Herds of New Zealand

A field atlas of New Zealand's game herds and their seasons

Kaimanawa Forest ParkKaweka Forest Park CharlesDoonLooking GlassStillwaterStina BurnGeorge RiverWapiti RiverLight RiverWild NativesLower GlaisnockLugar BurnNarrows CreekLarge BurnMt TanilbaWhitewaterLake KatherineCatseyeEdithMt LongsightDark RiverUpper GlaisnockLoch BurnMid BurnBilly BurnWorsley Aoraki/Mount Cook National ParkArthur's Pass National ParkMount Aspiring National ParkWestland Tai Poutini National ParkNorthern exclusion zoneSouthern exclusion zoneMU1MU2MU3MU4 AMU4 BMU5MU6MU7 AMU7 BMU7 C Kaniere & Greymouth red deerNelson & Buller red deerNorth Fiordland red deerSouth Fiordland red deerRakiura red deerOtago red deerRakaia red deerPoulter red deerPomahaka–Lammerlaw red deerCatlins red deerNelson fallowPaparoa fallowHunter Hills fallowGreenstone–Caples fallowWakatipu east fallowBlue Mountains fallowSouth Kaipara fallowWanganui fallowWakatipu whitetailRakiura whitetailFiordland wapitiKaimanawa & Kaweka sikaTe Urewera rusaManawatū–Whanganui sambarBay of Plenty sambarKaweka red deerRuahine red deerTararua red deerTe Urewera red deerKaimai red deerWaimate Bennett's wallabyRotorua dama wallaby

Seasons

Species seasons

  • Red stag: best March to April, the roar.
  • Wapiti bull: best March to April, the bugle.
  • Sika stag: best April to May, the rut.
  • Fallow buck: best April to May, the rut.
  • Arapawa ram: all year.
  • Feral goat: best June to August.
  • Bull tahr: best May to July, winter mane.
  • Chamois: best May to June, winter coat.
  • Feral boar: best December to February.
  • Sambar stag: best June to August, the rut.
  • Rusa stag: best July to August, the rut.
  • Whitetail buck: best May, the rut.
  • Wallaby: no seasonal restriction; spring is favourable (DOC).

Choose a portrait, a season or a place on the map; the other two follow. Bright bands are the peak, the rut or the roar; pale bands are good months either side.