Everything you need to know about donating, hunting, and how Game Changer NZ puts wild venison in the hands of those who need it.
Game Changer NZ is a community fundraising initiative run by Wild Game Recovery Trust. It enables the public to donate towards the professional butchering of wild animals harvested by registered WGRT hunters, so the processed meat can be distributed to local food banks.
It removes the main barrier to getting game meat into food banks — the cost of processing.
Wild Game Recovery Trust coordinates a pathway so hunters can harvest animals for local food banks, with public donations covering the butchering costs.
We connect:
Protein is one of the hardest and most expensive food types for food banks to secure. Game Changer NZ allows communities to rally together to help meet that need.
Wild animal numbers in many areas are placing significant pressure on native habitats, biodiversity, farmland, and forestry.
Wild Game Recovery Trust supports responsible wild animal management while ensuring that harvested animals are utilised as a valuable source of protein, rather than going to waste.
Game meat refers to meat from wild animals harvested by hunters in the natural environment. It is a sustainable source of protein, utilising animals already present in the landscape without relying on intensified farming systems.
All animals are processed by professional butchers, and only meat deemed suitable for consumption is accepted.
We have several safeguards in place:
Your donation goes directly towards the butchering of a wild animal for a specific local food bank. Processing costs are the biggest barrier to getting game meat into food banks.
You can contribute towards part of the cost or fund the processing of an entire animal, which is $120.
Once $120 has been raised for a food bank, we give a registered hunter the green light to undertake a hunt for that specific food bank.
After a successful hunt:
Wild Game Recovery Trust coordinates the entire process, working with hunters, butchers and food banks.
One deer provides approximately 25kg of meat — around 200 meals for a community in need.
Yes. Wild Game Recovery Trust is a registered charity and all donations are eligible for a New Zealand tax rebate.
100% of donations through Game Changer NZ go directly towards butchering costs for the food bank you select. Wild Game Recovery Trust does not take an administration fee from these donations.
Yes. Food banks can select their own food bank through Game Changer NZ and make a donation towards their own butchering costs. This allows a food bank to contribute directly to the processing of meat that will come back to support their own community.
If you are a food bank and are not currently included in Game Changer NZ, please email sarah@wgrt.org.nz to be placed on the waitlist. Food banks are reviewed periodically and may be added as the programme expands.
Complete the online sign-up form. Once submitted, we'll be in touch with the next steps, which include registering on the Game Animal Council's Better Hunting platform and completing the short knowledge check.
After you've completed the knowledge check, let us know. We'll confirm this and formally register you as an approved Wild Game Recovery Trust hunter.
Once you've submitted the sign-up form, you'll register on the Game Animal Council's Better Hunting platform and complete a short knowledge check (10 questions, ~3 minutes). This confirms key requirements around animal health and food safety.
For each hunt, you must log the harvested animal in the Better Hunting portal. Logging the animal generates a batch ID, which must be provided to the butcher to ensure traceability.
No. Participating hunters volunteer their time and expertise to support their local community. We greatly value and appreciate your contribution.
When sufficient funds have been raised through Game Changer NZ for your local food bank, we will contact you directly to confirm that you have the green light to hunt. You can then plan the hunt at a time that suits you.
The Better Hunting platform enables:
The batch ID is critical for traceability. It allows the butcher and food bank to track the meat appropriately and ensures full transparency within the system.
Wild Game Recovery Trust pays the butchering costs directly. These costs are covered through public donations raised via Game Changer NZ. The invoice is sent to WGRT — hunters do not pay for processing.
That's absolutely fine. Simply let us know, and we will stand down the butcher for that booking.
Sign up as a WGRT hunter and start making a difference in your region.
Volunteer as a Hunter