Latest updates
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Nominations open for the Game Animal Council
Read more: Nominations open for the Game Animal CouncilWe are on the lookout for new people to join the Game Animal Council. The Minister for Hunting and Fishing is seeking nominations to fill vacancies on the Council. Appointments will take effect from 1 July 2026 and will be for a term of up to three years. The Minister is seeking individuals who collectively…
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Tahr management – an update
Read more: Tahr management – an updateBy Corina Jordan, NZGAC CE There are some difficult conversations happening across the country right now about the place of game animals in New Zealand, their presence in national parks, and the role of hunters in their management. Rising deer numbers across several regions show that the current system for managing game animals is not…
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Hunter role in deer management recognised through national oversight group
Read more: Hunter role in deer management recognised through national oversight groupOver the last six months the NZ Game Animal Council (GAC) has been engaging with Minister Hoggard, Minister Meager, and directly with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), about the need for meaningful hunter involvement in any national wild deer management planning. Today, the Government has announced a pilot project for wild deer management on…
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CEO Update January 2026: Moving towards sustainable use
Read more: CEO Update January 2026: Moving towards sustainable useBy Corina Jordan, Chief Executive, New Zealand Game Animal Council A belated happy New Year to you all. I hope you are having a nice summer, and if you got out for a hunt, have been safe and successful. I’ve spoken before in these updates about how the GAC is seeking changes to current management…
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Next Council meeting
Read more: Next Council meetingThe next meeting of the Game Animal Council will be held on 11 February 2026 commencing at 9.30am at Rydges Wellington Airport. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Please contact info@nzgac.org.nz if you have any questions. See information about the meeting, and previous meeting papers on this page.
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GAC submissions on Sika and Wapiti HOSI herd management plans
Read more: GAC submissions on Sika and Wapiti HOSI herd management plansThe Minister for Hunting and Fishing recently consulted on draft herd management plans for New Zealand’s first ever Herds of Special Interest (HOSI) – the proposed Sika HOSI in the Central North Island and Wapiti HOSI in Fiordland. Submissions closed 8 December 2025. About HOSI A HOSI is a herd of game animals on public…
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CEO Update December 2025: Hunt safely this holiday season
Read more: CEO Update December 2025: Hunt safely this holiday seasonBy Corina Jordan, Chief Executive, NZ Game Animal Council Summer is a chance for many of us to slow down and enjoy time in the backcountry, however the fundamentals of safe and ethical hunting don’t take a holiday. Weather in the backcountry can change quickly, even on blue-sky days so check the long-range forecast, take…
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Planning your hunt with Better Hunting
Read more: Planning your hunt with Better HuntingThis originally appeared in the October/November 2024 edition of the NZ Hunter magazine A beginner’s guide to planning a safe and successful hunt with Better Hunting One of the big steps for new hunters is taking the lead and going solo. Often, it’s easy to follow our mates on a hunt, but taking the step…
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2024-2025 GAC Annual Report
Read more: 2024-2025 GAC Annual ReportOur 2024-2025 Annual Report is now available online. It provides a snapshot on some of the work we do, including providing advice, Better Hunting, wild game meat donation, Herds of Special Interest, and more. Check it out here (PDF File).
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The Stalk – Summer 2025-2026
Read more: The Stalk – Summer 2025-2026The summer edition of our email newsletter ‘The Stalk’ has just hit inboxes. There are heaps of updates in it, including: Quarterly update from GAC Chair Grant Dodson Herds of Special Interest CEO update Firearms Better Hunting And more! Read the summer 2025-2026 edition of The Stalk here. Didn’t receive it straight to your inbox?…