Deerstalkers angry at hunting rights

A South Island high-country runholder has been offered exclusive hunting and tourism rights under a tenure review, angering the Deerstalkers' Association.

The hunting rights apply to 3500ha of Mesopotamia Station at the head of South Canterbury's Rangitata River valley.

Deerstalkers' advocate Dr Hugh Barr says a 30-year hunting and tourism concession is outside the Crown Pastoral Lands Act and potentially worth millions of dollars.

He says the possibility of New Zealanders having to pay to hunt on Crown land is a travesty.