JMP Report post Posted May 21, 2009 My wife and I are going to NZ in August. I've been researching hunting opportunities down there, but both can't and don't want to pay to access the guided hunts on the game estates. does anyone know anything about hunting in new zealand. for instance, I know the estates have a lot of big stags, up over 400", but it seems that the public land hunters rarely take stags over 250". is there a chance at a 300"+ stag on public land down there, or do I need to start saving pennies? We do plan to be down there for a few years at least, so I'll get to hunt other species as well. I'm mostly interested in the stags, tahr, and fallow. but I'm sure i'll try to stick a few feral goats and pigs while i'm at it. can't wait to get down there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kilimanjaro Report post Posted May 21, 2009 jmp, I guided for 10 months for stags, chamois and tahr on the south island back in 2001.. PM me and I will try and get some useful info passed along to ya! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted May 21, 2009 JMP: Scottyboy should be of great help. I'd also like to suggest that you check the telephone books for helicopter rentals, and talk with the pilots when you are there. Most of the tahr and chamois hunts done by hunters from overseas use helicopters -- they use them like we do our 4x4s, either for actual hunting or for reaching the hunting areas -- and the pilots know where the game is found. I'd also talk with Department of Conservation people about the huts they have built for use by hunters. You can buy groceries and camping gear down there, and get flown to a hut at a reasonable price, and hunt on foot in some of the best areas on the island if you do your homework. New Zealand's hunters can be some of the friendliest people on earth, and most of them will be glad to help you. I gave a friend similar advice, and he took his adult sons and daughter to the South Island and hunted stag, tahr and chamois for three weeks in April, and they shot all three. Don't expect to find the huge, trophy stags that New Zealand is famous for on a do-it-yourself hunt. Most of the trophy stags you'll see in hunting magazines resulted from selective breeding on deer farms and were released inside enclosed "estates" where they were "hunted." Leave your measuring tape at home. Any truly free-ranging stag is a trophy. Another thought: August is early spring in the Southern Hemisphere. The stags may have dropped their antlers then, and the coats on the tahr and chamois may not be the best for mounting. Bill Quimby Oops. I reread your post and saw that you will be living there for a couple of years. To the above, I'd like to add that you buy some of New Zealand's hunting magazines and contact a few of the writers. As I said, the Kiwis are some of the friendliest people on earth. And let me also make a prediction: You will find it hard to move back to the States when the time comes to return. If you do return, you can expect to experience culture shock from all the traffic, billboards, buildings and rude people up here. New Zealand is among my favorite places in the world even though some of its customs -- such as not tipping, even for exceptional service -- are hard to get used to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter4life Report post Posted May 22, 2009 I hunted DOC land for Tahr and chamois when I hunted in New Zealand. We flew in and got dropped off by helicopter and then hunted from there. I really enjoyed hunting New Zealand and most of the people seemed very friendly. However, the feeling I got was that there were probably even more radical environmentalist whackos in New Zealand than we have here in the US. I think you should have a fun time living over there, and get in shape because their mountains are steep and rugged. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
