Aerially-assisted trophy hunting (AATH)

Introduction

To use a helicopter to carry out aerially assisted trophy hunting, either commercially or for personal gain, you must have a concession from DOC.

Aerially assisted trophy hunting (AATH), also known as heli-hunting, involves flying recreational hunters and their guides into high country areas, actively searching for trophy animals, ground stalking and shooting of the wild animal and its recovery by helicopter.

AATH concessions do not provide approval for the live capture of wild animals. This can be authorised under a separate permit. There is also an environmental offset requirement, under DOC direction, to increase wild animal control. See the AATH permit sample for more information.

Find out how to apply for a concession below. 

Pre-application meeting 

Applying for a permission for the first time can be a little tricky. To ensure your application goes smoothly we advise you to contact us for a pre-application chat or meeting. We’ll help you to:

  • Understand the permission you will need to apply for.
  • Navigate our statutory planning documents, so you can consider whether the activity you wish to undertake is consistent with them.
  • Understand DOC’s responsibility to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, which requires consultation with Treaty Partners on most applications, unless for pre-approved blocks.
  • If you wish, DOC can help you contact the local iwi, hapū, and whānau to assess whether your proposed activity will have any cultural effects. Often this consultation can enhance the activity you are considering.

Type of concession 

If you plan to undertake AATH you will need to apply for an AATH permit.

Locations of AATH activity

You will need to identify the locations for your AATH activity on application form 8a (link below). The 2022-2025 permit identifies 62 pre-approved blocks in the South Island that have been assessed as suitable for AATH activity under that permit period. See location maps.

If you wish to apply for any or all of these locations, simply note the block(s) in section F on the application form.

You can also apply for AATH activity on public conservation land that sits outside of the 2022-2025 pre-approved blocks. However, if applying for a new location, you will need to include enough information about the location and your activity to enable a full assessment to be carried out by DOC when processing your application. Your application may require public notification and will cost more to process than pre-approved blocks. 

Note, the 2022-2025 permits expire on 31 May 2025. Applications made near to expiry may have to wait until the outcome of a ‘review’ of blocks and permit conditions is known.

Apply for your concession

Find out more

Find out more about the process and how to prepare your application.

Timeframe

Complex applications could take a number of months to be processed. For applications that include new locations (beyond the 62 pre-approved blocks) the timeframe will be determined on a case by case basis.

How long it takes to process an application

Fees

We will invoice you once we have processed your application. The cost of your application will depend on the areas you apply for. The standard fee which applies to the 2022–2025 blocks is:

  • $400 plus GST ($460 including GST) for 1-10 blocks
  • plus an additional $115 plus GST ($132.25 including GST) for each additional  10 blocks

If you apply for one or more new locations (beyond the 62 pre-approved land blocks) you will be charged the cost of processing your application. Processing costs are calculated on an hourly rate basis and are payable whether your application is granted or declined. An estimate will be provided to you once you have applied.

You will also be required to pay applicable ongoing concession fees.

Safety plan 

As part of your application you will need a safety plan.  

AATH permit 

See our 2022–2025 AATH permit sample (PDF, 383K) for an example of what your permit will look like and the conditions it will set out.  

Location maps: 2022–2025 permit

Overview: AATH 2022-2025 permit blocks (PDF, 6,234K)

Roar and tahr ballot areas overlay maps

Contact us

For more information or assistance with your aerially-assisted trophy hunting concession contact permissionsupdates@doc.govt.nz.