Pureora Forest Park hunting competition
After a hiatus due to the Government’s response to COVID-19, the Pureora Forest Park hunting competition returns for 2023.
The competition has been held for more than 30 years and is open to all hunters with a valid permit for Pureora Forest Park.
Dates
- Contest: 20 March - midday 30 April 2023
- Weigh-in and prizegiving: 30 April from midday
Prize categories
- Best Douglas Deer
- Best Douglas Pig
- Heaviest Deer
- Average Weight Pig
- Ugliest Deer Head
- Youth: Heaviest Possum
The Douglas scoring system will be used as required for relevant categories.
Prizes
Top prizes include heli-hunt trip voucher with Mid West Helicopters, deer head mount from Sika Country Taxidermy, $1,000+ worth of gear from Hunting & Fishing Taupō, Forgotten Highway Adventures’ Tokirima Taster Experience for 4 guests and a pair of Meindl Hunting Boots from Stäger Sport. There will also be heaps of spot prizes drawn on the day!
DOC is grateful to our sponsors and the support of New Zealand Deerstalkers Association and the Te Kuiti Pig Hunting Club.
2023 sponsors
- Good Nature
- Swanndri
- Mid West Helicopters
- Stäger Sport
- Back Country Cuisine
- Earth Sea Sky
- Trek N Travel
- Forgotten World Adventures
- Kilwell
- Sika Country Taxidermy
- NZ Hunting Magazine
- Timer Trail Lodge
- Blackfern Lodge
- Hunting and Fishing Taupō
- Te Awamutu Lock and Gun Shop
- AC Petfoods
- Sophia MCK Photography
- Universal Beef UBP Limited
- Crusader Meats
- Pratt Motorcycles
- Bruce Dunn Motors
- J.R.K Contracting
Weigh-in and prizegiving
Weigh-in and prizegiving will be held from 12 pm to 3 pm at Department of Conservation Pureora Field Base workshop on Barryville Road, Pureora Forest Park.
All animals to be weighed must be in one piece and remain on-site until after prize giving. All entrants must be on site during prizegiving to receive prizes.
Food will be available to purchase
Kai will be available to purchase on prizegiving day from local food trucks.
Kiwi aversion training
Kiwi aversion training for dogs will be available on the day at the weigh-in and prizegiving.
Entries and recording points
Entries close at midday on Sunday 30 April 2023.
Each deer/pig jaw is an entry for the jaw draw - the more jaws supplied, the more chances to win.
Competitors should ensure they pre-register their deer/pig head or jaw at an official recording point.
Please call during business hours and arrange an appointment to have your head/jaw sighted. All heads/jaws must be presented for registration in a reasonable condition.
Recording point |
Address |
Phone |
---|---|---|
Department of Conservation |
Pureora Forest Park, Village Road |
+64 7 878 1080 |
Department of Conservation |
78 Taupiri Street, Te Kuiti |
+64 7 878 1050 |
Department of Conservation |
99 Sala Street, Whakarewarewa Rotorua |
+64 7 349 7400 |
Otorohonda |
6 Te Kanawa Street Otorohonga |
+64 7 871 8204 |
Seriously Outdoors |
89 Hakiaha Street, Taumarunui |
+64 7 896 6497 |
Tihoi Trading Post |
2822 Tihoi Road, Western Bays |
+64 7 372 8366 |
Hunting and Fishing Taupō |
Gascoinge Street, Taupō |
+64 7 378 4449 |
Dave Gibson/ Te Awamutu Locksmith and Gun Shop |
335 Alexandra Street, Te Awamutu |
+64 7 871 5530 |
Competition rules
- The competition is open to all hunters holding a current permit to hunt within Pureora Forest Park between 20 March - 30 April 2023.
- All heads and jaws must be from wild animals taken from Pureora Forest between 20 March - 30 April 2023.
- All animal heads with scalp and ears must be presented for registration at one of the registered Recording Point locations within 72 hours of being taken. The heads will be tagged, permits sighted and relevant details relating to hunter and head/jaw recorded. Boar jaws to be scored must be no less than 2-inch tusk length.
- To compete for prizes, heads and/or jaws must be presented for measurement in a reasonable state before 12 pm on the day of the prize giving, Sunday 30 April, at the DOC Pureora workshop. Judges have the right to refuse to measure any heads/jaws that are not in a presentable state. Pre-registered heads/jaws may be re-presented without skin.
- Measurement based on the Douglas Scoring System will be carried out by approved N.Z.D.A. measurers on prize giving day. Judge’s decision is final.
- All registered heads and/or jaws presented on the day will be eligible for the competition subject to rule 7 however, only one head per person will be eligible for top 10 consideration.
- DOC employees are not eligible to win prizes.
- The organisers reserve the right to refuse any head and/or jaw, should they doubt its eligibility. Honesty that the head and/or jaw is only from the Pureora forest is appreciated.
Contact
For further information email Kina Tweeddale: kcampbell@doc.govt.nz.