The Lake Sumner Recreational Hunting Area (RHA) is located within the wider Lake Sumner Forest Park in North Canterbury, inland from the Hurunui District and north-west of Christchurch.

The area sits between the Lewis Pass highway and the main divide, north of Lake Sumner, providing relatively accessible alpine and valley hunting country within the Canterbury high country.

RHAs are areas of public conservation land where recreational hunters can enjoy and harvest meat 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 Lake Sumner RHA. It’s a one-stop-shop for links to weather forecasting, vegetation, pesticide operations, access and more.

Lake Sumner RHA on Multi-Map

Species present

Lake Sumner is a well-known red deer hunting area. The deer in the area are believed to originate from a mix of Poulter and Lewis Pass/Molesworth bloodlines.

Other species present:

  • Wild pigs
  • Chamois

Permit required

The Lake Sumner RHA is covered by a DOC open area hunting permit. You can get an open hunting permit here.

Key access points

The Lake Sumner RHA benefits from being relatively accessible compared with many other South Island backcountry hunting areas.

Access to the northern part of the RHA is via Lewis Pass Highway (SH7), including access to various carparks and tracks:

  • Windy Point
  • Doubtful River track
  • Nina Valley Track
  • Mt Norma Access Track
  • Deer Valley Campsite
  • Lewis Tops Track

Access to the southern part of the RHA can be from either the Lake Sumner Road including the track around the northern side of Lake Sumner and Harper Pass Track, or the Windy Point carpark, which is on the Lewis Pass Highway (SH7).

You may want to consider vehicle safety when deciding your transit options. The Boyle Lodge has parking, shuttle, and accommodation services available.

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

Huts

Lake Sumner Forest Park contains a number of huts managed by DOC that provide for multi-day trips in and around the RHA and surrounding catchments.

Huts in the RHA or bordering the RHA (north to south):

Forest and terrain

The Lake Sumner RHA is characterised by a mix of alpine tops, subalpine basins and broad river valleys typical of the Canterbury high country.

Lower elevations are dominated by mountain beech forest, with pockets of kānuka and mānuka in drier areas. Valley floors and river terraces often open out into grasslands, scrub and regenerating shrubland, providing areas where deer like to feed.

Above the bushline, the terrain transitions to tussock grasslands, herbfields and exposed alpine tops, with extensive ridgelines and basins that provide good opportunities for glassing.

The area includes several major river systems and catchments, including the Hurunui, Hope, Nina and Doubtful Rivers, which shape the landscape and provide natural travel corridors for both hunters and game.

Terrain ranges from relatively gentle valley systems to steep, rugged faces and bluffs in places, particularly in the upper catchments and alpine areas.

Tips for hunting Lake Sumner RHA

Lake Sumner RHA is well known for red deer hunting.

Because the area is relatively close to road ends, it receives regular hunting pressure, so hunters after a decent stag may wish to travel further into the RHA or using less obvious access routes.

The open tops and valley systems provide opportunities for glassing animals, while bush country in the valleys is good for slow, careful stalking.

Deer numbers in the area appear relatively high, which can affect habitat condition and overall herd quality. Targeting hinds helps reduce population growth and supports improved animal condition, antler development, and overall hunting quality over time.

Anecdotally the number of pigs has increased in recent years with a lot of evidence of rooting. Chamois, in low numbers, can be found on the tops.

Lake Sumner Forest Park is also a popular tramping, fishing and horse-trekking area. It is therefore important that hunters are aware of this, share the area responsibly and do not discharge firearms near tracks, huts and road-ends. The southern part of the RHA, specifically the Hope Kiwi Track, is part of the Te Araroa Trail.

Dogs

Dogs are not permitted in Lake Sumner RHA or wider Forest Park.

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 visitor centre

Arthur’s Pass National Park Visitor Centre