The Department of Conservation (Doc) said although the number of deer killed in the poison drop was higher than expected, the large majority of the Rakiura white-tail deer population was unaffected and deer would repopulate the affected area.
Rakiura Whitetail Trust chairman Adam Fairmaid said a way to keep the deer safe in future 1080 bait aerial operations had to be found.
"The bottom line for us is we want to see a thriving white-tail herd on the island."
The group had received assurance from Doc it would work with stakeholders to find a solution that worked for everyone, he said.
The 1080 operation took place in about 40,000ha of Rakiura National Park and included four of the 35 bookable hunting blocks on Stewart Island in August, a statement from Doc said.
Bait dropped in the hunting blocks contained deer repellent.
A study into the effects of the poison drop was commissioned by Predator Free Rakiura and undertaken by the Bioeconomy Science Institute during an operation in August last year to protect pukunui/southern New Zealand dotterel from extinction, the statement said.
Cameras throughout the area monitored the numbers of animals, it said.
Footage revealed on average a 75% reduction in deer detections by cameras in the deer repellent area in contrast with a 97% reduction in the wider operational area.
Doc national programmes biodiversity director Ben Reddiex said the impact of the 1080 drop was higher than anticipated, but deer numbers would rebound in the area.
"It was expected that there would be some by-kill of white-tail deer as they are known to sometimes eat 1080 bait pellets, but it was unclear what the extent would be."
The large majority of the Rakiura white-tail deer population was unaffected, and deer would gradually re-enter and repopulate the operational area.
