Molesworth Recreation Reserve hunting

Located in the Marlborough region

Hunting is restricted in Molesworth as it is both a recreation reserve and a working farm, and there is a need to balance the requirements of both. Red deer, chamois, goats, pigs, and Canada geese are found here.

About this hunting block

Molesworth Recreation Reserve is a restricted hunting area. Permits for hunting deer, chamois, goats and pigs are issued for a specific period and for a specified block.

For the roar period and block can’t be booked through this system. See Molesworth roar system for information about the roar application process.  

How to book a block outside of the roar period

Complete your application well in advance of your planned trip. Permits can take up to 10 working days to process.

It is your responsibility to check for any safety information for the block before you book, and again before your trip. Road closures, predator control operations, hazards and known weather damage will be posted as alerts.

Key permit information

The booking system operates first in, first served.

Blocks can be booked up to 6 months in advance to the month, not the date (eg. in July you can apply for January blocks). If a hunting week crosses into the next month, you may need to apply in the following month. Check the availability calendar before you apply to avoid disappointment.

Blocks can be booked for 7 days starting on a Wednesday and ending on a Tuesday. You may choose to hunt only a portion of this period.

There can be a maximum of 8 people on each permit (6 hunters/non-Hunters with the addition of 2 non-hunters only).

You can only book a block once per month and no more than 3 times in a 6-month period (whether you are a hunter or non-hunter) but permits issued during the roar are not counted in this limit.

Different blocks are available at different times of the year, depending on farm requirements and stock locations.

Any breaches of permit conditions are treated very seriously – past breaches have resulted in offenders being trespassed from Molesworth and prosecuted.

Landcorp and the Molesworth Recreational Reserve Manager do not issue hunting permits.

Read the Molesworth permit special conditions.

Molesworth Recreational Reserve has the largest farm in New Zealand. It is administered by DOC and leased to Landcorp Farming Ltd.

Red deer, chamois, goats, pigs, and Canada geese are found here.

Chukar hunting

Chukar hunting will take place from week 3: 18 – 24 June and week 4: 25 June – 1 July 2025.

Contact Nelson Marlborough Fish and Game for a permit:
Jacob Lucas
Email: jlucas@fishandgame.org.nz
Phone: +64 3 544 6382

These blocks are exclusive for chukar hunting only and do not allow you to hunt big game during this time:

  • Alma
  • Boundary
  • Cat Creek
  • Dog Stream
  • Long Gully
  • Makuratawhai
  • Mt Severn
  • Travellers
  • Turks
  • Upper Wairau

Goose hunts

Canada goose hunt weekends are held each year.

  • 17 – 20 October 2024
  • 6 – 9 March 2025
  • 5 – 8 June 2025

To participate, contact:

Mike Gane
Email: mike.gane@xtra.co.nz

No large game hunting permits will be issued during Canada goose hunt weekends. A goose hunting permit:

  • allows you to hunt Canada goose only, and
  • does not allow you to hunt big game.

Huts

Access

Vehicle access is limited to the main formed roads Acheron Road and Tophouse/Wairau Hanmer Springs Road, also known as Rainbow Road, only and only when the roads are open. No vehicles are to be driven on any farm tracks.

Helicopters are not permitted at all.

There are three main road access points.

Via Jacks Pass Road from Hanmer Springs

This road is open all year round, weather conditions permitting. This gives access to the southern end of the Molesworth, and north through to Lake Sedgemere. The road can be impassable because of snow during the winter months.

Rainbow Road

Rainbow Road goes through Rainbow Station and Molesworth Recreation Reserve, from near St Arnaud (turn off SH63) to Hanmer. This is a 4WD toll road with access restrictions. For details, see the Rainbow Station website.

Molesworth Acheron Road - Awatere Valley Road

This links the Acheron to the top of the Awatere Valley Road.

Road open from:

  • 7 am – 7 pm daily from 1 October to Easter Monday or the second Sunday in April – whichever is later. It can close without warning.

Outside of these dates, you must apply for an activity permit.

You also may need an activity permit for road access for other activities such as mountain biking or walking.

Alternative access

A hunting permit does not guarantee road access when the Acheron Road is closed. An activity permit for driving access to your hunting block will not be issued when the road is closed due to winter weather and farming operations except in exceptional circumstances.

Plan for this in your block choices.

Access to the following hunting blocks are:

  • Boundary: Leatham Molesworth Route
  • Mt Severn: Sedgemere (walk around Dog Stream Block)
  • Travellers/Alma: Sedgemere

Alternatively choose a hunting block which is more accessible.

Check for alerts for the Awatere Valley Road.

Other access

  • Limited access to Eastern Zone across Clarence River.
  • Tramping over Severn Saddle from the top of the Leatham Valley into the Northern Zone (Severn Valley).

Rafters/kayakers

Travel down the Clarence River to access the Eastern Zone. You can hunt the five non-exclusive riverside blocks under one permit if the blocks are open (except during the roar when these blocks are restricted for exclusive access):

  • Bullen
  • Clarence Faces
  • Tweed
  • Elliot
  • Lizard

Maps

NZTopo50 maps: BS24, BS25, BT24, BT25, BT26.

A map of the boundaries of each block is available below.

Maps of individual blocks:

Map of no hunting zones (PDF, 3,786K) 

For further mapping and access information refer to Walking Access Aotearoa or DOC maps.

Know the conditions of your permit

Read the Molesworth Recreation Reserve hunting permit conditions. 

Dogs

No dogs allowed.

Watch out for trampers, mountain bikers and other hunters

Areas may be used by other trampers, mountain bikers or other hunters accessing their block at any time. Wilding pine control by helicopter may be carried out at any time. Weed control staff will be informed of any hunters in the areas they are working.

Additional information

There are no WARO activities allowed in this area.