Deer carcasses found dumped in waterways and beside popular walking tracks in Hawke's Bay have the Department of Conservation worried.
DOC Hawke's Bay community senior ranger Chris Wootton said Easter was a popular time for hunting as it coincided with deer mating season, but it needed all hunters to play by the rules of the law.
"The roar is mating season for deer. Most hunters are well-behaved but there is always a small proportion of hunters who are inconsiderate, leaving obviously shot animals with parts taken off for meat and the rest left to rot.
"We received reports from visitors to the Kaweka Forest Park of an instance where a deer had clearly been shot and left in a waterway, plus another shot close to a public walking track in March this year.
"It's timely to remind all users of areas like the Kawekas that respect for the environment and other users, along with safety, should always be paramount."