The Game Animal Council (GAC) is reminding hunters to take all the necessary safety precautions during the upcoming roar, which begins towards the end of March.

The ‘roar’ hunting season marks the time of year when stags are most vocal, calling to attract the attention of hinds, and hunters head out in large numbers for the best hunting of the year.

“The roar is the highlight of the hunting year and as I often describe it, bigger than Christmas for deer hunters,” GAC general manager Tim Gale said. 

“While I definitely want to encourage hunters to get out and enjoy some great hunting, I also want to remind them to take the necessary precautions to make sure they have a safe and successful trip.”

Around Wānaka the hunting area comprises 20,000 hectares in the Craigie, Albert, Minaret and Rumbling Burn western tributaries of the lake and Mt Burke to the east of the lake, according to the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Tim is encouraging hunters to follow the ‘5 Ps’: plan for the best, prepare for the worst, provide your intentions, positively identify your target and pick the right animal.

“The fact is if you undertake the right planning, carry the right gear, take a personal locator beacon and leave your intentions then you significantly improve your chances if something goes wrong,” Tim said.

“Likewise, positively identifying your target, treating every firearm as loaded and chambering a cartridge only when ready to fire significantly reduces the likelihood of a firearms incident.” 

Tim said he also recommends wearing high-visibility clothing, particularly for people who are bush hunting.

“When out hunting, we also want hunters to take a judicious approach to the animals they target. Knowing how to identify younger stags from mature males that are ready to be harvested now is important, as these young stags still have so much potential and will provide great roar hunting in the future. 

His final piece of advice is to assume there are other hunters in the area.

“If you come across other parties, share information of where you intend to hunt as this will reduce the safety risk and mean there is less chance of getting in the way of each other’s hunting.”

The promotional video for the 5 Ps is available on Youtube here.

The roar runs from late March and throughout the month of April.

PHOTO: Supplied