Arthur's Pass East hunting

Located in North Canterbury & Arthur’s Pass hunting in the Canterbury region

Arthur's Pass National Park straddles the main divide—the 'back bone' of the South Island—between Canterbury and the West Coast. Red deer, chamois and pigs are present.

About this hunting block

This information covers both Arthur's Pass East, and Arthur's Pass West and is repeated there.

General information

Arthur's Pass National Park straddles the main divide – the 'back bone' of the South Island – between Canterbury and the West Coast.

Containing high mountains with large scree slopes, steep gorges and wide braided rivers, the park (114,400 ha) has been divided into two hunting areas – east and west.

Pigs, red deer and chamois are present in low to moderate numbers and populations can be quite localised.

The terrain varies from moderate to very steep. The vegetation is beech forest, riparian shrublands with alpine shrublands, tussock, rock and scree tops.

Areas excluded from hunting are: all road corridors (e.g. SH73); Arthur's Pass and Ōtira villages; Mt White Station land on the eastern borders, Taramakau riverbed and the Waimakariri riverbed downstream of the Bealey Bridge.

Note: this is an alpine area near the main divide and rivers can rise very quickly so take care with river crossings. Other hunters and trampers may be encountered. Take precautions and identify your target.

Access

There are many access points along SH73, via tramping tracks that start at roadside or road end car parks or via major rivers. On the west of the main divide these include Kellys and Goat creeks, Ōtira, Taramakau and Rolleston rivers.

Access into the Deception and Taramakau is from Aickens corner or the Morrison footbridge. 

In the east, access to the Mingha and Edwards valleys is from Greyneys Shelter. The upper Waimakariri valley can be accessed via Waimakariri River from Klondyke Corner, or Bealey Spur.

The Hawdon, Andrews and Poulter valleys, and the Binser Saddle tracks are all accessed from the Mt White Road.

Vehicles are not permitted off-road in the national park.

Landholders

The above public access routes do not require any landholder permission.

Map information

NZTopo50 maps BU20, BU21, BV21.

NewTopo Arthur's Pass map.

Dogs

Dogs are not permitted in any national park.

Huts

West hunting area

Serviced huts:

Standard huts:

Basic huts and bivs

East hunting area

Serviced huts:

Standard huts:

Basic huts and bivvies:

West Coast hunting blocks

There are many routes from Arthur's Pass East and Arthur's Pass West to these hunting blocks west of the main divide:

Additional information

Hunters are advised to check for current pesticide operations that may be in progress where they intend to hunt.