Hunting NZ > FAQ and Licence Information

Game Bird Licence Types and Prices

Whole Season

• Adult $78.00
• Junior $18.00
• Child $2.00

Day (valid from 12.5.2008)

• Adult $18.00
• Junior $5.50
• Adult: 18+ yrs on 3.5.2008
• Junior: 12-17 yrs on 3.5.2008
• Child: under 12 yrs on 3.5.2008

Hunters contribute $2 of their game licence fee for the protection, restoration, improvement, creation or procurement of Game Bird or other wildlife habitat.

Hunters

Game Bird hunting, particularly hunting water fowl, is one of the great social recreational sports where rewarding friendships are made and maintained for many years. Upland game (pheasant and quail) hunting is immensely challenging and satisfying - great for the exercise and being with man's best friend.

So remember, dogs are invaluable companions and hunting/retrieving assets - we emphatically recommend you use one!

Game Bird hunting is a privilege and privileges can be removed if abused - we must maintain high hunting standards by being an ideal hunter - refer to your "Hunting Code of Practice" in the Game Bird Hunting Guide.

Also refer to the 2008-2009 Game Bird Hunting Guide for season regulations, helpful hints on access, regional Fish and Game maps and much more. This guide is an essential companion to your hunting licence.

Fish and Game licences FAQ

GAME HUNTING LICENCE TYPES AND COST

Q: What types of hunting licences are there? What do they cost?
A: Game Hunting Licence Types and Prices
Game Whole Season Adult $ 78.00
Game Whole Season Junior $ 18.00
Game Day Adult $ 18.00
Game Day Junior $ 5.50
Game Whole Season Child [free] but $2 Habitat Stamp fee
Please note:
1. there is a $2 game bird habitat stamp fee included in the above prices
2. there is a $5 booking fee for call centre licence applications

Q: How old do you have to be to purchase an "adult" or "junior" game licence?
A: Adults: 18yrs + on 3/05/2008
Junior: 12 - 17yrs on 3/05/2008

Q: When can I use a game day licence?
A: After the second weekend of the season.  For 2008, this will from 12 May onwards.

Q: What is the game bird habitat stamp fee for?
A: 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, http://www.fishandgame.org.nz/Site/Environment/environmentGBHtrust.aspx including how to apply for grants to improve your own game bird habitats).

Q: Do Land Holders Need a Licence to Hunt Waterfowl on Their Own Property?
A: Generally, you do not need a licence to hunt ducks on your own property.  Under s. 19 (3) of the Wildlife Act 1953 (see below)  “…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 an “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.

Section 19 of the Wildlife Act 1953 is as follows:

19 Licence to hunt or kill game
·  (1) Except as provided in subsection (3), every person who hunts or kills game of any species during an open season in any area, unless that person is the holder of a licence under this Act to hunt or kill game of that species available in that area during that season, commits an offence against this Act and is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67E(3).

(2) [Repealed]

(3) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this section, 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.

(4) In subsection (3) of this section the term occupier, in relation to any land, means—

o  (a) The person whose permanent and principal or only place of residence is on the land, if he resides on the land by virtue of the fact that he is—

§  (i) The owner of the fee simple of the land; or

§  (ii) The owner of a lease or licence of the land and the owner of the fee simple does not himself personally reside on the land; or

§  (iii) The manager of a farming business carried on on the land by such an owner who does not himself personally reside on the land; or

§  (iv) The sharemilker under a sharemilking agreement entered into with such an owner who does not himself personally reside on the land:

o  (b) Where there are several such persons, such one of them as is, by notice in writing signed by all of them and delivered to the Fish and Game Council for the area concerned, appointed to be the occupier for the purposes of that subsection. Every such appointment shall continue in force during the whole of the open season in respect of which it is made and shall lapse at the end of that season.

(4A) In subsection (3) of this section the term occupier, in relation to any land, does not include a person appointed under the Conservation Act 1987 to be the manager of a marginal strip.

(5) On production to the Fish and Game Council of the appointment referred to in paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of this section, the Fish and Game Council shall endorse on the appointment a certificate that it has been so produced and shall return it to the person appointed, who shall, in any circumstances where a licence under this Act to hunt or kill game is required, produce that appointment so endorsed to any authorised person (as defined in subsection (3) of section 61 of this Act) demanding its production, and if he fails to do so he commits an offence against this Act and is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67E(1).

(6) Where a person resides on land that is farmed in conjunction with any other land, he shall be deemed for the purposes of subsection (4) of this section to reside on that other land also.

Q: 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?
A: 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.

Q: I qualify as the occupier but do not hunt. Can I nominate someone else to hunt without a licence?
A: No.

Q: Do I need any other licence to hunt game?
A: (1) Possibly, 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 at 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 be able to get immediate control of the firearm and you are giving your full attention to this function – you are not continuing to hunt alongside with another firearm in your hands.
(2) Possibly a permit to carry a firearm onto public reserve.  These are obtainable from DoC, or Fish & Game.

Q: I have lost my licence. What do I do?
A: 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.

PURCHASING A LICENCE ONLINE OR 0800 PHONE SERVICE

Q: I bought my licence from the 0800 number (0800 LICENCE) and want to go hunting, but my plastic licence has not turned up yet. What should I do?
A: Take your licence number and a photo ID with you when you go hunting. This will enable a ranger to positively identify you and cross check your licence number with our records system.

Q: It’s been over 10 days since I ordered my licence and it has not arrived yet.
A: If your licence hasn't arrived after 10 days from your issue date, please contact mailto:fishandgame@eyede.com

Q: When I click on the back button I go back to the Fish & Game website instead of the previous page. Why?
A: There is no back button function in the system because security and data integrity could be compromised.

Q: The system doesn’t seem to be working properly. After filling out my customer details and clicking ‘Buy a Hunting Licence’ I am taken back to the Terms and Conditions page.
A: This problem might be occurring if you are using an old version of the Internet Explorer. (Versions 5.5 and higher should be fine.) Try upgrading your browser. Another recommended option would be installing a Mozilla Firefox browser, which also provides better security, and it’s free! To download Mozilla Firefox, go to www.mozilla.org. Failing that please contact the Fish and Game licence administrator for assistance on mailto:fishandgame@eyede.com, or phone 0800 542 3623.

PEGGING AND MARKING UP

Q: Where can I find all the “pegging” rules?
A: These are found in the First Schedule section of the “Game Bird Hunting Guide” supplied free with your licence.

Q: Do the pegging rules apply equally to private and public land?
A: Yes, BUT if you do not have landowner permission to hunt on any land (private or public) then the pegging rules are irrelevant.

Q: On public land that I have a permit to hunt on, can I hunt from someone else’s maimai?
A: 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.

Q: When am I allowed to “peg” a hunting spot?
A: 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 pegged.

Q: I pegged a spot last year but hunted elsewhere at the last minute and someone else now wants to peg it. Can they?
A: Yes. But only after you have declined to re- peg the position before 10am on pegging day.

Q: I pegged a spot on one side of the river that was not hunted from last duck season and the guys opposite, who did hunt at their spot last year, have complained and want me to shift. Do I have to?
A: If your maimai is within 90m of their maimai, then yes, you have to shift. However, even if your maimai is more than 90m away but another person’s safety is at risk, you should shift. Hunting safely is paramount. 

For more information please contact your local Fish & Game office or the New Zealand Council on (04) 499 4767 or fax (04) 499 4768