A hunter is in Taupo Hospital with a broken leg after being airlifted off the Kaimanawa Range.

The Taupo-based Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was called to assist the man after his hunting companion called for help via cell phone this afternoon.

The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter. Photo: File.

The Kaimanawa Range is located in central North Island. They extend for 50 kilometres in a northeast/southwest direction through largely uninhabited country to the south of Lake Taupo and east of the Desert Road.

Greenlea Rescue Helicopter base manager Nat Every says when the helicopter was near the two men the hunting companion guided the helicopter to them with his cell phone.

The man with the broken leg was then long lined out from the site due to the terrain and taken to Taupo Hospital.