Thread: DIY Nonresident New Zealand hunt

In a few years I want to hunt New Zealand. What words can you guys give me about getting the best bang for my buck when it comes to Do it yourself hunting in New Zealand? Info like how to get gear and firearms there and what areas are good for certain game species would be helpful. I am a meat hunter and I would also love to know if any of you guys have experience shipping meat out of New Zealand?

South Island of New Zealand - Visit the DOC website to see where you can hunt and when. Hunting: Things to do

That will get you started.

Rules around bringing firearms to NZ as a visitor: http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/fir...import-permits

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Don't shoot the native birds.

Originally Posted by Alaskaman 2016

I am a meat hunter and I would also love to know if any of you guys have experience shipping meat out of New Zealand?

It shouldn't be a problem leaving with it, it's getting it into the country at your end. I have often sent vacuum packed seafood and meat with people going back to Aussie.
As for a DIY hunt, figure out what you want to hunt first, DOC (Dept of Conservation) can provide info on their website on public land you can hunt and there is an online permit system.
You can hunt 12 months a year for a lot of animals but not all areas are open all year.

Then you come over, get lost, call out search and rescue, piss off the local hunting fraternity and get lots of flack

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

How about we don't give away one of our great resources, if you're going to come here for the purpose of hunting it would be nice if you could support the industry by going with a guide.

The resource is still being given away if a guide is being used unless it's a private land hunt. Unless all guides have started paying to use public land.
How about tourists pay a fee at the airport to help support the outdoors that most of them come to see.

Originally Posted by res

Unless all guides have started paying to use public land.

Is that not the case? Land-based guided activities: Running your business or activity

I doubt it's policed tho.

Welcome in Alaskaman.
Check Gibbo's post above.

Originally Posted by stretch

Is that not the case? Land-based guided activities: Running your business or activity

I doubt it's policed tho.

Yea, it's the policed part-I know a few guides(mostly fishing) and there is no way they have paid for all the places they take people.

I'm all for charging overseas people something to use our outdoors but saying they should use a guide is a lot like the gun shop owner the other day saying all gun sales should go through a shop-blatant self interest.

But guiding would be the best way to make the most of a visitors time

Originally Posted by res

Yea, it's the policed part-I know a few guides(mostly fishing) and there is no way they have paid for all the places they take people.

I'm all for charging overseas people something to use our outdoors but saying they should use a guide is a lot like the gun shop owner the other day saying all gun sales should go through a shop-blatant self interest.

But guiding would be the best way to make the most of a visitors time

I would agree with the last statement. You can spend a lot of time figurine out where animals aren't before you find one. If you want to make the most of a brief (and I would class 12 months as brief for our country) then some guiding and / or local knowledge can make a big difference.

Knowing local conditions and hazards means less chance of something going wrong. Knowing what will or could be needed and what will not will also help. All this knowledge is often from experience, so a guide of some sort will help a lot. By guiding, I would refer to helpful locals as well as not all guides are professionals.

Certainly worth looking at.

Welcome alaskaman, don't worry about these grumpy bastards, most kiwis are actually very friendly.

I challenge anyone to put up real proof that foreign tourists makeup the majority of rescues.

Tourism is a massive earner for this country, we should be encouraging it rather than saying "its all mine"...

At least this guy isn't one of those Yanks wanting to shoot one of those ugly 16pt stags in the South Island. Give me a PM if you want to go for a days bush bashing in dense Kaimai bush 2 hours south of Auckland.

Maybe you should swap a hunt...?

Some grumpy assumptive selfish buggers on here @Alaskaman 2016.

So here's some decent advice.
NZ Police will permit you to bring your own firearm into NZ, but I suggest it's not worth jumping through all the hoops to do it. Also, buying a firearm in NZ will be very difficult if you don't have referees here to vouch for you being a "fit and proper person".

So your very best option, is to team up with a good bastard (or several in different parts of the country) on the forum who's prepared to take you out with him. The big problem you'll face is not being licensed to carry a firearm, so you'll need a license holder providing you "immediate supervision at all times".

As for location to see a range of species, your best bet is to fly in to Christchurch and spread your wings from there. Red deer are everywhere in the southern alps. You will also find Thar and Chamois in good numbers to the west and south of Christchurch. Fallow deer are numerous in Otago. Wild pigs are prevalent in Marlborough to the north as well.

If you want to hunt Sika, Rusa or Sambar deer, you need to fly to the central north island.

For all clothing, tents and hunting equipment, the best place to go is Hunting & Fishing NZ shops based in every major town/city. They have everything you need and will also have name and contact details for local guides.

So whatever you sort out for a trip here, bring a sense of humour and remember that our climate and mountains can be just as harsh as yours, so be prepared.



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