Wildlife Act 1953

Game

18: Restrictions on the taking of game

You could also call this:

"Rules for hunting game in New Zealand"

When you want to hunt game, you must follow some rules. You cannot trap game or use traps to catch game, except in special circumstances allowed by the Minister. You can use a shotgun to hunt game, but you cannot use certain types of guns, like swivel guns or punt guns.

You cannot use a rifle to hunt game, and you cannot use a shotgun with a big magazine. You also cannot use a shotgun that is not a shoulder gun, or one that has a gauge bigger than 12. You cannot use any device to silence the sound of your shotgun.

You cannot use more than one shotgun when you are hunting from a hide or a boat. You cannot use live decoys, or dead game that looks like it is alive, to lure game. You cannot use a device in the water that is hidden, unless it sticks out of the water by at least 60 centimetres.

You cannot use a boat with a motor to chase game, unless it is a row boat. You cannot spread oil on the water to catch game, or to stop game from landing on the water. You cannot use a light to hunt game at night.

If you break these rules, you can get in trouble with the law, and you might have to pay a penalty, as stated in section 67E(3). A notice from the Minister can change these rules, and you can learn more about notices in Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM277319.


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"Rules for hunting in areas near water, like rivers or lakes, to protect waterfowl like ducks"


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19: Licence to hunt or kill game, or

"Rules for hunting game on private land in New Zealand"

Part 2Game

18Restrictions on the taking of game

  1. Save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act or except in such circumstances and at such times, areas, and places and subject to such conditions as may from time to time be authorised pursuant to a notice given by the Minister, no person shall—

  2. trap game in any manner whatever or take any game by means of traps or by any means other than by shooting with a shotgun:provided that a dog may be used in conjunction with a shotgun for the purpose of finding, flushing, or retrieving any game:
    1. erect or set any trap, net, snare, or other device for the purpose of taking any game:
      1. hunt or kill any game with—
        1. any swivel gun or punt gun; or
          1. any rifle; or
            1. any shotgun having a magazine of any type, unless the magazine is so adjusted in accordance with regulations made under this Act that the magazine is incapable of holding more than 1 shell; or
              1. any shotgun other than a shoulder gun; or
                1. any shotgun the gauge of which is greater than that known as 12 gauge:
                2. use any apparatus for the purpose of silencing the report of a shotgun being used for the purpose of hunting or killing game:
                  1. in hunting or killing any game from any stand, hide, shelter, maimai, mudhole, boat, louvre, or other contrivance, use more than 1 shotgun:
                    1. for the purpose of hunting or killing any game use—
                      1. any live decoy; or
                          1. any cylinder or mudhole or similar device in any lake, lagoon, pond, river, estuary, or other open water, whether natural or artificially constructed, unless the sides of the cylinder or mudhole or device project not less than 60 centimetres above the surface of the water; or
                            1. any aircraft, motor vehicle, or other vehicle propelled by mechanical power:
                              1. on any lake, lagoon, pond, river, estuary, or other water (whether natural or artificially constructed), any vessel (other than a row boat) in driving, chasing, unduly disturbing, putting to flight, or stalking any game, whether by himself or by any other person:
                                1. any unmoored floating stand, hide, shelter, maimai, or louvre, or any unmoored boat artificially dressed or covered in any way:
                                2. by any means spread oil on any water for the purpose of hunting or killing any game or for the purpose of preventing game from alighting on that water or on any part thereof:
                                  1. use any light for the purpose of hunting or killing any game.
                                    1. Every person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence against this Act and is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67E(3).

                                    2. For the purposes of paragraph (f) of subsection (1)—

                                      decoy includes any dead game that is so placed or arranged as to simulate the appearance of live game

                                        row boat means any vessel that for the time being is wholly propelled by oars or paddles or poles

                                          vessel includes any launch, boat, canoe, punt, or other similar craft, whether propelled by mechanical power or not.

                                          1. A notice under subsection (1) is secondary legislation (see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements).

                                          Compare
                                          • 1921–22 No 57 ss 11(1), 12, 13
                                          Notes
                                          • Section 18(1): amended, on , by section 3 of the Secondary Legislation Act 2021 (2021 No 7).
                                          • Section 18(1): amended, on , by section 4(1) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1983 (1983 No 48).
                                          • Section 18(1)(c)(iii): replaced, on , by section 5 of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1964 (1964 No 63).
                                          • Section 18(1)(d): replaced, on , by section 2(1) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1973 (1973 No 99).
                                          • Section 18(1)(f)(ii): repealed, on , by section 4(2) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1964 (1964 No 63).
                                          • Section 18(1)(f)(iii): amended, on , by section 2(2) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1973 (1973 No 99).
                                          • Section 18(1)(f)(v): amended, on , by section 7(a) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1959 (1959 No 49).
                                          • Section 18(1)(f)(v) proviso: amended, on , by section 7(b) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1959 (1959 No 49).
                                          • Section 18(1)(f)(vi): amended, on , by section 4(2) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1983 (1983 No 48).
                                          • Section 18(1)(g): amended, on , by section 7(c) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1959 (1959 No 49).
                                          • Section 18(1A): inserted, on , by section 8 of the Wildlife (Penalties and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 43).
                                          • Section 18(2) row boat: amended, on , by section 7(d) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1959 (1959 No 49).
                                          • Section 18(3): inserted, on , by section 3 of the Secondary Legislation Act 2021 (2021 No 7).