Thread: Haast Roar Blocks

Afternoon All,

Everyone got their 2026 roar blocks apps in on time I hope? A gentleman from DOC emailed and then rang me about a month ago asking some questions about this years stuff up (WARO overlapping with first period). He also contacted a friend of mine who was in the Waiatoto this year. They were considering shifting first period to a week later but haven't unfortunately. Hopefully the same helicopter (not a local operator) from this year won't be back again shooting up the blocks at the start of first period.

Good luck everyone,

Cheers.

Did many people actually apply for haast this year?

I did.
Its a great part of the world.
We had plenty of fun in our block last year, no big heads but an awesome trip none the less !


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Forgot to get a ballot in but have put in for Wanaka.

I did too, second year trying. Hopefully I get a block this time. Also put one in for wanaka, good to see they still don't charge a fee

If you knew how many stags are shot from the choppers come February, you wouldn't waste your $40 haha. Plenty of better places to go

Originally Posted by Madkeenhunter

If you knew how many stags are shot from the choppers come February, you wouldn't waste your $40 haha. Plenty of better places to go

How many would you say mate? Id be interested to hear.

For me its not about the stag its about the quality time spent with family or mates out on the mission. That's the real treasure !

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I fully agree with the comments made earlier - it's an amazing part of NZ. Our Hunters Club episode tomorrow (Monday) night features a mission into the Waiototo, managed to draw the same block that we had in 2024 which gave us a good lay of the land going in. We did find a heap of gut bags piled up on the edge of one clearing, and referenced the likely cause within the episode, but were unaware of exactly how recent the culling work had been undertaken, and were pretty disappointed when we later found out about it online. The block had a severely dis-proportionate number of hinds to stags, ridiculously so in fact, so hopefully the WARO operators from up the coast weren't targeting stags...

Originally Posted by The Hunters Club

I fully agree with the comments made earlier - it's an amazing part of NZ. Our Hunters Club episode tomorrow (Monday) night features a mission into the Waiototo,..........The block had a severely dis-proportionate number of hinds to stags, ridiculously so in fact, so hopefully the WARO operators from up the coast weren't targeting stags...

. TUI anyone????

Said it before,the ONLY way to stop big stags being targeted is to stop sale of un farmed velvet...and even if got that across the line the bigger body weight still makes them a target... Hind only waro would be ultimate tool but plurry hard to make it "a thing"...

WARO targeting stags absolutely infuriates me

Originally Posted by Camel

A gentleman from DOC emailed and then rang me about a month ago asking some questions about this years stuff up (WARO overlapping with first period). He also contacted a friend of mine who was in the Waiatoto this year. They were considering shifting first period to a week later but haven't unfortunately.

Leave aside WARO, anyone else feel they start the roar ballots in Wanaka and Haast too early? Makes more sense to me to go a week later - have last period 19-25 April would be better than 1st period 22-28 March, 2nd cycle and all that. Maybe they want to have a gap to the start of the Tahr Ballot period?

Anyway, best of luck team (was going to say hope you have half the luck of The Hunters' Club but see they've already made a post about that )

They pushed the Wanaka one back for next year

Originally Posted by The Hunters Club

I fully agree with the comments made earlier - it's an amazing part of NZ. Our Hunters Club episode tomorrow (Monday) night features a mission into the Waiototo, managed to draw the same block that we had in 2024 which gave us a good lay of the land going in. We did find a heap of gut bags piled up on the edge of one clearing, and referenced the likely cause within the episode, but were unaware of exactly how recent the culling work had been undertaken, and were pretty disappointed when we later found out about it online. The block had a severely dis-proportionate number of hinds to stags, ridiculously so in fact, so hopefully the WARO operators from up the coast weren't targeting stags...

There is no "culling" in the Waiatoto

Originally Posted by gimp

There is no "culling" in the Waiatoto

Sorry, incorrect choice of words there. Replace 'culling' with 'commercial harvesting'.