Thread: Recommended Outfitter

I do some guiding for an Outfitter in the central south island. It's pretty common for US clients to take meat back with them, this is no trouble at all. Just freeze it here and pack into a cooler and check it in as luggage for your flight back. Early season stages are good eating and will be in great condition too.
@SanDiegoHntr the prices you mentioned should get you a great stag. Most people in the forum are recreational hunters that have never used an Outfitter for hunting in NZ. The industry is a very tight group with only a very small number of them targeting NZ-based hunters and therefore many hunters here aren't too keen on the Outfitters as they secure access leases from landowners etc and can prevent some access to local hunters. Some of these lease agreements prevent access to Public Land through the property. Therefore, the Outfitter will hunt the Public Land there too as there are likely to be good animals there with the reduction of hunting pressure.

There is a belief by many NZ hunters that most Red Stag hunts by Outfitters are High Fence hunts in small areas. This is certainly not the case as any of the outfitters can offer Free Range and Fair Chase stags. Once you start getting into the really big stags, the smaller the property will be given the costs associated with the stag. Even on a fenced 1500-acre property, depending on the terrain and vegetation, hunting certainly isn't as easy as some think, especially with a bow. It's very likely that there will be truly wild stags on the property too.

You will just need to decide if you want to ensure you get a stag in the timeframe you are here or possibly go home empty-handed, this is one of the key differences in using a suitable outfitter or not. Again, this would be dependent on how long you want to be here.