The 24,000 ha Kaimanawa Recreational Hunting Area (RHA) is located within the wider Kaimanawa Forest Park in the central North Island, east of Lake Taupō and Tūrangi. The Kaimanawa ranges are one of New Zealand’s most significant deer hunting regions, with large tracts of remote mountain terrain, river valleys, and extensive beech forest.

The Kaimanawa RHA was gazetted in 1982, in recognition of the sika herd. In 2026, the importance of the sika herd was formalised through the Game Animal Council Act 2013, with the establishment of the Sika Herd of Special Interest (HOSI). The Kaimanawa RHA sits within the Sika HOSI area, meaning sika in the RHA are legally managed through the Sika HOSI and the management of other game animal species remains through the RHA.

RHAs are areas of public conservation land where recreational hunters can enjoy and harvest from without commercial competition. They were formally gazetted between the early and mid-1980s, following the hugely successful commercial recovery boom.

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Plan your hunt

The GAC Better Hunting Multi-Map tool can help you plan a hunt in the Kaimanawa RHA. It’s a one-stop-shop for links to weather forecasting, vegetation, pesticide operations, access and more.

Kaimanawa RHA on Multi-Map

Species present

  • Sika
  • Red deer
  • Wild pigs

Permit required

The Kaimanawa RHA is covered by a Lower North Island open area hunting permit. You can get an open hunting permit here.

Key access points

Common access routes include:

  • Clements Mill Road off Taharua Road – includes a number of campsites.
  • Te Iringa Track – from Te Iringa Campsite.
  • Hinemaiaia Track – from Clements Roadend Campsite.
  • Oamaru Boyd Track
  • Maungaorangi Track

In addition to road-end and walking access, some hunters also use helicopter transport, where permitted.

Please refer to the WAMS maps (walking access) on the Multi-Map tool for more information on access.

Huts

The Kaimanawa Forest Park contains a network of huts managed by DOC. Huts that provide access to areas within the RHA include:

A number of private bookable huts on the edge of the RHA are also available through Helisika (info@helisika.co.nz).

Forest and terrain

The Kaimanawa RHA is dominated by mountain beech forest, which covers much of the mid-elevation country. In places, this transitions into areas of kānuka, mānuka and shrubland, particularly on more open sites.

At higher elevations, the forest gives way to subalpine scrub, tussock grasslands and open tops, with true alpine conditions present on the highest ridgelines and peaks. These open areas provide opportunities for glassing, particularly during the roar and in winter.

The terrain is typically steep and rugged, with a mix of narrow ridgelines, deep river valleys and large, remote basins. Hunting conditions vary from close, low-visibility bush stalking in the beech forest to more open hunting in the tops, depending on elevation and location.

Tips for hunting Kaimanawa RHA

The Kaimanawa RHA is centred on sika hunting, with Clements Mill Road providing one of the main access routes into northern Kaimanawa. Clements Mill Road is commonly referred to as a good starting point, with success often linked to slowing right down once fresh sign is found and getting beyond the most obvious hut-and road-accessed country.

Oamaru Hut is a well-known base for sika hunting, while Cascade Hut is also a useful starting point for reaching good hunting country. Hunting discussions around this area consistently notes that Oamaru Hut can be busy, particularly around March, so hunters often benefit from carrying camping gear and moving further away from the hut to reduce pressure.

Because hunting pressure can be high during the rut, especially around huts and popular access routes, hunters should take extra care to positively identify their target and remain aware of other parties in the area.

Dogs

A maximum of 1 dog per hunter is allowed in the Kaimanawa Forest Park. A separate permit is required from the Taupō or Tūrangi DOC office to use more than one dog. Kiwi and whio avoidance training is recommended.

Local NZDA branches

The strong advocacy of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) was key to the establishment of these areas and the creation of RHAs remains one of the important achievements of organised recreational hunting advocacy in New Zealand.

Local branches include:

Local DOC office

DOC Tūrangi: