Molesworth roar block system
Information for Molesworth roar block system for 2025.

Roar dates: Wednesday 12 March to Tuesday 15 April 2025.

Applications opened on Monday 14 October 2024. All roar blocks are now fully booked. Relinquished blocks will be made available for booking, check the Molesworth Roar 2025 availability calendar for further information.

Roar 2025 updates

To allow equal opportunity, only the party leader details need to be entered on each roar application.

The party leader applying must tick a box in the application form to confirm additional hunters/non-hunters and vehicles will be added to their permit.

The party leaders will be sent a link to add hunters/non-hunters and vehicles details at the time of their confirmation email.

Successful party leaders must confirm the details of their hunting party and vehicles by Friday 15 November 2024.

Blocks are allocated on a first in first served basis until all blocks are taken.

Important

Only one application per hunting party is allowed – a maximum of 8 people on each permit (6 hunters/non-hunters with the addition of 2 non-hunters per party per block).

No individual can be in more than one hunting party for any period, or your party will be disqualified.

Hunting period dates

The 2025 roar hunt for Molesworth will run for five periods. 

Available periods:

  • Period 1: Wednesday 12 March to Tuesday 18 March 2025
  • Period 2: Wednesday 19 March to Tuesday 25 March 2025
  • Period 3: Wednesday 26 March to Tuesday 1 April 2025
  • Period 4: Wednesday 2 April to Tuesday 8 April 2025
  • Period 5: Wednesday 9 April to Tuesday 15 April 2025

Roar process

Applications will only be accepted through the online application form. There will be no email bookings or paper application forms.

The application allows for four choices (combination of blocks and dates). They are processed by your first preferred block choice and your four referred dates. We then check your second preferred block choice against your four preferred dates. We continue to do this for your third and fourth block choice. There are 16 opportunities that may secure you a booking in the allocated options.

A confirmation email will be sent to all applications whether successful or unsuccessful once applications are processed.

Before you apply

  1. Read the Molesworth hunting permit conditions.
  2. Check the Molesworth Recreation Reserve hunting page for seasonal restrictions, closures, and pest control operations in place.
  3. Check the map to decide on your preferred blocks, know the block access and plan your travel.

Apply online

We have closed online applications as most blocks have been allocated. We will reopen applications if blocks are available once current roar applications have been processed.  

How to fill in your application

You will need to enter:

  • party leader name (full name as shown on firearms licence)
  • physical address, email address and contact number
  • your preferred blocks and know how to access that block
  • your preferred dates
  • vehicle details including registration, make, model, colour

You will need to tick a box to confirm you will add your hunting party details to your application.

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

Adding your hunting party details to your application

Successful party leaders will be required to submit their hunting party (hunters and non-hunters) and vehicles via the link included in their confirmation email.

Party leaders must confirm hunting party and vehicles details by Friday 15 November 2024. Details required include hunters and non-hunters full names (as shown on firearms licences for hunters), physical addresses, email address, phone numbers, vehicle makes and models, colours and registrations.

Each party member must be included on a permit (hunting or non-hunting) or the hunting party is in breach of the Molesworth hunting permit conditions.

Only one request for name/vehicle changes is allowed for successful block bookings. Submit your request before 30 January 2025. Changes submitted after this date may be denied.

Permit issuing

Permits will be emailed out a fortnight before the hunting date.

Second chance blocks

If you and your hunting party/group are unsuccessful you can apply again if blocks are available – this will be advised on our website. Note: Any blocks that are relinquished will not be offered to the next applicant in the processing queue as in previous years.

Remaining blocks available for booking will be updated on the Molesworth Roar 2025 availability calendar.

In previous years roar applications have been in high demand. Allow time for the availability calendar to be updated.

Roar block maps

There are 20 blocks available.

Overview map – all Molesworth hunting blocks (PDF, 2,780K) 

Check the maps and access to the blocks before applying:

What you need to know

Only one hunting party can be present in each of the blocks, for each period (see date periods).

Holding a hunting permit does not guarantee sole use of the area. Other recreational users such as trampers, horse trekkers or mountain bikers may be present in any area, at any time.

Identify your target before shooting.

Administration fee

At this stage no administration fee will be charged for blocks, although this fee may be introduced in future ballots to cover the costs associated with administering the roar block system.

Contact

DOC Customer Service Centre
Phone 0800 275 362
Email molesworthhunting@doc.govt.nz
Address DOC offices