Thread: Hunter coming from Denmark need help

Back to the original questions,


Look at the mountain safety council web site for “bushcraft” reading. The main causes of death in nz mountains are drowning Crossing rivers and falls often contributed to by hypothermia so take extra care with those. The normal safety procedure is to always go with someone else. dont hunt alone and do have a contact person who knows where you will be and will call search and rescue (police number 111) if you arent back out by a specific date and time. Write you intended route in the log book in each hut as you go and also when you get back (theres not usually one at the road end ). there’s cell phone coverage over a lot of the mountains specially at higher altitudes but very unpredictable which is why the InReach satellite communicatir and tracker is recommended. You can hire them frkm acompany called TrackMe. Hire a PLB too.

To get around the country you will need a car. Either rent or buy an old one then sell at the end if your trip. It takes a lot of ingenuity to get around and get to the hills by public transport.

DoC huts are mostly $5 a night so an excellent way to live in the wild. On their site theres a list of them with location and prices and how to pay ( you buy hut tickets ).

Look out for an opportunity to do a training course eg range shooting at Sparrowhawk or a bushcraft or hunting course (NZDA HUNTS) or go on a club trip with an NZDA branch or tramping club,depending on timing and money. Dont ignore the idea of paying a guide to take you for a hunt. Get in touch with north canterbury nzda and see if you can just go to one of their range days ora social night evening meeting near christchurch ( macleans island).

One relatively safe place you could go for a walk on your own is the west matukituki valley (Not rabbit pass) or the Rees Dart circuit where you can take your time and camp and only use the huts if the weather is bad. Lovely country.

On your cell phone get the excellent map app NZ Topo 50. Carry a power bank and keep your phone on aeroplane mode while in the hills.upload your best photos to the cloud whenever you get out to town. Buy a nz compass when you get here; the needle should be balanced differently here. In NZ the magnetic north is about 20degrees different from grid north which maps use so study that up and get it right.

Apologies for typos my thumb is clumsy.