The annual Pureora Hunting Competition is a free competition for wild deer and pigs taken from Pureora Forest Park during the roar. It has been running for more than 30 years and is open to all hunters with a valid permit for Pureora Forest Park.
The 2025 competition ran from 15 March – 27 April, but did not include pig categories this year due to the risk recent aerial baiting operations posed to dogs scavenging affected animals.
2025 prizegiving
The prizegiving was held at Pureora DOC field base in Pureora on Sunday 27 April 2025.
Entries received:
- 42 deer heads (all measured)
- 25 deer jaws
- 3 entries in the junior pest categories.
The prize category winners are listed below along with the prizes donated by our generous sponsors.
|
Prize category |
Winner |
Score/weight |
|---|---|---|
|
Top Douglas-score head |
Martyn Hepburn |
319 7/8 |
|
2nd Douglas-score head |
Tom Kearins |
294 1/8 |
|
3rd Douglas-score head |
Brett Kearins |
292 |
|
4th Douglas-score head |
Neville Neal |
277 1/8 |
|
5th Douglas-score head |
Steve Old |
268 4/8 |
|
Jaw draw |
Alan Jones |
|
|
Ugliest head |
Isabelle Hepburn |
|
|
Average head |
Macie Kearins |
9 points |
| Prize category | Winner |
|---|---|
|
Top Douglas-score head – Junior |
Macie Kearins |
|
Mustelid draw (ferret, stoat, weasel) |
No entires |
|
Goat tail draw |
Macie Kearins |
|
Rat draw |
Reef Cornelissen |
|
Two-plus Pest Prize Draw |
Alex Rye |
|
Prize category |
Winner |
|---|---|
|
Senior (16 years +) |
Paul Kearins |
|
Junior (15 years and younger) |
Beauden Mulgrew |
Spot prizes were also awarded to 14 people who attended the prizegiving.
Prizes
Prizes were donated by:
- AC Petfoods
- Benneydale School
- Back Country Cuisine
- BP Te Kuiti
- DTS
- Earth Sea Sky
- Farmlands
- Farm source
- Hillside Homekill
- Inframax
- Kilwell Sports
- Mangakino Homekill
- Midwest Helicopters NZ
- Mindful Massage
- Otorohonda/King Country Honda
- Rectify Electrical Limited
- Rod and Rifle NZ
- Seriously Outdoors
- Taupo Fly & Gun/ Hunting & Fishing
- Te Awamutu branch of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association
- Timber Trail Lodge & Transport
- Trek N Travel (Hamilton)
- WASS Work and Safety Supplies Limited
- Wright Fishing & Outdoors
2025 competition acknowledgements
Thanks to all the hunters, measurers, weighers, sponsors and other volunteers who contributed to a successful 2025 Pureora Hunting Competition.
Thanks to the NZ Deerstalkers Association for providing their time and expertise to measure the entries.
We also thank the 13 recording centres who volunteered to sight entries taken earlier in the competition so we can keep the competition period open throughout the roar.
Contact
For further information email our Te Kuiti office at tekuiti@doc.govt.nz