About us

Since its founding in 1960, the Hutt Valley New Zealand Deerstalkers Association Incorporated (HVNZDA) has been a cornerstone of the hunting community, advocating for recreational hunters while also serving the wider Upper Hutt and outdoor community. Our mission goes beyond hunting—HVNZDA fosters inclusivity, education, and conservation, creating opportunities for people from all walks of life to engage in the outdoors.

A Legacy of Advocacy and Conservation

HVNZDA was established on September 20, 1960, when a small group of passionate hunters gathered at the W.D.F.F. Hall in King Street, Upper Hutt. The club’s founders had a clear vision:

1. To protect, promote, and advance recreational hunting, ensuring that the traditions and rights of hunters remain safeguarded for future generations.
2. To foster conservation and education, encouraging an understanding of native flora and fauna while maintaining a sustainable balance between game animals and New Zealand’s natural environment.

These values remain the foundation of HVNZDA’s work today.

A Thriving Hunting Community

     

With over 1,000 active members, HVNZDA is one of the largest hunting clubs in New Zealand. We are a proud member of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA), a national organization representing 48 branches and approximately 12,000 hunters. Through the NZDA, our club contributes to a unified national voice advocating for hunting rights, conservation efforts, and ethical hunting practices.

Our Facilities & Community Contributions

HVNZDA is based in Upper Hutt, with our club rooms located at the Te Kupenga o Rongomai - Maidstone Sports Hub.

Our range & training facility is based at the Kaitoke Range Complex in the Rimutaka Incline Recreation Area. This premier facility, is developed and maintained by our club, and features:

• A rifle, pistol, and bow range, accessible to safety-certified members and bookable by approved individuals, organizations, and authorities such as the Police and Regional Councils.
• A dedicated bird and wetland conservation area, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and the protection of native wildlife.

Beyond providing a space for hunters to train and refine their skills, HVNZDA plays an active role in community-driven conservation projects. The club relies on volunteers, donations, and grants from like-minded organizations to support initiatives that benefit our members, the environment, and the broader public.

We proudly partner with the Department of Conversation to provide undulate herd management in the Mukamuka Valley, part of the Remutaka Forest Park.

Representing Hunters Across the Wellington Region

While our primary focus is on the wider Hutt Valley area, HVNZDA welcomes members from across the  Wellington region. As a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), we remain dedicated to promoting safe, ethical, and responsible hunting while ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy New Zealand’s great outdoors.

     

Regionally, we are the advocate of recreational hunters but locally, we are your hunting club.

Our Fundamental Purpose and Commitments

Our fundamental purpose is to ensure the traditions of recreational hunting and the rights and facilities of recreational hunters, participants and supporters in our region are protected, advanced, and advocated for in the best interest of that recreational hunting community.

COMMITMENTS

• Creating opportunities for a positive impact on people’s lives, regardless of socio-economic or cultural backgrounds, through the support and relationships fostered by our club activities and participation in recreational hunting.

• Promoting interest in and understanding of native flora and fauna, as well as their conservation, to ensure a sustainable environment for both game animals and native species. This includes active involvement in game management and pest control initiatives.

• Strongly opposing the commercial exploitation of wildlife, public lands, and natural resources whenever such activities jeopardize, exclude, restrict, or conflict with public access. We will challenge commercial activities that undermine conservation efforts or are not in the best interests of the wider community.

• Advocating for and maintaining facilities and access for the broader outdoor community. This includes working alongside the Department of Conservation (DoC) and like-minded organizations to support regular maintenance of tramping tracks, huts, campsites, and other recreational assets.

• Preserving, encouraging, and advancing the sport of recreational hunting, along with bushcraft, safety, shooting, and other outdoor skills. This includes providing education programs to support responsible and ethical participation.

• Supporting the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) at a national level, including its principles, initiatives, and ambitions.

• Establishing and upholding club rules, policies, regulations, and codes of ethics in alignment with the NZDA to serve the best interests of our members and the broader hunting community.

• Protecting the rights and interests of recreational hunters by facilitating consultation, mediation, and advocacy on matters of concern or dispute with individuals, organizations, or regulatory bodies

  

The New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) is the backbone of recreational hunting in New Zealand. Since 1937, it has been the leading voice for ethical hunting, conservation, and firearm rights. With over 50 branches nationwide, including the well-established Hutt Valley Branch, the NZDA fosters a strong hunting culture, supporting members with education, advocacy, and community engagement. For more information on the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association click here:

    

What NZDA Stands For

• Advocacy & Firearm Rights – Representing hunters at the national level, ensuring fair firearm laws, hunting access, and sustainable game management policies.
• Hunting & Outdoor Skills – Home of the HUNTS Course, a comprehensive program that teaches bushcraft, stalking, ethical hunting, and firearm safety.
• Conservation & Wildlife Management – Committed to protecting New Zealand’s natural environment, members actively participate in pest control, habitat restoration, and game animal management.
• Shooting Ranges & Firearm Safety – Providing safe, well-maintained ranges for members to refine their skills and ensure responsible firearm ownership.
• Community & Camaraderie – More than a club, NZDA is a place where hunters connect, share experiences, and pass down knowledge to future generations.

Our team

The HVNZDA is led by our volunteer committee. The current HVNZDA committee members are as follows:

• Bob Badlands KSM Patron
• Trevor Gratton - President
• Mark S - Vice President & HUNTS Training Course Coordinator
• John T - Secretary
• Ross N - Treasurer
• Dannielle C - Events Co-Ordinator 
• Rhonda F - Membership Officer
• Michael G - Douglas Scoring
• Ted W - HUNTS Training Course Instructor
• Neil M - HUNTS Training Course Instructor
• Ivan M - HUNTS Team
• Jason V - HUNTS Training Course Instructor/Club Hunts
• Gordon G - HUNTS Training Course Instructor / South Island Correspondent 
• Warwick G - Bowhunting Co-Ordinator/Club Hunts
• Mike M - Club Hunts/HUNTS Training Course Instructor
• Brendon G - Club PLB/Radio Hire
• Serge R - Advocacy Co-Ordinator
• Brent M -Committee Member
• Eben F - Range Admin Manager
• Craig T - Grants Officer
• John L - Range Manager