Special Interest

NZ Gazette notices

View the Minister’s notice in the New Zealand Gazette designating sika deer as a Herd of Special Interest

In accordance with the requirements of the Regulatory Standards Act 2025, the following related information is also available: 

View the Minister’s notice in the New Zealand Gazette delegating management powers of the Sika Herd of Special Interest to the Game Animal Council

Submissions

Submissions on the draft herd management plan closed 8 December 2025.

Information provided in submissions may be released under the Official Information Act 1982. 

Submissions received and summary report

Between 10 November and 8 December 2025, DOC received 245 submissions. 

Consultation documents

Full submissions documents

How to find a submission

To find a specific submission, use the contents page of the full submissions record. The page number for each submission appears in the column to the right of the submitter’s name.

Some submissions include attachments or supporting documents. These are noted in the full submissions record document. The supporting documents and submission attachments can be found in relevant attachments documents (organised above by submitters last name).

Personal information, contact details, and other private information, have been removed where required under DOC policy and relevant legislation.

What happened after the submissions closed

Following the public submissions period:

The draft plan was revised based on submissions, ongoing conversations with Treaty partners and follow up engagement with key agencies.

The Minister for Hunting and Fishing considered the feedback and updates before making his decisions on the plan and deciding to designate the Sika Herd of Special Interest.

Contact

For questions about the submission process, contact the Wild Animal Management Team: wildanimalmanagement@doc.govt.nz