Okau Wilderness Park, Mataikona, Wairarapa, New Zealand is privately owned by the Vermeer family, who manage it as a forest park. It provides an ideal habitat for red and fallow deer. Guided hunting provides hunters the opportunity to take home a great trophy head. Bow hunting opportunities are available during the Roar / Rut season.

Okau is situated near Castlepoint in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. These eastern North Island coastal ranges were a release point for red deer from Windsor Park in England, over 140 years ago. Okau comprises over 5,000 acres of native and regenerating forest, which provides an ideal habitat for both red and fallow deer. The eco-system on Okau runs from the sea coast, up to 2,000 feet altitude, with several complete watersheds that run out to the ocean. This offers hunters the opportunity to hunt bush edges, creek beds, mountain tops, clearings and within the bush itself, and provides a broad range of opportunities for hunters using rifle or bow.

The coastal hills of the Wairarapa have long been recognised as trophy producing country and Okau certainly provides proof of this.

There are no fences or barriers to the vast majority of the park. The natural geographic boundaries protect these hills from over hunting. The deer on this property are truly wild deer, but the light hunting pressure leaves the deer calm and approachable, making stalking and assessment of animals prior to shooting quite straightforward. Stags with less than 10 points are usually left to mature further, and only the better trophies sought each year. A surprising number of high quality animals are taken each roar.

For the hunters wanting world class red deer trophies over 312 SCI score Okau park offers, and recommends an Estate Hunt, a preserve area of still hardcore game habitat. Within the estate mature red deer stags are 14 points minimum and can even exceed 400 SCI score.                

There are choices of accomodation available at Okau. A converted woolshed with 2 bedrooms offers self contained and comfortable accommodation.  Also available are two bush cabins, one with two bedroms, the other with three bedrooms (mosly used by the free-range hunters). Both cabins are of high standard, and are spacious and warm if hunters are confined to base due to inclement weather conditions. Also situated throughout the park are three small well located spotting cabins with one or two bunks and gas stoves. There are also some permanent tree-stands and waterproof hides well situated for bow hunters.

The Okau Park is set on east coast hill country coastal and in areas quite steep, so reasonably fit hunters will get the opportunity to cover substantially greater parts of the block. While a high degree of fitness is not essential, it can be helpful, although hunters into their 80's have enjoyed success in taking trophies.

Boyd provides a full guided service, so during a roar trip, each hunter has the choice of either a "one hunter, one guide" option, or a "two to three hunters, one guide" option. For the "two hunter, one guide" option each hunter can expect 2 - 3 days of fully guided hunting. Younger animals can be sighted in a relatively casual manner from well located lookout points.