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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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskaman 2016
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 :D
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.
Is that not the case? Land-based guided activities: Running your business or activityQuote:
Originally Posted by res
I doubt it's policed tho.
Welcome in Alaskaman.
Check Gibbo's post above.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by stretch
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by res
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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Nah leave that to DOCQuote:
Originally Posted by outdoorlad
Bringing a firearm into NZ is pretty easy, don't be put off by that. Follow the link in one of the earlier posts.
Finding good/reasonable hunting in NZ can be a little trickier. Don't expect to shoot a massive "NZ" head like you see in the trophy magazines, a wild NZ deer won't be anything like that.
A good/reasonable thar or chamois is a realistic chance though.
And bring your gear with you - even Alaska prices are far far cheaper - buying it all at Hunting and Fishing rip off prices is not a good idea! Key thing for taking your firearm out of the US is making sure you have the forms to take it home again. Visitor license here is easy enough.
What part of Alaska are you I and what have you been hunting? Thar hunting is reasonably similar to sheep or goats over there. Moose vs red deer is very different - expect to cover a lot more miles on foot for the latter. More like say backpack hunting for elk on state lands in the lower 48.
I use to live in Fairbanks, so have some idea of the differences here vs there. Feel free to pm me if you want to chat more.
Make sure you drive on the left hand side of the road :)
Hope you're jumping down docs throat every time they dump another load of 1080 fella....how about you just chill out a little and help the old mate out instead of giving him a lecture.im sure he's going to be spending some cash while he's here and why waste more on guiding fees when there's a bunch of good bastards on this forum that will help him out in a true kiwi way instead of trying to plug it up him.Quote:
Originally Posted by William
I love some of the comments you guys seem awesome!!! As for going with a guide I do not want to just for personal preference. I have nothing against guides as a matter of fact I am in the process of becoming one here in Alaska. Thanks to everyone that posted website URL's they are VERY helpful. I love Rusky post as well as least a lot of you guys are not into "trophy hunting". I am all about conservation of wildlife and wild places. How does New Zealand's Conservation model work?
Welcome Alaskaman. Gibo,s post was on the money.
Another Alaskan who will visit NZ in a few years-hopefully with local help/guides for Red deer and more. I have contacted USDA and USFWS and US Customs and all say that we can bring back venison from NZ but not pork or goat. Before I leave I plan to get that in writing. In the meantime I have been lurking and taking notes and enjoying your stories and photos. Thanks to all.
If either of you 2 fellas wanna do a swap a hunt I am keen.
I wanna big bull moose.
Doing a whitetail in Canada first and will be real keen on a moose after that.
I have excellent Thar and Chamois hunting on my doorstep.
Great brown trout fishing and stacks of red deer. Can't guarantee a trophy red but can give you a better than average chance at both a big thar and cham..
One of my best mates is also an established fair chase guide.
He will always be keen to tag along and has nice affordable accommodation.
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Welcome Ed. nice part of the world you live in.Quote:
Originally Posted by JuneauEd
Our conservation model is that introduced pest species (such as Deer, Pigs, Goat,Thar, Cham) must be exterminated.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskaman 2016
Fortunately for all concerned that is just not feazable tho we do spend millions of dollars on control.
Do not expect to see great migratory herds of anything tho animals are about, in NZ we can shoot both male and female all year around with no limit on numbers (some blocks or special herds have restrictions ).
The average NZ hunter is slightly more interested in herd management than the govt tho and most hunt ethically shooting for meat or trophy.
My understanding is that a "trophy Thar" is generally considered a beast with 11" or more. What are the standards for Red Stag and Chamois?
I looked at the approved arms import list on Blaser. The R8 is not there. See: Approved firearms | New Zealand Police
Is the Blaser R8 not allowed in NZ?
Scotty
I wouldn't take the list too literally, "or similar" seems to apply. When I moved back from overseas I brought something with me not on the list. I explained to the cop it was pretty much the same as something on the list by the same manufacturer, and he was happy enough and off I went! Given you can buy R8s here I think you'd be fine!Quote:
Originally Posted by summitdogracing
The R8 is relativly new and the police are archaic so it probably has not been updated yet.
There is heaps of R8s in the country.
I dont profess to know lots about Thar but I think 12-13 is considered representative and shooting smaller bulls may upset some hunters.
I am certain I will do a hunt swap now. All those that made that statement about me doing a hunt swap thank you!!! I did not even think of this idea before hand. If any of you guys want to hunt in Alaska in the years to come let me know when I become a guide in my off season I can take you guys out for free in my off season since I will be out anyway hunting for my own food and you can tag along and I will help fill your tag as well. And any additional info on this thread is appreciated thanks you to all people who posted so far. You guys are doing a great job showing me Kiwi's are great people and I can not wait to make NZ friend's!!!!!
Alaskaman there are a few things that you need to understand before you come over.
1. New Zealand is frequently voted the best country in the world to live in so you may never want to go back... And that would be perfectly fine with us.
2. Maori place names can be difficult for foreigners to pronounce. By way of example the letters W and H together are pronounced as an F but whilst the names are difficult you will also get lots of giggles from place names starting with Whaka.
3. The country is genuinely jaw droppingly beautiful, in fact the South Island is pants shittingly beautiful and the one thing that you really need to know is that the sub species humans (Kiwiana Southicus) that inhabit the bigger island love having fun poked at them for their twelve toes and inbred looks.
4. All New Zealand males will respond to the name "mate" and most especially if it is preceded with "want a beer".
I hope these tips are helpful. Looking forward to reading of your visit.
Alaskaman- If you are going to hunt in the Sth Is its a good idea to "test" yourself and your equipment before you commit to a major expedition. I take lots of guys on a Queenstown area goat shooting trip for a day or two to help them acclimatize to our conditions and get their eye in for the terrain they'll be encountering. Our mountains can be a bit sobering but its better to be able to find out what you don't know before its real. Goats are really a "mountain varmint" here. Happy to take you if you like, we love hosting folk from overseas. A hunt for wallabies in the Sth Canterbury area will achieve the same thing.