Haast roar block ballot system

Introduction

Find out about the Haast roar block ballot system for hunting red deer in the Haast area.

On this page:

Roar 2025 updates
Hunting period dates
Ballot process
How to fill out your application
Restricted blocks
Overview maps and individual block maps
Aircraft concessionaires
Permit conditions
Know before you go
Contact

This ballot is to ensure hunters have access to an area, with the knowledge that only one hunting party will be in each of the blocks for a seven-day period.

Hunters using a firearm must abide by the New Zealand Police Arms Code and the Arms Act 1983 and have a valid firearms licence.

Roar 2025 updates

  • In 2024 DOC undertook an unplanned predator control operation in the Haast and Landsborough valleys. As this occurred post the ballot process, it impacted hunters who had been successfully allocated sites. Hunters were offered the option to postpone their allocation to the 2025 ballot, accordingly several blocks and periods will be unavailable in the ballot.
  • A one-off non-refundable fee of $40 will be charged for each application.
  • Children / youths may not apply unless over 16 and holding a valid firearms licence.
  • Bow hunters wanting to apply in the ballot do not require a valid firearms licence but must adhere to the minimum bow hunting criteria. Bow and cross bow hunting 
  • Party leaders:
    • can only enter one application. Note: Anyone caught entering mulitple times will have all applications removed from the ballot and will forfeit their application fees. 
    • who apply for a ballot must be intending to hunt the block with their party.
    • are responsible for all party members adhering to permit conditions.

Important: Party leaders applying and successfully gaining a ballot on the behalf of others but have no intention of attending will not be tolerated. Party leaders and members found doing this will have all permits cancelled.

Ensure all correspondence or enquiries for the Haast roar hunting ballot are sent to haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz

Hunting period dates

In 2025, the roar ballot hunting periods will run from Sunday 23 March 2025 to Saturday 19 April 2025.

Available periods:

  • Period 1 – Sunday 23 March to Saturday 29 March
  • Period 2 – Sunday 30 March to Saturday 5 April
  • Period 3 – Sunday 6 April to Saturday 12 April
  • Period 4 – Sunday 13 April to Saturday 19 April

Ballot process

Apply

Applications closed 4 pm Monday 30 September 2024.

All applicants will be notified by email of the outcome of the draw by Monday 14 October 2023. If you haven’t been contacted by this date, email haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz or phone 03 750 0809.

Confirmation form returns close 4 pm Monday 28 October 2024.

Confirmation forms are emailed out as part of the successful email notification process.

If you need to update your party details, do so on this form and return by email. All successful ballot holders must respond by email that they accept the ballot. Unconfirmed blocks will be cancelled and made available for rebooking by other parties.

Second chance draw

Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification by email with dates that they can re-apply for any of the unconfirmed blocks. These blocks will be available online to parties that were unsuccessful in the Ballot draw via a special link on their unsuccessful email notification and on a first-in first-served basis at no charge. These blocks must also be confirmed.

How to fill out your application

You have a choice of four blocks and four period dates, you can make a combination of choices:

  • one block for four different dates
  • four blocks for one period date
  • combination of blocks and period dates.

Make sure you use all your choices to increase your chance of being successful.

Tick the boxes with your selections, click add all at the bottom of the page this will then take you to the preference page, choose the order of preference of your blocks 1-4, this is the order we work through your application, 1 being your first choice, 4 the last choice.

The next page will ask for your party details, make sure you accept the terms and conditions then click proceed to take you to the payment screen. You will receive an email receipt confirming your application entry if none is received contact the Haast Hunting Ballot Team with your query.

Enter your application early, every season we get an estimated one/fifth of our entries on the last day, clogging up the system.

Permit issuing

Roar block permits will be issued by email over the month of February. All party members must be listed on the Restricted Hunting Permit.

If you need to make any changes to your party members, contact haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz for us to update your permit.

You don’t need to apply for an Open Area Hunting Permit if you are named on the Roar Block Permit.

Restricted blocks

There are 65 restricted blocks available for allocation by ballot draw. These are limited to one party per block for a 7-day period (Sunday to the following Saturday) as indicated in the period dates above. In most instances, Sunday is your first full day to hunt and Saturday is the party change over day.

Note: Open block hunting areas have been incorporated into year-round open hunting areas. You must hold an Open Area Hunting Permit to hunt on Public Conservation Land outside of your restricted roar block permit.

Overview maps and individual hunting blocks

Haast roar block maps.

Huts

Several roar blocks have DOC huts located within their boundaries. See the hut pages below, fees are payable at all huts except for the 'basic' category.

Hunting parties don’t have sole rights to use these huts during the permit period but you need to prepare to share with other users e.g. trampers, fisherman etc.

Aircraft concessionaires

List of approved aircraft operators (PDF, 418K)

Helicopter landing 

Blocks falling within Mount Aspiring National Park have designated landing sites solely to enable access for the Roar Hunting Periods. Landing anywhere except these sites is strictly prohibited.

Permit conditions

Please report any rubbish or poorly left campsites to haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz so they can be followed up with the permit holders and a campsite inspection may be undertaken.

Hunters are reminded of their hunting permit conditions and to remove all rubbish and camping gear when leaving the area including all string, tarps, polythene, camping chairs, clotheslines, bottles, cans etc. No structures other than tents are to be erected and all evidence of camping removed. If you take something in with you then you must take it out with you when you leave. To encourage full utilisation of the hunting blocks, any applicants who do not comply with the requirements of the ballot or hunting permit system will jeopardise their future participation.

Track cutting is strictly prohibited.

Under the Conservation Act a fine not exceeding $100,000 can be imposed if proven/discovered (felling live trees).

Know before you go

Dogs

A dog permit is required for public conservation land and can be obtained up to a week prior from the DOC Haast Visitor Centre or office.

Dogs are not permitted in national parks/wildlife refuges or the Haast Tokoeka Kiwi Sanctuary.

1080 operations

It is your responsibility to check current online pesticide summaries for the area/block you’re hunting.

View a map of 1080 operations for Haast roar blocks (JPG, 5,485K)

Identify your target – Special permit conditions

There have been situations in the past where hunters have shot cattle on farmland adjoining hunting blocks. It is important if you have special conditions on your permit to advise the land holder of your intentions.

The permit holder is also reminded that under their permit conditions, hunting during the hours of darkness is prohibited.

Be aware that there may be other people in your block who also have right of access to public land. This could include trampers, anglers, farmers, DOC field staff, possum hunters and many others.

Contact

For any other information about hunting in the Haast area during the roar period, email haasthuntingballot@doc.govt.nz

Previous roar application information

See the roar ballot overview for information on the statistics of previous roar ballots, including the most popular blocks applied for.

Roar ballot overview 2023-24 (XLSX, 23K)

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