Hunting Transfers & Gear Hire

We can provide comfortable, easy and fast hunting transfers to and from everywhere in Paterson Inlet, and most of the north-east coast hunting blocks. We also offer dinghy and outboard hire. Contact us for more information.

Why Stewart Island?

Stewart Island offers hunters the only readily accessible herd of Virginian Whitetail deer in the Southern Hemisphere and is a popular destination for deer hunters. There are 35 hunting blocks and an open zone within the Stewart Island / Rakiura National Park. Many of these blocks have specific hunter’s camps and huts while others share backcountry huts and facilities with trampers.

Hunting and Hut Information

For current information on track descriptions, conditions, features and camping site/ hut facilities and availability, as well as weather forecasts, please contact the Stewart Island Department of Conservation office directly on (03) 219 0002 or check out their website. Please note that bookings are required at some huts and campsites, through the Department of Conservation and that suitable gear and equipment is required for any overnight stays in the Rakiura National Park.

Permits are required for all hunting and these need to be applied for with DOC in advance. For hunting block bookings and availability, and permit information, click here.

Safety & Firearms

We recommend that you complete the Outdoors Intentions for Land Based Activities form before you leave. We recommend that you have with you a fully charged radio and mobile phone. The Stewart Island Department of Conservation field office can also hire you an emergency beacon if you would like one. Contact the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre, located on Main Road, Stewart Island, for up to date weather and track condition information, before setting off for your trip.

Please contact Stewart Island Flights or Stewart Island Experience for firearm transport regulations on board flights or the ferry.

Stewart Island Flights

Stewart Island Flights connect Invercargill directly to Oban, Stewart Island with daily scheduled flights. After picking you up from the airstrip, they can drop you off by the wharf to go straight to your hunting transfer with Rakiura Charters.

If you’re travelling light, there are also many destinations they can fly into directly. This is the best way to get to the more remote hunting blocks. For more information, contact Stewart Island Flights.

Cooking Kit and Gas Bottle Hire No Longer Available

Unfortunately our Cooking Kit is no longer available alongside hunting transfers for the 2020/2021 season onwards. For pre-existing bookings, the cooking kit costs $15 per night and includes everything on this Cooking Kit Hire List.

We are happy to arrange a sack or two of Coal if required ($NZD13 each for 20kg). Coal can be helpful to get fires started if kindling is wet, or to keep the heat high.

If you are flying to Invercargill and/or Stewart Island, you may find it useful to pre-order groceries. Our local Stewart Island Ship to Shore 4 Square can be contacted on (03) 2191 069.