30 Mar 2025

New hunting permit system coming in May

2:14 pm on 30 March 2025
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Photo: 123rf.com

Hunters will be soon able to access longer permits and receive automatic reminders a fortnight before they expire.

The government is changing the hunting permit system from May.

From then, permits will be valid for up to 12 months, up from the current four-month period, and hunters will get renewal reminders 14 days before they expire.

Minister for Hunting and Fishing James Meager said the changes were part of a significant upgrade to the existing system that would make life easier for the 34,000 hunters that hunt on open conservation land.

"The underlying technology of the current hunting permit system is outdated and in need of an update, and is being improved based on the direct feedback of hunters.

"This upgrade will support more hunters, both domestic and international, getting out and doing what they love."

Meager said the upgrade would also make the permitting system more reliable and easier to navigate on mobile devices, making it easier to obtain permits on the go.

"Instead of the 54 hunting areas that hunters currently choose from, the system will be simplified so hunters choose from eight regions, four in the North Island and four in the South Island/Stewart Island.

"All existing hunting areas within the broader region will automatically be included on the permit, and hunters can also select all hunting areas within New Zealand at the press of a single button."

Meager said the changes might be simple but they reflected a government that was committed to making it easier for New Zealanders to go hunting and fishing on conservation land.

The new system will be launched by the Department in Conservation in May.

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