National Wild Goat Hunting Competition

Introduction

The wild goat hunting competition is back for 2024. Compete for over $70,000 worth of prizes and help protect the environment.

It’s wild goat hunting season. Targeting wild goats will help get numbers down. Wild goats are abundant throughout New Zealand and do serious damage to farmlands and the natural environment.

Date: 1 August – 26 November. Entries close at midnight on 26 November 2024.

Location: Nationwide – on both public and private land if you have the appropriate permissions and permits.

How to enter: Take your goat tail or head into an entry location to enter.

All goat tails and goat heads entered must be wild and taken legally, recreationally, and humanely during the competition period.

Wild goat heads can only be taken to the Dunedin Hunting & Fishing store or any New Zealand Deerstalker Association (NZDA) branch.

Entry locations: Find an entry location near you.

Competition rules: Read the competition rules.

Competition categories and prizes

We have over $70,000 worth of prizes donated by the hunting and outdoor sector.

Category	Entry criteria	Prize pack - approximate value $5,000-$7,000
Got Your Goat	Enter just one wild goat tail and go in the draw to win.	One spot prize pack containing: $2,000 Hunting & Fishing voucher Nocpix Lumi L35 worth $2,999 $1,500 Huntech voucher Bushnell’s new R-Series Bushnell R3 10x42mm binocular and Bushnell R3 3-9x40mm rifle scope
Great Goat Round Up	The more wild goat tails entered, the more chances to win. Win one of three epic spot prize packs.	Three spot prize packs: Pack 1: A fully catered wild game banquet dinner for yourself and 4x family/friends – hosted by the NZ Hunter team at their South Island base. Flights and accommodation included Meater Plus Bluetooth Meat Probe $279.99 $500 Huntech voucher Pack 2: Traeger Ironwood 885 $1,500 Huntech voucher Meater Plus Bluetooth Meat Probe Personal locator beacon $500 Back Country Cuisine voucher Pack 3: Nocpix Lumi H35 worth $4,250 $2,000 Hunting & Fishing Voucher $1,000 Huntech voucher Personal locator beacon
NZDA’s G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Time)	Wild goat head with the largest Douglas Score. Heads can only be entered at a NZDA branch.	InfiRay FH35R V2 LRF Monocular worth $4,799 $1,500 Huntech voucher Meater Plus Bluetooth Meat Probe
Junior Goat Round Up	For hunters 18 years or under – the more wild goat tails entered, the more chances to win. Win one of three epic spot prize packs.	Three spot prize packs: Pack 1: A guided hunt worth $5,000 with a member of the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association (NZPHGA) on private property for 1 junior hunter and 1 adult. Duration: 2 days, 2 nights, arrive midday on a Friday, depart afternoon on the Sunday. Included: All meals and accommodation, airport transfers (if needed), cabin or lodge accommodation. Hunting options: 1 management male animal + 1 meat animal OR up to four meat animals. Excess meat to be donated to charity. Hunting dates to be agreed upon between winner and the NZPHGA for a suitable time in 2025. Target species: Red deer / fallow deer etc, at the discretion of our member donating. $500 Huntech voucher Pack 2: $2,500 Hunting & Fishing voucher Nocpix Lumi 13 worth $1,399 $500 Huntech Voucher Pack 3: $1,500 Huntech voucher $1,500 Back Country Cuisine voucher $1,000 Hunting & Fishing voucher Bushnell’s new R-Series Bushnell R3 10x42mm binocular and Bushnell R3 3-9x40mm riflescope with DOA QBR reticle Personal locator beacon
Junior G.O.A.T.	For hunters 18 years or under – wild goat head with largest Douglas Score.	One spot prize pack containing: Nocpix Lumi 19 worth $2,199 $1,500 Huntech voucher $1,000 Back Country Cuisine voucher Personal locator beacon Bushnell’s new R-Series Bushnell R3 10x42mm binocular and Bushnell R3 3-9x40mm riflescope with DOA QBR reticle
Monthly Spot Prizes	Enter just one wild goat tail and be in to win.	Monthly spot prizes valued at approximately $800. Prizes include Huntech vouchers, Back Country Cuisine meals, InfiRay Optics NZ merchandise, and a Meater Plus Bluetooth Meat Probe.
The Goat-Free Zone	People who register their interest for land to be hunted go in the draw to win. Note: NZDA members have full insurance, and this landowner and hunter agreement (PDF, 721K) can be used to give people who farm full assurance their property will be treated with respect.	One spot prize pack containing: $2,500 Hunting & Fishing voucher $1,500 Huntech voucher Meater Plus Bluetooth Meat Probe Personal locator beacon Bushnell’s new R-Series Bushnell R3 10x42mm binocular and Bushnell R3 3-9x40mm riflescope with DOA QBR reticle

NZDA branch entries prizes

If you enter at a NZDA branch you can win the below prizes from Hunting & Fishing as well as going in the national prize draw.

Category	Entry criteria	Prize pack - approximate value $100-150
Goat your goat	Enter just one wild goat tail and go in the draw to win a prize pack from Hunting & Fishing NZ.	Medium rifle bag, 126-piece first aid kit, and carabiner mug
Great Goat Round Up	The more wild goat tails entered the more chances to win.	$100 gift voucher
NZDA’s G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Time)	Wild goat head with the largest Douglas Score.	Gerber Randy Newburg DTS, and a Lanksy Quick Fix
Junior Goat Round Up	18 years or under more wild goat tails entered, the more chances to win.	Traverse TR5R Headlamp
Junior G.O.A.T.	18 years or under wild goat head with largest Douglas Score.	65L Barrel Bag

Read about Douglas Score Trophy scoring.

2024 sponsors

Founding sponsor Hunting & Fishing.

Major sponsors Huntech, Nocpix.

Supporting sponsors Traeger Grills, Backcountry Cuisine, NZ Hunter, Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority, Bushnell, New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association.

Practise safe, ethical, and humane hunting

Always follow:

Hunters must follow the Firearms Safety Code.

More information on firearms safety can be found at the NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) website.

All wild goats must be taken legally and humanely. It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to wilfully or recklessly ill-treat a wild animal or an animal in a wild state.

Where to hunt wild goats

Talk to your local NZDA branch or local DOC office about hunting in your local area.

See the map for wild goat distribution and where the goat entry points are located across New Zealand – Wild goat distribution map (PDF, 5,993K)

You can use the hunting block search function to find hunting areas that have wild goats on public conservation land. Search for a hunting block that has wild goats.

For more information on hunting wild goats and for some hunting tips, see wild goats or visit NZDA’s website.

Know the area you are hunting in

Be aware of the boundaries of hunting areas – livestock may be present. Note that wild goats are often seen in places where you are not allowed to hunt like on road edges, train tracks, river, and road reserves.

Be visible, take appropriate equipment, check the weather, and let someone know where you are going. Identify your target beyond doubt, and make sure your shooting background is safe (not towards skylines).

Be careful in steep terrain or flooded waterways, if in doubt do not retrieve the goat and take a picture instead. Don’t take any risks with steep terrain or flooded waterways to retrieve goat tails.

Get permission to hunt each time you visit

To find out whether land might be private, check out the outdoor access maps.

Make sure you have permission to enter, and you have a clear understanding when and where you will be hunting with the landowner or land manager.

Follow these guidelines when asking for permission to hunt on private land. Ask if it is necessary to notify neighbouring properties so they are not concerned if they hear rifle shots or see hunters.

There is usually a reason why access is denied. Be aware of seasonal farming activities like lambing, be fire safe, take home any rubbish, consider others in the backcountry, and respect the wishes of landowners and facilities provided.

Any restrictions around hunting dogs should be followed. Hunters using dogs should be aware of information about hunting with dogs. Bring a first aid kit for your dog as well as yourself.

The competition is brought to you by the Department of Conservation and the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association.

Supported by Federated Farmers of NZ, Hunting & Fishing, and Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority

Contact

For more information email: wildanimalmanagement@doc.govt.nz.