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Hunting Licence Info
Fish & Game's game bird hunting licences are valid for use throughout New Zealand (except in the Chatham Islands).
Your licence is a permit to hunt for game birds in accordance with the regulations governing the Fish & Game New Zealand region in which you are fishing. It does not grant or imply any right of access over land. If you want to walk over private land, please first get the permission of the land occupier.
YOU MUST PURCHASE AND SIGN YOUR LICENCE BEFORE YOU GO FISHING OR HUNTING. You must then have your licence with you whenever you are fishing or hunting or carrying assembled fishing or hunting gear.
Licences are not upgradable, exchangeable or refundable.
Report lost or stolen licences to your local Fish and Game office and they'll issue you with a replacement.
You can view more information on game bird hunting licence categories, terms and conditions and hunting licence FAQs below.
Hunting Licence Costs:
Whole Season:
Game Whole Season Adult $ 88.00
Game Whole Season Junior $ 19.00
Game Whole Season Child [free] but $2 Habitat Stamp fee
Day: (valid from 14.05.2012)
Game Day Adult $ 19.00
Game Day Junior $ 6.00
Age categories:
Adult: 18+ yrs on 05.05.2012
Junior: 12-17 yrs on 05.05.2012
Child: under 12 yrs on 05.05.2012
Hunting Licence Categories:
Day licence means a licence that entitles the holder to hunt or kill game after the second Sunday of the new season opening during 1 day in the open season for game inclusive in: (a) the region for which the licence is issued; and (b) all other regions
Child Licence means a licence for a person aged under 12 years on the first day of the season opening (first Saturday in May). A child licence is free, but they must pay $2.00 to cover the costs of the Habitat Stamp
Junior Licence means a licence for a person aged 12 years or over, but under 18 years on the first day of the season opening (first Saturday in May).
Whole-Season Licence means a licence that entitles the holder to hunt or kill game at any time during the open season for game in: (a) the region for which the licence is issued; and (b) all other regions
- Non Toxic Shot Regulations
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- In which areas will non-toxic shot be required?
Non toxic shot will be required within 200m of water bodies over 3 metres wide of all PUBLIC AREAS (such as DoC land and lakes, Fish & Game areas, harbours) and all PRIVATE LAND (all wetlands and ponds).
All hunters are required to use non-toxic shot - this includes landowners/occupiers who can also hunt on their own land.
- Can I go hunting for pheasant with lead?
- Yes. The rules allow for upland game hunting (pheasant, quail) with lead. The reason behind this is that waterfowl are susceptible to lead poisoning through uptake of lead pellets - with lead normally being concentrated in or around shallow ponds, wetlands, and on the edges of deeper ponds. For upland game, the spread of lead shot is much more diffuse and spent pellets are distributed over a wider area - making them less likely to be picked up by birds. Quail also select for a smaller grit size than most pellets used - therefore are less likely to be affected.
- If I am going duck hunting first and then trying for some pheasants in the same area, can I use steel for ducks and then lead for pheasants?
- No. The rules will relate to the possession of lead for waterfowl hunting - so you can't chop and change in the field. if you are going duck hunting it's non-toxic shot eg steel shot, if you are hunting pheasants you can use either steel (or other non-toxic shot) or lead shot, if you are hunting both ducks and pheasant then its non-toxic only. However, you cannot simply say you were hunting pheasant. It will be up to you to show the ranger that you are indeed hunting pheasant - no duck callers, no ducks hanging off your belt, etc and if you're sitting in the maimai with full camo gear... "I'm waiting for pheasants to fly past" won't wash either.
- Can I still go paddock shooting with lead shot for ducks and geese?
- There is a provision to allow for paddock (including maize stubble) shooting with lead shot - if you are more than 200m from a waterbody over 3 metres wide you can still use lead shot for hunting. The reasoning behind this is to allow opportunity for hunting species in high numbers that could be adversely affecting crops. In allowing this exception it does open up difficulties in specifying regulations but the rule will be - you can use lead shot if you're more than 200m from water greater than 3 metres wide (ie in most practical situations if can't jump across the water in your red band gumboots). Examples: Must be more than 200m away to be able to use lead from: ~ any lakes, ponds, streams or water bodies wider than three metres; including ~ Drains wider than 3m ~ Shallow lagoon less than (for example) 10cm deep, but wider than 3 metres. Can use lead within 200m of drain: ~ less than 2m wide . ~ a temporary puddle in paddock under 3 metres wide
- Can I still use lead with my 20 gauge?
- Yes, the ban applies to 10 and 12 gauge. The exemption remains for smaller gauge guns. For those people who wish to continue hunting using muzzle loading guns, regional Fish and Game Councils will consider applications for an exemption to allow the continued use of lead shot for those guns on a case by case and gun specific basis.
- I am still unsure whether I can use lead when hunting gamebirds. What are the key questions to ask myself:
- Am I hunting with a 10 or 12 gauge?
- Am I hunting waterfowl?
- Am I within 200 metres of a waterbody? (see "200 metre rule test" for explanation of "waterbody'')
If the answer is YES to ALL three questions then you should not have any lead shot with you.
- Hunting Licences
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- What types of hunting licences are there? What do they cost?
Game Hunting Licence Types and Prices
Whole Season
- Game Whole Season Adult $ 88.00
- Game Whole Season Junior $ 19.00
- Game Whole Season Child [free] but $2 Habitat Stamp fee
Day (valid from 14.05.2012)
- Game Day Adult $ 19.00
- Game Day Junior $ 6.00
Age categories
Adult: 18+ yrs on 05.05.2012
Junior: 12-17 yrs on 05.05.2012
Child: under 12 yrs on 05.05.2012
Please note:
- There is a $2 game bird habitat stamp fee included in the above prices
- There is a $5 booking fee for call centre licence applications. To avoid this fee, buy your licence online.
- How old do you have to be to purchase an "adult" or "junior" game licence?
Adults: 18yrs + on 05.05.2012
Junior: 12-17yrs on 05.05.2012- When can I use a game day licence?
- After the second weekend of the season. For 2012, this was from 14th May onwards.
- What is the game bird habitat stamp fee for?
- The fee is payable for a habitat stamp which is supplied with every licence to hunt or kill game. These fees and the net revenue from the sale of game bird habitat stamps and associated products sold by NZ Post are paid to the New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust Board. The function of the Board is primarily to improve New Zealand’s game bird habitat and secondarily to improve the habitat of other wildlife (see the Board’s website for details, including how to apply for grants to improve your own game bird habitats).
- Do Land Holders Need a Licence to Hunt Waterfowl on Their Own Property?
Generally, you do not need a licence to hunt ducks on your own property.
Under section. 19 (3) of the Wildlife Act 1953 “…the occupier of any land, and the wife, husband, civil union partner, or de facto partner and any one son or daughter of the occupier, may, during an open season, hunt or kill on that land without a licence (but subject to all other restrictions imposed by or under this Act) any game that may lawfully be hunted or killed under a licence in the district within the boundaries of which that land is situated.” Note that the Act allows for hunting by three people; the occupier, his/her wife/husband and one son or daughter.
Section19(4)(a) outlines who qualifies as an “occupier”, and s.19(4)(b) what needs to be done if there are more than one “occupiers”
Fish & Game is looking for ways to communicate with land occupiers who hunt on their own land so that they may be kept up to date with regulations, developments in the sport, and other aspects of interest to hunters.
Our licence holders receive a free copy of the special issue Fish & Game magazine prior to each season, and of course pick up a regulation booklet with their licences.
If you are a “land occupier hunter”, and would like to receive complementary copies of the magazine, regulations and/or a copy of our electronic newsletter Both Barrels, please let us know.
- I qualify as the occupier and will hunt the home farm without a licence: Can I also hunt my run-off which is 30km away?
- You can PROVIDED your home farm and you run-off are farmed in conjunction with one another. That is, they are not separate farming entities.
- I qualify as the occupier but do not hunt. Can I nominate someone else to hunt without a licence?
- No.
- I own a farm property, but live in town, can I hunt game birds on my farm without a licence?
- No, as pursuant to Section 19(4) of the Wildlife Act the farm has to be your permanent, principal or only place of residence.
- Do I need any other licence to hunt game?
- A firearm licence. You require a firearms licence to possess a firearm. Any person who is of or over the age of 16 years may apply to the New Zealand Police for a firearms licence. (Arms Act 1983, s23). Unless you are under direct supervision – in that case a person who has a firearms licence can directly supervise another hunter – be they juniors, or adults. Direct supervision means to be within a short distance to see what the person is doing with the gun at all times.
- A permit to carry a firearm onto land administered by the Department of Conservation if you hunt on Department of Conservation administered land. These are obtainable from DoC, or Fish & Game.
- A firearm licence. You require a firearms licence to possess a firearm. Any person who is of or over the age of 16 years may apply to the New Zealand Police for a firearms licence. (Arms Act 1983, s23). Unless you are under direct supervision – in that case a person who has a firearms licence can directly supervise another hunter – be they juniors, or adults. Direct supervision means to be within a short distance to see what the person is doing with the gun at all times.
- Which game bird species do I require a Fish & Game Licence to hunt?
Game Birds: The Wildlife Act 1953 schedule 1 defines the following species as wildlife declared to be game birds:
- Black swan (Cygnus atratus) (except on Chatham Islands)
- Chukar (Alectoris chukar): except on Chatham Islands
- Duck:
- Australasian shoveler (Anas rhynchotis)
- Grey duck (Anas superciliosa) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
- Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
- Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata)
- Partridge:
- Grey partridge (Perdix perdix): except on Chatham Islands
- Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa rufa): except on Chatham Islands
- Pheasant—
- any bird, not being a domestic bird, of the genus Phasianus and any cross of any such bird with any other species, variety, or kind of pheasant: except on Chatham Islands
- Pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus) (except on Chatham Islands).
- Quail—
- Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus): except on Chatham Islands
- Brown quail (Coturnix ypsilophora): except on Chatham Islands
- California quail (Callipepla californica): except on Chatham Islands
- General Licence FAQs
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- I have lost my licence. What do I do?
- Contact your local Fish & Game office for a replacement. They will require you to provide them with details about where and when you purchased your original licence.
- I bought my licence online or from the 0800 542 362 number and want to go hunting, but my plastic licence has not turned up yet. What should I do?
- Take your licence number and a photo ID with you when you go hunting or fishing. This will enable a ranger to positively identify you and cross check your licence number with our records system.
- It’s been over 10 days since I ordered my licence and it has not arrived yet. What should I do?
If your licence hasn't arrived after 10 days from your issue date, please contact fishandgame@eyede.co.nz
- In the online licence system, when I click on the back button I go back to the Fish & Game website instead of the previous page. Why?
- There is no back button function in the online licence system because security and data integrity could be compromised.
- How is the licence fee set?
- The setting of licence fees is relatively simple. Fish & Game New Zealand add up the budgets of the thirteen councils (12 regional coubcils plus the New Zealand wide Fish & Game Council) and divide that figure by the number of licences we expect to sell. This is done by converting all licence sales to adult whole season licence equivalents. The answer is the licence fee. However we have to take other factors into consideration such as the perceived market value of the licence and how much people are prepared to pay to go fishing and hunting.
- What do the licence fees get spent on?
The licence fees are primarily charged to cover the cost of managing the fish and birds and the habitat they depend on. The provision of services to anglers and hunters and advocating their interests is also included in the licence fee.
Licence fees were originally spent on increasing fish and bird populations. The priority changed in the 1960’s and became focused on protecting important habitat against development, both in the rural sector and through industry. It was quickly realised that quality habitat produces good numbers of sports fish and game birds.
Habitat advocacy remains the major focus of Fish and Game Councils and a significant percentage of the councils’ money goes into advocating habitat protection. Over the last five or six years an emphasis has also been placed on providing better information and services to anglers and hunters and advocating their interests to the wider community.
About 17% of Fish & Game New Zealand’s $6 million budget is spent on habitat protection. This includes protection and management of land we own as well as land owned by the public. We advocate habitat protection through the Resource Management Act and through water conservation orders. Of the 25 water conservation orders taken out in this country 19 have been promoted by Fish & Game New Zealand or the former Acclimatisation Societies. Fish & Game New Zealand spent $150,000 to ensure the Buller River was granted a water conservation order.
15% of the budget is spent on providing services to anglers and hunters. This includes providing general fishing and hunting information, sign posting, and negotiating access opportunities.
8% is spent on community liaison which is becoming a more important function. It is vital that Fish and Game New Zealand staff spend time talking to the wider community and seek their understanding and support for the work we do and the sports we undertake.
7% is spent on compliance. This does not reflect the true cost of compliance because Fish and Game New Zealand use honorary rangers who give their time free of charge to help and maintain the angling and hunting regulations. It often costs Fish and Game New Zealand more money to prosecute people than is recovered because the fines that are retrieved rarely cover our legal costs.
The cost of licensing is about 12% of the budget. It costs Fish & Game New Zealand $5 for every licence we sell and this includes the production of the licence and the guide books we give out. We also provide a commission to licence agents.
The cost of running Fish & Game Councils is around 7% of the overall budget. This includes the cost of meetings and the large amount of staff time involved.
About 10% of the Fish & Game New Zealand budget is spent on planning and financial reporting.
For more information please contact your local Fish & Game office or the New Zealand Council on (04) 499 4767 or fax (04) 499 4768.
- Do I need a licence for each different region?
Sports fishing and game hunting licences are valid for use throughout the country (except in the Chatham Islands and for fishing in the Taupo Fishing District).
When buying a licence from a retail outlet or Fish & Game Council office, the licence is automatically recorded as a licence sold within that region. If you indicate on the licence that you wish to register as an elector for Fish & Game Council elections then you will be put on the electoral roll for the region where you purchased the licence unless you request to be registered on another region’s electoral roll.
If you purchased online through the internet, by mail order or the 0800 service, you need to specify the region that reflects your main area of use, and/or the one in which you wish to register as an elector for Fish & Game Council elections.
The importance of nominating a region, and/or the implications of getting your licence in a particular region also mean that you receive regional newsletters, email reports and other local information from that specific region.
- Who can buy a fishing or hunting licence?
- Everyone. People who want to go fishing or hunting must have a licence for each sport. There is no limit on the number of licences that can be sold each year, and licences are not transferable or tradeable.
- What species do I need a Fish & Game licence to fish / hunt?
Sports Fish: The Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983 Schedule 1 defines the following species as “sports fish”:
- Brown trout (Salmo trutta):
- Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, formerly known as Salmo gairdneri):
- American brook trout or char (Salvelinus fontinalis):
- Lake trout or char (Salvelinus namaycush):
- Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar):
- Quinnat or chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha):
- Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka):
- Perch (Perca fluviatilis):
- Tench (Tinca tinca):
- Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) found or taken in the Auckland Acclimatisation District—
and includes any hybrid and the young, fry, ova, and spawn, and any part of any such fish; but does not include salmon preserved in cans and imported into New Zealand.
Game Birds: The Wildlife Act 1953 schedule 1 defines the following species as wildlife declared to be game birds:
- Black swan (Cygnus atratus) (except on Chatham Islands)
- Chukar (Alectoris chukar): except on Chatham Islands
- Duck:
- Australasian shoveler (Anas rhynchotis)
- Grey duck (Anas superciliosa) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
- Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
- Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata)
- Partridge:
- Grey partridge (Perdix perdix): except on Chatham Islands
- Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa rufa): except on Chatham Islands
- Pheasant—
- any bird, not being a domestic bird, of the genus Phasianus and any cross of any such bird with any other species, variety, or kind of pheasant: except on Chatham Islands
- Pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus) (except on Chatham Islands).
- Quail—
- Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus): except on Chatham Islands
- Brown quail (Coturnix ypsilophora): except on Chatham Islands
- California quail (Callipepla californica): except on Chatham Islands
- Pegging & Marking Up
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- Where can I find all the “pegging” rules?
- These are found in the First Schedule section of the “Game Bird Hunting Guide” supplied free with your licence.
- Do the pegging rules apply equally to private and public land?
- Yes, BUT if you do not have landowner permission to hunt on any land (private or public) then the pegging rules are irrelevant.
- On public land that I have a permit to hunt on, can I hunt from someone else’s maimai?
- Yes, provided the maimai is not occupied before 7.30am. The hunter who has tagged or pegged the maimai only has the ’first rights’ privilege of occupying it until 7.30am then it is open to any other licensed hunter for the remainder of the day.
- When am I allowed to “peg” a hunting spot?
- If you ‘pegged out’ a spot in the previous gamebird season you can peg your spot any day, from when the licences become available in mid-March until before 10am, on pegging day (refer to the First Schedule section of the “Game Bird Hunting Guide” for when pegging day is). After 10am on pegging day, any licence holder can peg any spot not already pegged.
- I pegged a spot last year but hunted elsewhere at the last minute and someone else now wants to peg it. Can they?
- No. You have the opportunity to re-peg the position before 10am on pegging day.
- Can I peg up a new maimai on the other side of the river from an existing pegged maimai but it is only 70m away?
- If your maimai position is within 90m of the existing maimai, then unless invited to be closer by the other party, you cannot peg it up. Even if your maimai is more than 90m away but another person’s safety is at risk, you should shift. Hunting safely is paramount.
- Fish & Game New Zealand
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- What is this about registering as an elector and how do I go about doing this?
New Zealand has an unique system in the world where anglers and hunters can have a voice on how the sports fisheries and game bird resources are managed. It is an historical and popular system of users paying for, and holding a governance role over, the management of the resource they enjoy, which dates back over 100 years.
Fish & Game Councils are independent bodies elected every three years by holders of current adult whole season game bird and freshwater fishing licences. Councils set the outcomes that they wish their staff to achieve. Councillors govern the organisation and democratically define priorities for operational work undertaken by staff.
Become an elector, or put your name forward to stand as a councillor.
The next election is in November 2012 so to be able to vote and/or stand as a candidate in that election you need to register your intention and enrol – by purchasing an adult whole season licence (or primary holder of family licence) for the 2011/12 fishing season and noting your wish when filling in the licence details.
- Where is the best place to hunt or fish?
Each of the 12 Fish & Game Councils have details of fishing and hunting locations in their region, along with access information and maps.
Much of this information can be located by visiting the various regions homepages on this website. To do this click on your region of interest on the clickable map at the top-right of every page.
More general 'where to'information can also be found on our Where To Fish and Where To Hunt Game Birds pages.
You can also find out more on our mini-website www.fishaway.co.nz
- Is Fish & Game NZ a government department?
- The Fish & Game councils are public entities, established under the Conservation Act 1987. Although we report to the Minister of Conservation, we are not funded by taxpayers. Almost all Fish & Game money comes from the sale of fishing and hunting licences. Fish & Game NZ is covered by the Official Information Act and must produce management plans.
- What is the Fish & Game NZ system?
- Fish & Game NZ is a user pays/user says system. Everyone wanting to go sport fishing or gamebird hunting must buy a licence first. Licence holders can stand for their local Fish & Game Council and vote for the Council’s members.
- What is a Fish & Game Council?
- We have 12 regional Fish & Game Councils with regional offices. The national council, with an office in Wellington, coordinates regional activities and speaks for anglers and hunters on issues of national importance. Each council has 12 members, elected from the licence holders of the region. An election is held every three years. Every regional Fish & Game Council selects one member to sit on the New Zealand Fish and Game Council. Councils employ professional staff to carry out their work. The total number of people employed by Fish & Game Councils around the country is about 70. We also have about 500 volunteer rangers who give up their time to ensure that fellow anglers and hunters have licences and follow fishing and hunting regulations.
- How does Fish & Game NZ protect fish and birds?
- We control the impact on stocks by setting fishing and hunting regulations. The regulations cover the length of fishing and hunting seasons, the equipment that can be used, and the number of fish or birds that can be taken in one day (the ‘bag limit’). Regulations can vary from location to location. For example, a large river with good fish stocks can often be fished all year round and anglers can keep six fish a day, while a near-by small stream might only be open during summer with a bag limit of two.
- How are the regulations enforced?
- Fish & Game NZ staff and volunteer rangers monitor anglers and hunters to make sure they are licenced and are not breaking the regulations. Fish & Game staff also work closely with Police to stop organised poaching rings which can destroy fragile fisheries by using nets and harpoons, and taking large numbers of trout during the breeding season.
- Does Fish & Game NZ protect the environment?
- Yes. We make a major effort to look after water ways, water quality and wetlands. Much of this work is done under the Resource Management Act, through hearings with local government. This type of work includes protecting streams and rivers from development and water abstraction, ensuring water quality is protected from illegal dumping and pollution, and that wetlands are protected from drainage. Habitat protection work is the most important part of our role. Without good habitat there can be no sports fish or game birds, and so no fish and game sports. This work also benefits anyone who values quality water and wetland environments, and the many species that use these places.
- Does Fish & Game release fish and birds into the wild?
- Most of the time there is no point in adding more fish or birds to an area that is already well stocked. This is a bit like having a paddock that can carry 10 sheep – there is no point in adding another 10 sheep unless the paddock (the habitat) is improved so it can produce twice as much feed. This is why Fish & Game NZ concentrates on habitat protection rather than stocking. In some special cases, stocking is important. The most obvious example is the Rotorua lakes. These lakes have few streams needed for trout breeding so we breed them in a hatchery, and release young fish into the lakes, where they thrive and support a priceless fishery.
- Game Bird Hunting
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- What is gamebird hunting?
- It is hunting for such as ducks, swans, pheasants, partridges and quail. The species available to gamebird hunters are defined in the Wildlife Act 1953. Some of these gamebirds are native to New Zealand (such as the paradise shelduck and the grey duck), while others were brought to New Zealand for hunting. Fish & Game NZ is not responsible for any other kinds of hunting. We do not cover deer hunting (try the Deerstalkers Association).
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