Following the successful arrangements in previous years allowing weekday daytime access to specific areas in Lake Taupō Forest during the roar season, the Lake Taupō Forest Trust and NZFM are pleased to confirm this will continue in 2026.
To support this, a range of forest operations have been rescheduled to minimise interaction between hunters and workers during this period. The safety of owners and workers remains paramount to the Lake Taupō Forest Trust. However, due to fire risk and the potential for other emergencies, LTFT owners are urged to take all normal precautions when accessing the forest and not assume that no operations are taking place.
Weekday Roar Hunting Block
Access to the areas shown in the map alongside this information will be available to eligible permit holders on weekdays from 5am to 11pm during the roar period, as well as on weekends.
Roar Block access will be available from Friday 20 March through to Sunday 10 May 2026. Outside of these areas, normal access hours will apply: 4pm to 11pm on weekdays and 5am to 11pm on weekends across the remaining Lake Taupō Forest Trust lands.
Owners wishing to access these blocks will need a permit and key fob. If you already hold a permit and key fob covering some or all of the Roar Block dates, your key fob will automatically operate the relevant gates during the hours outlined above.
Permits and key fob updates are available at the following locations:
Winter Access Hours
From Monday 11 May 2026, owner access will change to winter hours: 4pm to 8pm on weekdays and 7am to 8pm on weekends.
Summer hours will resume on Monday 28 September 2026 (following the end of daylight saving).
