The Game Animal Council encourages hunters to get out there and enjoy the fantastic hunting opportunities New Zealand has to offer. However, taking the necessary precautions is absolutely critical.

For the 2024 Roar period we are emphasising the importance of good preparation ahead of your hunts.

We also recommend hunters follow the 5 P’s – Plan for the best, Prepare for the worst, Provide your intentions, Positively identify your target, Pick the right animal. These principles don’t just apply to the Roar however, and should be followed by all hunters at any time of year. Please watch the video below.

Plan for the best

  1. Plan where you are going to hunt and how long you will be out for.
  2. Before you go, keep an eye on the weather forecast – particularly for any rain and snow that could lead to a rise in river levels – and make your plans accordingly.
  3. Make sure everyone has the right clothing, food and equipment for all possible conditions.
  4. Give your gear (including your first aid kit) a thorough check and repair/replace anything that needs it.
  5. Take into account the experience and fitness of everyone in your party when planning your trip.
  6. Involve your whole party in the decision-making and making sure everyone is comfortable with the plans being made.
  7. Be respectful of other hunting parties and other backcountry users and share the landscape appropriately.

Prepare for the worst

  1. Carry an emergency communication device such as a distress beacon or satellite phone.
  2. Make sure you have a hard copy 1:50,000 topographical map (and compass) to supplement any mapping apps you may use on your phone.
  3. Respect the dynamic environment you are hunting in. Weather can change quickly and river levels can rise fast. Be prepared to wait out a swollen river or storm system.

Provide your intentions

  1. Leave your intentions with reliable family or friends, including:
    • Where you are going.
    • When you plan to get out.
    • Date and time to raise the alarm.

Positively identify your target

  1. Take firearm safety seriously, because even if you are hunting alone it is highly likely that other hunters will be around.
  2. If you are bush hunting it is a good idea for everyone in the party to wear blaze.
  3. Treat every firearm as loaded and if you are sharing a firearm, make sure the person carrying the firearm maintains responsibility for checking it is in the appropriate state of load.
  4. Positively identify your target. It is not good enough to ‘think’ what you are looking at it is a big stag, you need to ‘know’ it is.
  5. For more on firearm safety, check out the Seven Firearms Safety Rules.

Pick the right animal

  1. Improve future Roars by leaving younger males.
  2. Know how to identify and target mature males.
  3. If you are meat hunting or management hunting, target females.
  4. Learn more about how you as a hunter can contribute to game animal management through our Looking After Our Game Animals resource and, if you are hunting red deer, take a look at out NZ Red Stag Ageing Guide.
Food Safety

The safety of the wild food we harvest is critical to hunters. Find out how to manage the risk from eating meat from game animals here.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has recently released some simple guidelines for donating recreationally-harvested meat. This includes key considerations for both donating and receiving wild meat. The guidelines are available here.

Mountain Safety Council

The Mountain Safety Council (MSC) has some useful online resources to help hunters have a safe and successful time in the hills. Information on how to prepare for a trip, what gear to take and what to be aware of on your hunt are available here. MSC also have a series of videos and resources on basic firearms safety, here, as well as some general hunting safety videos here.

Hunter training

As well as our free online training programme, Better Hunting, the GAC has endorsed a number of training and safety programmes, including the NZDA HUNTS Programme, the NZ Bowhunter Education Course, the NZ Professional Hunting Guides Association Academy Course and the NZ Pig Hunting Association’s Code of Conduct.