Mt Burke Creek

Red deer, fallow deer and pigs can be hunted in the Mt Burke Creek hunting block, which consists of the eastern faces of Matatiaho Conservation Area, taking in most the Mt Burke Creek catchment.

Animals present are red deer, fallow deer and pigs in low to moderate numbers.

Bookings for the Lake Wānaka Faces and Mount Burke Creek hunting blocks for the period 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 (excluding the Roar period) are open, but there is limited availability remaining.

You can email wanakavc@doc.govt.nz or phone +64 3 443 7660 to enquire about availability.

We will be contacting hunters a month before their permit to confirm whether they still plan to use it. If they return the permit, those dates will become available for other hunters to book.

This block consists of the eastern faces of Matatiaho Conservation Area, which take in most the Mt Burke Creek catchment. The terrain is steep and covered in a mix of beech/tawhai forest, scrub and tussock grassland.

The Mt Burke Creek block is restricted. You need to get a permit (issued for three days at a time only) specifically for this block, from the DOC Wānaka Area Office. In addition, this block is balloted for the roar period during the months of March and April.

See Wānaka roar block system.

Safari hunting operates throughout the year on Glen Dene Station which borders to the north - hunting outside the conservation land boundaries is prohibited.

Contractors for TBfree may undertake aerial monitoring work in this block for animal health inspections. The block will not be exclusive during this period and an effort to notify the permit holder will be made in advance of the work.

From Wānaka take the Haast Highway (SH6). 23 km north of Wānaka there is a car park at the Craig Burn. From here a kilometre of walking track joins a 4WD track leading a few hundred metres further to the Craig Burn. There is no formed track from this point, and the terrain is steep, scrubby and rocky.

Firearms and dogs are not permitted on the Stewart Creek/Glen Dene Ridge Tracks.

Aircraft access is by DOC permit only, contact local operators.

NZTopo50 series: CA12, CA13

Mt Burke Creek hunting block map (PDF, 2267K)

Dogs are allowed in this block with a hunting permit. If accessing the block over private land, you must have landholder permission to take your dog.

Check for current pesticide operations that may be in progress where you intend to hunt using the pesticide summary map.

The use of shotguns, shotgun-rifle combos, .22 calibre and rim-fire firearms are prohibited on public conservation land unless stated otherwise.

Before lighting a fire on public conservation land, check it's alright to light. Extinguish all fires before leaving huts and campsites. How to minimise the risk of fire.