Welcome to our website.

Southland Branch was the founding branch of the NZ Deeerstalkers Association which began in 1937.  We have over  500 members and meet every 3rd Wednesday of the month at 8pm (excluding December & January. )

You can also follow us on    https://www.facebook.com/southlandnzda/   

 (Photo  Luke Payne   winner 2024  photo competition - Game Animals)

Some classic old hunting movies involving Branch members on Youtube:- 

 1. A combined old film of Branch hunts. One 1962 of Greenstone through to Mavora. The other is 1963 hunting around Bushy Creek and Mt Mavora. Participants Wally, Lex, Tom, Murray, Tony, Lynn, Merv, Des and John 

2. Hunting in the Arawata 1964 

3. Hunting in the Joe River 1965 

4. Branch Tahr hunting trip in early 1960's

STEWART ISLAND HUNTER REPORTS.

If you have been directed to this page to complete a report on your hunting trip to Stewart Island please follow this link:-  HUNTER REPORTS

LATEST NEWS FROM OUR RAT TRAPPING PROGRAM FOR 2025 season.

Updated  March 2026

 Since 2006 members have been undertaking a rat control program at Mason Bay Stewart Island.  Between August - December six  parties involving 22 hunters spend  significant time checking 309 traps which are set over 14 km of lines.  Each trap is cleared and reset at least twice by each party. Most teams were plagued by bad weather, some had shortened trips and one never made it all,     During 2025 season 165 rats were destroyed and two  cats were killed. .  Click here for the full report on 2025 trapping season

Big thank you to Hunting & Fishing Invercargill store for their generous sponsorship for this project.  

WAPITI  IN FIORDLAND (Photo Roy Sloan)