White-tailed deer are found on Stewart Island/Rakiura and at the head of Lake Wakatipu. These are the only herds in the Southern Hemisphere. They are nicknamed the grey ghost due to their
elusiveness and are legendary for the challenge of hunting them. The rut runs from mid-April to June, but white-tailed deer are hunted all year round.
They are a smallish deer species with a light brown summer coat and a grey-brown winter coat with a white underside. Males (bucks) stand around 1m at the shoulder and weigh 50kg plus with females (does) lighter at 40kg plus. Only the males have antlers.
Stewart Island/Rakiura is an iconic hunting destination. An estimated 3,500 hunters travel to Rakiura annually to not only hunt, but to experience the unique and exciting Rakiura environment. Visiting hunters also provide an important contribution to the local economy.
On this page:
Valuing White-tailed Deer on Stewart Island/Rakiura
In June 2023 the Game Animal Council, with support from the Rakiura Hunter Camp Trust (RHCT), conducted a short survey of hunters to determine what white-tailed deer on Stewart Island/Rakiura and the hunting experience mean to the New Zealand hunting community.
Results of the survey not only inform our collective knowledge but also help those with decision-making responsibilities understand the value of the white-tailed deer hunting experience on Stewart Island/Rakiura to both the hunting community and as a significant source of visitors.
Thanks to everyone who participated.
If you are hunting on Stewart Island, please remember to submit your hunter report to the RHCT. This information is important for measuring the contribution of hunters to deer management on the island. Reports can be submitted here.
Predator Free Rakiura
Predator Free Rakiura is an island-wide predator eradication project aiming to eliminate rats, possums, feral cats and hedgehogs from Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Aerial toxic control operations occurred in 2025 to protect the pukunui/southern New Zealand dotterel and investigate the feasibility of possum, rat and feral cat eradication on the island, across 43,100 hectares of Rakiura.
As a result, Rakiura white-tailed deer were significantly impacted. The operations trialled the use of deer repellent and monitoring was undertaken by the Bioeconomy Science Institute (formally Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research). Results showed a 97% decrease in white-tailed deer activity where deer repellent was not applied and a 75% decrease in activity where the repellent was applied.
Advice previously provided by the GAC raised concerns about the likely impact of aerial toxins on white-tailed deer and that it is not legal to target deer using aerial toxins. 1080 operations have previously been found to cause significant mortality to deer and the Rakiura white-tailed herd was likely to be more susceptible due to their smaller body size and typical forest floor foraging behaviour. While the application of deer repellent appears to have slightly lowered the operation’s impact on deer where it was used, it still indicates that deer repellent is not effective for Rakiura white-tailed deer.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) has advised that predator control operations will be paused for the rest of the year while next steps are considered.
The GAC has been liaising with Predator Free Rakiura project leaders since mid-2024, raising concerns in relation to the impact of toxin use for predator control on the white-tailed deer, hunter and community values. New Zealand Deerstalkers Association, the Rakiura Whitetail Trust, and Rakiura Hunter Camps Trust have also been part of these discussions. We are committed to liaising with DOC and working with others to support a future where conservation values are protected, and a healthy white-tailed deer herd that provides quality hunting opportunities remains available on Rakiura.
Read more about the operations and their impact on the Rakiura white-tailed deer here.
Find out more:
- See hunting updates on the Predator Free Rakiura website here.
- See community updates on the Predator Free Rakiura website here.
- See the Predator Free Rakiura page on the DOC website here.
See previous updates from the GAC on Predator Free Rakiura here (PDF).
Rakiura Whitetail Trust
The Rakiura Whitetail Trust has been established to promote sustainable management of white-tailed deer on Stewart Island/Rakiura, balancing the cultural and economic value of hunting with ecosystem protection. This group will play a key role in helping to navigate the long road toward a balanced approach to predator control and deer management on Stewart Island/Rakiura.
To follow their work or get involved, visit their Facebook page.