Sawyer Burn hunting

Animals present are red deer and chamois in low numbers.

General information

This block lies just north of the The Neck between Lakes Wānaka and Hawea, and includes Sentinel Peak, and parts of the Camp Creek and Sawyer Burn catchments.
The terrain is steep beech/tawhai forested valleys and tussock slopes rising to some alpine gravel and rock on the tops.

This block is balloted for the roar period during the months of March and April.

See Wanaka roar block system.

Access

You must seek permission in advance from Hunter Valley Station for all access via their station.

There are two access points:

• Camp Creek. From the roadside car park, 12 km southeast of Makarora on the Haast Highway (SH6), follow an overgrown access road on the true right of the creek. At the end of this road, climb through heavy fern until you are able to sidle. Continue sidling until the valley starts to open for the flats and you can see a way to descend safely.
• Kidds Bush. Turn off the Haast Highway (SH6), onto Meads Rd, 32 km north of Wanaka. About 6 km along Meads Rd is Kidds Bush campsite; opposite the campsite entrance there is a signposted zigzag track leading up through the bush.

The Sawyer Burn Track from Kidds Bush begins within the hunting block but at the bushline it crosses into private land. You must contact the landholder for permission to use the track above this point for hunting access.

Landholders

Western side: Hunter Valley Station: phone +64 3 443 1242

Maps

NZTopo50 series: CA12, CA13

Sawyer Burn hunting block map (PDF, 1719K)

Dogs

Dogs are allowed when accessing through Camp Creek side (no separate permit required), but are not allowed when accessing through Kidds Bush.