Hunting is one of New Zealand’s great outdoor traditions — but even experienced hunters can get it wrong if they don’t stop and identify what they’re really aiming at. With more people hunting on public land than ever, close calls may be becoming all too common.
I had two of those close calls myself recently.
The first was in November — sitting on the edge of a grassy track, wearing a bright blaze camouflage safety orange hat. I spotted another hunter walking up the track, so I waved my blaze hat. He immediately raised his rifle and peered through his scope — straight at me. I lay back quickly and called out. To his credit, he lowered the rifle and apologised. “Didn’t see the blaze until you waved,” he said. An old-timer — experienced enough to stop, think, and identify his target before firing.
The second was during the roar. I was walking quietly when another hunter saw movement at close range and raised his rifle at near point-blank range. Same story: he paused, checked, realised I wasn’t a deer, and dropped the rifle. Another apology. Another close call. Another reminder.
Every New Zealand hunter should live by these seven rules:
Treat every firearm as loaded
Always point firearms in a safe direction
Load a firearm only when ready to fire
Identify your target beyond all doubt
Check your firing zone
Store firearms and ammunition safely
Avoid alcohol or drugs when handling firearms
If Rule #4 had been skipped in either of my incidents, I might not be writing this.
Blaze orange, blaze blue, even pink — it’s not about fashion. It’s about being seen before someone raises their rifle. Not after. Not when you wave and shout. But at first glance.
Good quality blaze gear stands out without spooking deer — and it gives other hunters a fighting chance to recognise you as a person, not a silhouette.
Don’t stop at hats. Mix blaze into vests, packs, sleeves — anything that moves. Movement is what draws the eye. Make sure what they see isn’t a flick of your arm or puff of breath in the cold, but something that screams:
“Hunter here — not a target.”
This article also appears in the July 2025 NZDA Taupō Branch Newsletter.
Visit nzdataupo.org.nz to learn more about the club, join up, or access upcoming events and range dates.
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