Overseas hunters
Introduction
What you need to know about importing firearms, New Zealand game animals, biosecurity, and how you're going to take a trophy out of New Zealand.Firearms
In New Zealand, the New Zealand Police are responsible for firearms licences and imports.
How to bring a firearm into New Zealand
Planning a hunting trip to New Zealand
Game animals
All game animals in New Zealand are introduced species.
- North and South Islands: red deer, fallow deer, pigs, goats, wild sheep
- North Island only: sika deer, rusa deer, sambar deer
- South Island only: whitetail deer, wapiti, tahr, chamois
- Stewart Island: whitetail deer, red deer
- Chatham Islands (primarily private property): wild sheep, pigs, wild cattle.
Guided hunting
Guided hunting experiences are available in New Zealand. We recommend you find a guided hunting experience through the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association.
Find a guided hunting experience
Hunting areas
The more you can learn about the intended hunting area the better your chances of success are.
Contact the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association to get local hunting information.
The DOC office nearest your hunting area will also be a good source of information.
Staying in huts
DOC manages an extensive network of huts and tracks throughout New Zealand, which hunters often use as accommodation.
Prevent the spread of pests and diseases
Protect New Zealand from the spread of unwanted pests and diseases.
- Chronic wasting disease – how to not bring chronic wasting disease with you
- Didymo – how to limit the spread of didymo
- Kauri dieback – how to limit the spread of kauri dieback (PTA)
Trophies and certificates of export
Certificates of Export are documents issued by DOC that provide assurance that the species of animal hunted are not protected under New Zealand legislation.
These documents are not required for export from New Zealand. However, many importing countries ask for documentation to provide this assurance.
