Date:  05 June 2026

The New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) organised the managed hunt on the tops of Nelson Lakes National Park’s Matakitaki Valley. Thirty-nine keen hunters flew in by helicopter to 13 blocks across the remote tops for a week, removing 202 deer and six chamois.

NZDA’s Dave Haynes says the hunt was a win for the National Park as it keeps deer numbers managed, a win for recreational hunters who got to fly into a zone that is otherwise difficult to access, and a win for the community because of all of the meat went to a foodbank.

Some of the vension from a NZDA managed hunt which was donated to a local foodbank | Image: NZDA ©

“We were able to donate 192 kg of mince, sausages and patties to a local Blenheim foodbank, thanks to grants from the Blenheim Lions Club and Lotteries for the processing costs. The meat will make a difference for the community.”

Dave says the hunting in the area is hard yakka but it was an absolute privilege to be there.

“We were blessed with amazing weather, it was very cold at night with frozen tarns and frost on the tent, but when the sun came up you were down to a t-shirt.

“Most hunters are conservationists by nature as well. We want to see native environments thriving as being out in pristine wilderness adds immeasurably to the hunting experience.”

DOC Nelson Lakes Operations Manager John Wotherspoon says the collaboration with NZDA has been a strong one.

“It’s a great relationship, and everyone gets something they value out of it. We all want to see a healthy environment, and we can get more done by working together.

“DOC contributed to the helicopter costs and granted permission for the helicopter landings in an area where they are generally restricted, given the benefits these hunts have to conservation.

“As well as the animal control, the hunters give us lots of valuable data that really helps our understanding of the area.”

John says while recreational hunter efforts alone aren’t enough to keep on top of rising deer numbers, they make a significant contribution and have an important role to play alongside other management tools.

Dave said this was the third managed hunt NZDA had run in this area and they were hoping to do more in the future.

“It’s been great to see the community get behind us. We worked closely with Murchison Helicopters, were given grants for processing the meat, and even got supplied handheld thermal devices from Advanced Optics, which made a big difference spotting deer we might not have otherwise seen.”

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