People are being asked not to go on any long or difficult hikes during the coronavirus restrictions.

Hikers, hunters, mountain bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts are being asked to stay home while high level coronavirus restrictions are in place.

The Government has said people can get outside and get some fresh air while the level four restrictions – which ask people to stay at home – are in place.

Were you planning to go out on a trip? What do you think of this advice? Email michael.hayward@stuff.co.nz

John Nicholson Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley says the advice might upset plans, but is a small price to pay.

Clarification of the rules is not good news for those people who were planning on heading for the hills.

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The Department of Conservation (DOC) has closed all huts and campsites until further notice and asked people not to head out into back country or remote areas.

SUPPLIED Department of Conservation director general Lou Sanson says people should not be using DOC huts or campsites, and should avoid DOC facilities like toilets as they are not being serviced.

Fish & Game is also asking anglers and hunters to remain at home during the month-long level four alert.

Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said trampers, hunters and outdoor recreation enthusiasts were asked to stay at home during the restrictions and avoid non-essential travel.

"Our message to everyone is simple; stay at home, stay out of the back country, put the trip plans on ice and save them for another day."

He said it would have a significant impact on many people's plans but was a small price to pay.

Daisley said it did not not mean people could not get outside and do physical activity, but they should choose appropriately and flag long or challenging day trips or overnight stays.

DOC director-general Lou Sanson said people should not use DOC huts or campsites, and should avoid DOC facilities like toilets as they are not being serviced so hygiene was compromised.

Peter Meecham Hunters will be packing away their guns, right as peak deer hunting season hits.

He said that did not mean people were stuck inside, but people should choose a quiet location close to home, keep a safe distance from others and follow all Government guidance.

Sanson said DOC would be monitoring the situation over the coming weeks and would respond to specific situations if there were safety issues in conservation areas.

Fish & Game chief executive Martin Taylor said the inherent dangers of angling and hunting could create an unfair burden on emergency and health services .

"It is heartbreaking to not be able to spend time in the outdoors, especially as for many of us this is our main way to de-stress, but we all have our part to play to beat Covid-19," he said.

"The point of the next four weeks is to kill the virus in New Zealand so that life goes back to normal as quickly as possible.

"Let's stay home for four weeks then we can get outdoors and back into angling and hunting."

Land Search and Rescue New Zealand chief executive Carl McOnie said its volunteers will stand ready during the restrictions "but would rather not be called out".

He advised people not to do any activities where they might unintentionally need emergency services, including tramping, boating, fishing, and swimming.

'HEART-BREAKING' FOR HUNTERS

The four-week mating season for red deer, known as "the roar", is just starting and is peak time for deer hunting. It overlaps with the four weeks of the Government's level four coronavirus restrictions.

Game Animal Council general manager Tim Gale said hunters should not be heading into the hills.

"The guidance we have is that at alert level four it is strongly recommended that hunters do not head into the backcountry or undertake activities that expose them and others to higher levels of risk."

Gale has cancelled a 10-day hunting trip which he said was "absolutely gutting".

NZ Deerstalkers Association president Trevor Chappell said he was incredibly disappointed but staying home was the right thing.

"It is heart-breaking as a hunter to be stuck at home during the roar, but as hunters we also have our part to play to beat Covid-19."

Chappell said the better people complied with Government restrictions, the sooner the virus would be under control and people could go hunting again.

"So much about hunting is doing it with your family and your mates, so make sure you keep in touch with each other and perhaps spend the time planning that next epic trip you will do together."

There is about one month left in the trout fishing season, while the duck hunting season start is about a month away.

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