New Zealand Deerstalkers Wellington Branch

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Join us this Sunday, 22 February 2026, for the 200m Deer Silhouette TSE Shooting Competition.

This event is open to branch members capable of shooting a 2-inch group at 100m, and we encourage participation from all skill levels.

One $100 Gun City voucher will be awarded as a spot prize to a participant.
Summary of rules:
- Restricted to branch members only
- Limited to 5 shots
- Shooting distance of 200m
- Scope magnification restricted to 9x
- No practice shots allowed on the day
- Bipods and bag rests are permitted; sandbags are prohibited (the shoot aims to simulate a real-life deer shooting scenario)
Scoring will be based on shot proximity to the kill zone just behind the front shoulder

We look forward to seeing you there!

Great day at the range for many members sighting their rifles before the roar. We even opened the 200m range. Epic turnout.

What a weekend! Awesome effort from our HUNTS team – 12 trainees and 6 instructors putting in the mahi this weekend. Sometimes hunting isn’t easy, but when a plan comes together it’s super rewarding. Great to put the last five weeks of learning into action. Well done to everyone involved! 👏

Congratulations Mark! 👍

👏We are very excited to introduce Mark as the new GAC Senior Policy and Projects Advisor.

Mark brings with him a wealth of knowledge in science, project management, and national policy. He is currently Vice President of the Wellington NZDA Branch and joins the GAC staff motivated by a desire to help build management systems that strengthen a responsible and enduring hunting culture for future generations, while protecting New Zealand’s native ecosystems.

Get to know Mark here: https://nzgameanimalcouncil.org.nz/welcoming-mark-heath-to-gac-staff/

WIN THE ULTIMATE TAHR HUNT & PRIZE PACK - Valued at over $10,000!
How? …simply renew your NZDA membership this March 😁
Full details, dates, terms and conditions: https://www.deerstalkers.org.nz/membership-renewal-prize-2026

Beautiful day for our HUNTS training session ☀️ The team spent time revisiting safe handling practices before heading out for some supervised marksmanship coaching. Plenty of key learnings, great to see everyone building confidence and refining their technique in a controlled environment. Fantastic progress all round, well done team 👍

Our first HUNTS course for 2026 is well underway! After a couple of evenings in the classroom, trainees and instructors headed out into some fantastic weather for the navigation & bushcraft practical this weekend. Trainees worked through campsite selection, navigation, off-track travel, emergency procedures and river safety! It’s a lot to fit in.... well done team!

ARMS BILL SUBMISSIONS: Submissions on the Arms Bill close on the 16th of February. As hunters who value the sport and ongoing access to fi****ms it is crucial you have your say. There is some excellent guidance on how to easily make a submission in the link below.

Arms Bill: Make Your Submission | Contents: Links to Government Webpages; including the Arms Bill NZDA's Submission (coming soon) NZDA's Position Statement NZDA Submission Guide (word document) Other organisation's submissions (as…

Great turnout at club night last night.... and some great food too! Potluck or pizza? ....difficult choice!😜 Big thanks to David Barnes for a super informative talk, be sure to check out the PocketMaps app. Stay tuned for club news updates.

Ever wanted to know who is on the club committee? Look no further:

Committee | NZDA Wellington Branch

If you haven't seen it already... check out our new website: https://www.wellingtondeerstalkers.org 🤩 ...If you think there is something missing, let us know and we can sort it out!!