WARO (wild animal recovery operations) is a commercial wild animal hunting concession, administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC) under the Wild Animal Control Act 1977 (the WAC Act).

WARO concessions allow helicopters to be used to hunt and recover wild animals on public conservation land. These animals or their related products are then sold on the local and international market.

Wild animals are defined in the WAC Act as deer (including wapiti or moose), tahr, chamois, wild pigs and goats. WARO is primarily used for red deer and wapiti.

Deer, tahr, chamois and wild pigs are also game animals under the Game Animal Council Act 2013.

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WARO history

Records show that wild animals were being aerially recovered for commercial purposes on public conservation land from the mid-1960s following the arrival of helicopters in New Zealand.

Recovery of wild animals peaked in 1971 and WARO concessions were formalised through the WAC Act in 1977.

While it has fluctuated over time, the market value for deer (live and carcasses) was extremely high between the 1960s and 1990s, encouraging high volumes of WARO. This showed that when game animals have a high market value, there is an increased commercial demand, resulting in reduced populations. Live capture of deer through WARO dropped off in the late 1980s. Most live capture of game animals is now for stocking of safari parks.

By the 1990s, deer populations were so low on public conservation land, that recreational hunters were limited in their ability to harvest wild game meat.

Gradually, the market value of deer decreased, the cost of operations and compliance increased, and consequently, the volume of WARO has reduced to approximately 15% of its peak in 1971.

The graph below depicts WARO volumes over time, including a period where WARO was temporarily halted due to toxin contamination in WARO meat that was intended for export.

Data held by Department of Conservation derived from MPI processing figures for all feral venison activity across all land types. The figures exclude deer processed for pet food.

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WARO drivers

Market prices for venison is the single largest driver for harvest decisions by WARO.

Aspects that influence WARO harvest include:

  • Weight or body size – larger animals like red deer and wapiti provide a higher return.
  • By-products – like velvet antler (plus larger body size) means that male animals provide higher return.
  • Cost and compliance – areas close to road access, processing facilities or operational bases incur less costs.
  • Land use – aerial recovery from private property can be more desirable than public conservation land as there may be higher volumes of animals, the geography of land is more conducive to recovery, and there may be lower transport and compliance costs.

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WARO benefits

In areas where WARO is practically and financially viable, it enables the economic value of game animals to be utilised, making it a sustainable management option.

WARO provides economic value through employment in roles such as operators, meat processors and retailers.

When it is carried out in accordance with game animal management principles (more on this below), WARO can achieve positive conservation and agricultural outcomes.

WARO is financially independent from Government funding, therefore reducing the cost of game animal management to the Government.

WARO can be undertaken on both private and public land, making it a suitable option for some private landholders who are wanting to manage game animals.

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WARO conflicts

Following the peak of WARO harvest in the 1970s, some conflicts emerged:

  1. Resentment that private profit is made from a public resource.
  2. Competition between recreational hunters and WARO for access to game animals.
  3. Recreational hunters being disturbed by WARO operating in the same area, at the same time.

While there has been a significant reduction in overall annual WARO harvest, there remains competition for male animals and high-value herds. This means that elements of historical conflict remain today.

Overall, recreational hunters support game animal harvest by WARO because it enables the value of game animals to be utilised. This support is extended only when WARO is done in a way that is considerate of recreational hunting experiences and opportunities.

The management of WARO requires improvement to enhance coordination of hunting measures, to reduce conflict and to maximise the contributions of both recreational hunting and WARO activities to managing game animal populations across New Zealand.

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WARO and game animal management

There are four key components to game animal management – social, financial, environmental, and biological.

They all interact with one another, so if one part in the system changes the other parts are also affected. For this reason, set management regimes are ineffective. Instead, game animals require adaptive management.

To achieve adaptive management, you must regularly consider a range of different factors such as:

  • Herd structure – high female ratios mean a high and often rapidly increasing population.
  • Value of the herd – to recreational hunters, the economy and the wider community.
  • Desired outcome – herd reduction, maintenance, increase or removal.
  • Land type/geography – topography, vegetation cover, and ease of access.
  • Funding available – ongoing adequate funding is required to be effective.
  • Legislation and public attitudes – legal mechanisms and support for management approach and methods.

WARO is an important management method to be considered within coordination of all hunting measures. However, the GAC and many others are of the view that that the current regime for managing WARO is not working for the industry, recreational hunting or conservation. This is because WARO is managed under a set regime, rather than through an adaptive management framework.

Including WARO within an adaptive management framework will support a reduction in hunter conflict, increased hunting opportunities for recreational hunters, a more stable WARO industry, and a more financially sustainable approach to game animal management in New Zealand.

The GAC advocates for a comprehensive review of how WARO is managed on public land, in order to seek the best outcomes for all of New Zealand, including WARO, within an adaptive management framework.

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Page last updated 10 December 2025