Fiordland Wapiti bulls are about to come into the crosshairs as 600 eager hunters, each selected by ballot from all over Australasia and around the world, each try to bag a trophy this rut season.

The season, commonly known as the 'bugle' - after the unique high-pitched roar a wapiti bull makes, starts in late March or early April and lasts for around a month.

Organised by the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation as a means of managing Wapiti populations, general manager Roy Sloan says The Wapiti Ballot has become extremely popular drawing hunters from all over the globe.

Several thousand hunters, some from as far away as the US and even Sweden, apply for the 600 places, going into the park in 150-strong lots of 10 days, spaced over 40 days. The ballots were drawn several months ago and there’s an education process,” Sloan says.

Hunters are encouraged to shoot only older male trophies. “There have been a couple of beauties shot already,” Sloan says.

It's an expedition-style trophy hunt and usually about 80 quality bulls come out, but this one’s not for the fainthearted, he says.

“You need to be fit. These guys have been training for four or five months. They’ve got packs on and they’re climbing mountains rising from sea level to 5000 feet (1524m), pushing through rainforest in an area subjected to 8-metre rainfalls annually,” he says.

“Those who’ve been on hunting expeditions in Alaska and to the world’s top hunting destinations say, ‘We got our bums kicked in Fiordland,” he says.

“One was even a well-known, professional American gridiron player.”

Spaces are highly sought after with successful hunters always chomping at the bit to get going, Sloan says.

“They’ll be so excited they won’t hear a word in our briefing.”

Early in the rut – from mid-March, is the most exciting time of the year – the wapiti bugle when the bulls are most vocal.

“They come crashing in at you and fight.”

The number of female hunters bidding for a spot is rising rapidly each year with about 120, or 20%, of the hunters now women, Sloan says.

“It’s usually 80% male and 20% female but that gap is shrinking big time,” he says.

Fiordland Wapiti Foundation general manager Roy Sloan. Photo: FWF

“It’s a changing space and we’re getting more and more very capable ladies.”

The first 150 hunters come out of the bush today (Saturday, 29 March) while the second 150 head in.

Successful hunters pay $200 each to go in and it’s $100 to enter with those funds used for the foundation’s conservation work.

The event is now in its 20th year.

Sloan says the foundation and its management programmes are now renowned.

“We’re probably viewed as the most successful management programme in NZ,” he says.

“We’re the only Wapiti Foundation in the country and the only foundation in the history of NZ to manage a deer species on conservation land,” he says.

The foundation manages deer populations in the area while protecting native species.

“We’re now recognised internationally for how we do that.”

The foundation shoots about 1200 deer a year for environmental outcomes and the quality venison is sold to the likes of Air NZ and top restaurants, also helping fund the work.

Wapiti were first introduced into NZ as a gift from US President Teddy Roosevelt in 1905, who gave 18 Wapiti to NZ, brought over on a steamship from the US and released into George Sound.