Thread: New to NZ

Hi everybody,

I'm new here (this is actually my first post), and I was wondering if anybody had any advice. I'm currently in the US, and I am going to visit the South Island in late May to do some bowhunting for Chamois and Tahr for around ten days. I'm not looking for a trophy or anything, I'd be perfectly happy with a doe. I know nothing is free, and I'm not looking for anything specific, but if anyone is interested, I have access to private mule deer hunting in the states, as well as experience hunting antelope and elk in southern and central idaho. If you're headed that way and interested in some info/hunting swap I'll be hunting both come late August (Mule deer in november). I've attached a picture of a mule deer I took a few years ago with the bow. Anyway, I'm currently planning on driving into whataroa from Christchurch, and hunting the abel lake area, but that's very tentative. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

If you find yourself in the North Island I can sort you for trophy Sika Stags on DOC (public) land at no cost to you

Keep in touch via PM

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

If you find yourself in the North Island I can sort you for trophy Sika Stags on DOC (public) land at no cost to you

Keep in touch via PM

wow, almost like a guarantee for a trophy sika.

Hey Hugshe, Idaho Is a fantastic place. Ive chased Mule deer there before, But only on over the counter public land tags and passed up everything I saw. They are one of the coolest looking deer. Once you get your post count up Ill send you a message as Im based on the west coast south Island and can sort out something for you Im sure.

Welcome aboard.

Nice quiet boots for bow hunting in!!!

Welcome aboard

Originally Posted by XR500

Nice quiet boots for bow hunting in!!!

Welcome aboard

Snake protection?

Welcome mate.

yes get your posts up, sent you a pm but its been diverted to god knows where.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

If you find yourself in the North Island I can sort you for trophy Sika Stags on DOC (public) land at no cost to you

Keep in touch via PM

Sweet deal...im keen

Sent from my SM-S911B using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

If you find yourself in the North Island I can sort you for trophy Sika Stags on DOC (public) land at no cost to you

Keep in touch via PM

Legend

Originally Posted by XR500

Nice quiet boots for bow hunting in!!!

Welcome aboard

You'd be surprised, they don't squeak too much and they're very waterproof: no ankle protection though. And, if you get in during the peak of the rut the deer are typically otherwise occupied!

I appreciate everybody's replies, and I'll definitely work on getting my posts up. I've got a lot of questions and this seems like a great place to ask them! Also, I don't think I have PM privileges yet, so please don't get exasperated if I'm slow to reply!

I think you need 5 posts before you can PM. Initially Id say that there are a few factors that might make Abel lake area a less than perfect choice. Firstly its very remote and will take you 4-6 days of walking to get in and out, which when you have travelled so far and on a time limit, is wasted time. Second its a Tahr ballot block. That doesn't mean you cant hunt it. But at that time of the year its highly likely that there will be a balloted group of hunters in there. The ballot isn't a sole hunting right, its a sole access by helicopter right.
When you say you have 10 days, is that 10 days in country? Or 10 days of hunting?

I have tentatively 14 total days (including travel), possibly a couple more, but I have budgeted two on either end for flying and dealing with airports and whatnot. I'm hoping to spend as much of the rest as I can hunting. I've been doing some google earth scouting, and I definitely agree with you, the juice probably isn't worth the squeeze on the Abel lake area. I would like to hunt the west coast, for the scenery if nothing else, but it's a bit hard to find a good balance between ease of access and human footprint. I've mostly been looking on the DOC website and then checking out areas they mention as containing Tahr or Chamois.