Thread: The wife offers to pay for a winter chopper trip, but........

I have a winter birthday so, :the wife offers to pay for a fly in trip anywhere I like (long as it's in NZ), and cover any peripheral costs needed, sounds good, right?

Trouble is fly in areas are generally beyond my range of experience in choosing a good location, as my hunting gets done by 4wd and shank's pony, this leaves me dependant on a pilots discretion, and I keep hearing about people being dropped into areas that suit the pilot but have already been cleaned out, just had a heli gunship through, multiple parties dropped into the same area one after the other, just been poisoned ect ect some pilots are going to be greedier/ more dishonest/ deceitful than others, but no idea how to choose a pilot that is straight up.

So, the question is, how do you, without firsthand knowledge of an area, choose to where get dropped in, and who by?

Never chased Sika but not crossing the ditch to sit on a hill in the middle Nth Island nowhere and see nothing cause the guy driving the kerosene taxi doesn't give a shit. (Maybe winter is not the best time for Sika anyway)

Like chasing Tahr (my main go) but the problem is the same, where and who? (and if I can get into areas normally denied me because of access it may also be a case of "what")

Feel free to offer helpful friendly advice, or if you haven't had a life lately you may find taking the piss therapeutic, and I'm pleased to have helped.

Cant help too much except is you chase sika go in with chris cross he is legit.
Or ruhaines go in with jimmy g

If you end up anywhere near Hawkes Bay and want a Sika just let me know, i can take you to some nice possies to get the job done.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Sounds like she has a boyfriend and wants you out of the way for a week.
If my wife offered a trip like that I would probably pick Stewart Island.

Not much need for choppers here but u can sure do a big boat trip!

If your chasing Sika in the middle of winter, hunting pressure is going to be down (you will probably have a place to yourself), you can keep your meat cool no probs, stalking is more quiet under foot, and there are still plenty of deer about. I see many pros to hunting winter.

If you want to come to Noth west Ruahine, southern Kaimanawa and Kaweka's Hill Country Heli under the Piloting of Mark Tilyard.
He knows whats happening who who in the zoo and whats coming out of the scrub.

+1 for Chris cross if your after sika he provides a very honest service

Originally Posted by 199p

Cant help too much except is you chase sika go in with chris cross he is legit.
Or ruhaines go in with jimmy g

+1 for the best service into the Ruahines ring helicopters Hawkes bay chief pilot
Jim Guerin 021 673 426
He'll tell you where the deer are and is the best pilot around.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by 257weatherby

I have a winter birthday so, :the wife offers to pay for a fly in trip anywhere I like (long as it's in NZ), and cover any peripheral costs needed, sounds good, right?

Trouble is fly in areas are generally beyond my range of experience in choosing a good location, as my hunting gets done by 4wd and shank's pony, this leaves me dependant on a pilots discretion, and I keep hearing about people being dropped into areas that suit the pilot but have already been cleaned out, just had a heli gunship through, multiple parties dropped into the same area one after the other, just been poisoned ect ect some pilots are going to be greedier/ more dishonest/ deceitful than others, but no idea how to choose a pilot that is straight up.

So, the question is, how do you, without firsthand knowledge of an area, choose to where get dropped in, and who by?

Never chased Sika but not crossing the ditch to sit on a hill in the middle Nth Island nowhere and see nothing cause the guy driving the kerosene taxi doesn't give a shit. (Maybe winter is not the best time for Sika anyway)

Like chasing Tahr (my main go) but the problem is the same, where and who? (and if I can get into areas normally denied me because of access it may also be a case of "what")

Feel free to offer helpful friendly advice, or if you haven't had a life lately you may find taking the piss therapeutic, and I'm pleased to have helped.

You go for it!! Don't let an offer like this slip thru your fingers!!
One small problem tho': once you've hunted Sika the rest of the species are pussy cats. When you've walked within 5 metres of a Sika, not seen it & had it whistle at you you'll need a change of underwear as well as defibulator!!!!

There is some good advice here as to who you can trust for a spot that hasn't been hammered. Stay well clear of a crowd not 100k from Poronui Station!!!!

Remember to: Easter & the silly season is early this year so the loopies & woofters will be well clear of Jap country by the end of March!!!. Jappers roar anytime from March to August. I have shot one roaring its gonnads off on the 10th July one year & Neil Philpot has had similar experiences as late as August!! As long as there's a hot sheila around they'll be hot to trot ( sounds like a familiar human scenario doesn't it????)

Enjoy your freebie you lucky sod & don't give the missus a thought while you're tucking into juicy succulent Sika backsteaks!!!!

I think I'm in love with your wife

There are a number of SI chopper operators you can trust, most are connected in some way with James Scott. Try James himself, or his pilot Greg at Haast. Or try Clint at Tekapo Helicopters. Stay well clear of Station Air or its offspring, Mt Hutt Heli, or one or two of the "heli hunters" based around Wanaka area. Jeff Shanks at Milford is excellent, and I have had excellent service from the Helicopter line.