New Zealand's number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases reached 1106 on Monday.

An off-duty police officer has been caught hunting only days after the nationwide coronavirus lockdown began.

A West Coast resident took to Facebook on March 29 to ask if anyone in Hokitika recognised the number plate of a man who "must of missed the memo about no hunting".

It was later revealed the man, who was also seen putting a deer into the boot of his car, was off-duty police officer Neil Gillespie.

A police spokeswoman said alert level 4 restrictions applied to "all New Zealanders".

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"The staff member in question has been spoken to and reminded of our expectations in regard to adhering to the restrictions."

A West Coast resident spotted the police officer hunting on March 29 - after the nationwide coronavirus lockdown began. (File photo)

Gillespie, who the Greymouth Star reported is not on active duty due to an injury, declined to comment when approached by Stuff on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she acknowledged there was some "conflicting advice" regarding hunting in the early days of the lockdown.

"But that is for the police to follow up on their own team and making sure that they do fulfil the expectations that have been set out for alert level 4."

West Coast police sent an email to local media three days after the incident saying they had heard people were still going hunting.

"Police wish to remind those people that maybe contemplating going out hunting that it is a breach of the level 4 lockdown.

"Those hunters that are caught, within the level 4 lockdown period, will be educated around what the current lockdown criteria is and encouraged to refrain from hunting until the lockdown level has changed."

The statement said a warning would be issued in the first instance.

"Those caught hunting a second time, after being warned previously, will risk prosecution and this could also put their firearms licence status at risk."

Police said they were also concerned about emergency resources being taken "away from where they are critically needed" if anyone hunting got hurt or lost.

New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association national president Trevor Chappell said the officer "should know better".

"It's probably a bit like that Minister of Health David Clark – it's inappropriate behaviour, [with] the location being on the West Coast [he] probably felt it was OK to do so.

"People are making these mistakes and they just have to live with them."

On Saturday, police released a modified list of guidelines for frontline officers after it was revealed they had little power to enforce the lockdown unless they suspected someone had coronavirus.

The rules, set out in a health notice issued by director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, include the banning of hunting, tramping or other activities that expose participants to danger or may require search and rescue services.

Bloomfield said the guidance provided additional clarity regarding bubbles, and reinforced police's ability to enforce them.

"No-one likes a rule breaker, especially when breaking the rules puts other New Zealanders' lives at risk. We've started well but now is not the time to be complacent. We need to be extra vigilant to move out of alert level 4 as soon as possible, and police have all the powers they need to make sure people not following the rules are dealt with."

New Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the health notice made it clear what types of outdoor exercise and recreation people should not do.

"We want people to stay safe, but if a small number of people persist in deliberately flouting the restrictions, police will have the discretion to warn or, if necessary, to arrest," he said.

"The vast majority of New Zealanders have a high level of awareness of what they can and can't do under the alert level 4 restrictions, and by and large people are doing a tremendous job."