We’ve submitted our stance to DOC opposing any proposal to charge New Zealand’s recreational hunters for access to public conservation land—and we need your voice too! The deadline is this Friday, February 28th. This is our chance to protect the Kiwi hunting heritage we all cherish.
Why This Matters
The government’s plan to introduce access fees threatens our egalitarian ethos that all Kiwis have the ability, regardless of their financial means, to access our outdoors and go hunting. Public land has always been free for us to hunt, connect with nature, and put food on the table—especially vital in today’s cost-of-living crisis. Charging hunters risks pricing out families, reducing access for the average Kiwi, and even undermining our role in big game management. We say: fund conservation through international visitors, not local hunters who already contribute so much through taxes and volunteer effort. As we all know, hunting is conservation.
NZDA’s Position
No access charges for recreational New Zealand hunters—keep public land free, as promised in the Conservation Act.
Charge international visitors instead, via the existing tourism levy, known as the IVL. Protect hunters’ access to the backcountry to ensure we can keep supporting conservation, not face new barriers.
We’ve laid this out clearly in our submission, and now it’s your turn to have your say. Other submissions are in play, like the Arms Act reform consultation, but this one’s critical for recreational hunters. Don’t let DOC wedge in fees that could disconnect us from our land and legacy.
Take Action: Submit by 28 February 2025
We strongly encourage all members to review the proposals and submit their own responses. Keep it simple: tell DOC why free access matters to you as a hunter.
Make your submission by 28th Feb:
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Access Charges Overview and Discussion Document: https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/have-your-say/all-consultations/2024-consultations/exploring-charging-for-access-to-some-public-conservation-land/
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Complete your Submission Online Now: https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/have-your-say/all-consultations/2024-consultations/exploring-charging-for-access-to-some-public-conservation-land/submission-form/
Together, we can send a loud, clear message: “Say no to hunters paying for access!” Need inspiration? Feel free to refer to NZDA’s key points – click on the link to read the full NZDA submission.
Join and Support NZDA
Find and join a branch to get involved with promoting and protecting hunting in New Zealand! Search here.
https://www.deerstalkers.org.nz/join-and-support-us/branch-finder/