Rescue Coordination Centre NZ is reminding hunters heading out for the ‘roar' that a registered distress beacon could save their life following two South Island rescues this week.

RCCNZ organised the rescue of two hunters who were bluffed on the West Coast, north of Haast, yesterday morning after they set off their distress beacon at 9 am.

'The hill was slipping away from under them,” says Senior Search & Rescue Officer, Greg Johnston. 'They found themselves in a life-threatening situation and made the decision to request help before the situation got worse.”

RCCNZ sent the Greymouth Rescue Helicopter to assist the pair, who were taken to solid ground.

On Tuesday, two wet and cold hunters were rescued from a rapidly-rising river in Fiordland, that separated them from their inflatable boat on the opposite bank. RCCNZ sent Southern Lakes Helicopters to assist the pair.

'Again, the situation could have quickly escalated,” says Greg. 'If you feel that your life is in grave or imminent danger, you should first try to use two-way communications such as a phone or radio so that you can talk to emergency services. However, if you don't have signal, then a distress beacon should be activated.”

Mountain safety Council communications manager Nick Kingstone says maintaining safety during the roar is a wider process than just taking a PLB long.

'There's possibly a misconception that if you take a PLB, that's enough,” says Nick. 'I guess from our perspective that's good, but there is a better and best version that can be achieved as well.

'It's good to have a PLB but it doesn't replace the planning process ahead of that.”

In the central North Island region there are different challenges, he says.

'Our take on it is if you are going off track, and 90 per cent are off track – no one's going to come and help, they are in very rugged terrain and they are trying to find animals in very steep gullies.

'There's a lot going on for those hunters out there, so having good boots, good preparation, good equipment and a global sense, and having a PLB - all these add up to meaning that you are safe and have a good time

'Our perspective, is safety is the outcome of good planning and good decision making. So if you have done the right planning and that includes equipment, and then you are making sensible decisions when you are out there, then you will be safe as an outcome of that.”

Emergency communications are in a descending order; emergency phone satellite phone or radio and a PLB.

'Then you can kind of work through that order,” says Nick.

Nick's advice comes on the back of the fatal shooting of a Katikati man who was shot while hunting in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest on Monday.

There are on average 1.030 hunting injuries each year, 116 search and rescue operation and 4.7 fatalities.

Most hunting injuries are from falls, and carrying out carcasses.

The ‘roar' takes place from mid-March to mid-April in New Zealand and sees hunters going bush with aspirations of shooting a stag, which are more vocal than normal due to the mating season.

A list of beacon retailers and hire outlets is available here. And they can be registered here.

'When you register, you give us critical information that helps us mobilise the best emergency response for your situation. In short: it could save your life,” says Greg at the RCCNZ