The body of a hunter has been found in the Urewera ranges.

The 52-year-old hunter was accompanied by two 11-year-old boys when he collapsed in bush near Ruatahuna, about 110 kilometres southeast of Rotorua.

Detective Sergeant John Wilson of Rotorua police says the man died of natural causes.

Search and rescue staff reached the man's body about 1am on Sunday and stayed until it was recovered about 12 hours later.

The searchers had already been trying to rescue three walkers who had decided to go for a late walk in bad weather near Lake Rotoiti, 22km northeast of Rotorua, and got caught at the top of a large bluff.

"They found themselves unable to find their way down," Mr Wilson said.

"It was very difficult to get to and we had to send two teams of searchers to get them, at some considerable risk to themselves."