Hello New Zealand

Hello everyone, I'm Nick, a 53 year old Englishman living by the sea in Cornwall in the far west of England, UK. I've been a lifelong outsdoorman, fishing and hunting as much as I'm allowed in this vastly

overpopulated and restricted country. So, at last in my life I've managed to save enough money to fulfil a long held ambition to travel to Beautiful New Zealand for 5 weeks next February and early March,

rent a 4x4 and travel the South Island, tramping into the bush, hunting and Fishing. I've been planning this trip for a few months now, but the more I plan the more questions I have, probably quite

trivial sounding to you locals. Questions on DOC and permits as well as ones like, I know shorts are the norm in the New Zealand backcountry, but do you have Ticks, like we do here that spread Lymes disease ?

I'm so glad I found this forum and I hope you won't mind my questions and I hope to gain some useful info to make this the trip of a lifetime. Oh and by the way, I'll be hunting the hard way with a Traditional Recurve bow!

Best wishes,

Nick

There is a couple species of Tick here (I had to google as I have never seen one). I, nor anyone I know has been knowingly bitten or had any known effect from a tick bite during our time in the backcountry. It appears that the only cases of Lyme Disease here have been attributed to people who have come back from a country in which Ticks and Lyme disease were prevalent.

"Do NZ ticks carry Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is common in parts of the United States (particularly in Massachusetts) and Europe but is reported from many areas of the world. In New Zealand and Australia, cases have only been confirmed in people that have recently travelled from an endemic area. Lyme disease is also called Lyme borreliosis."

Hi Nick,
Welcome to the forum. There is a lot information on the site and many experienced members. Do your research and have some good gear, avoid being out in the bush alone if you can. There will plenty of members along shortly to give advice as well. The NZ environment can become unforgiving really quick. You will need to either have or hire a PLB. Enjoy the NZ outdoors its fantastic.

Spent a few nights it a shithole caravan in Newquay years ago. Nice part of the country.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Our Department of Conservation have rules on poundage for bows, I'm not even sure stick bows are covered but I believe minimum draw weight on compounds is 45lb and minimum blade diameter is 1"
Probably best finding out from them before getting halfway round the world with the wrong bow!

Good onya, good luck, it's a beautiful bit of country, too long since I've been down there. Not much nasties in NZ to kill ya or ruin your hunt.
Driving in will be the most dangerous thing you do.

Thanks for the replies so far guys, some good points there already, so glad I joined.

HuntBeta, Unfortunately I don't know anyone as mad as me to do this sort of thing here in the UK, I was born in the wrong Country, so I will be travelling solo.

But a Garmin inReach mini will be on me at all times.

best wishes,

Nick

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nick-UK

Hello everyone, I'm Nick, a 53 year old Englishman living by the sea in Cornwall in the far west of England, UK. I've been a lifelong outsdoorman, fishing and hunting as much as I'm allowed in this vastly

overpopulated and restricted country. So, at last in my life I've managed to save enough money to fulfil a long held ambition to travel to Beautiful New Zealand for 5 weeks next February and early March,

rent a 4x4 and travel the South Island, tramping into the bush, hunting and Fishing. I've been planning this trip for a few months now, but the more I plan the more questions I have, probably quite

trivial sounding to you locals. Questions on DOC and permits as well as ones like, I know shorts are the norm in the New Zealand backcountry, but do you have Ticks, like we do here that spread Lymes disease ?

I'm so glad I found this forum and I hope you won't mind my questions and I hope to gain some useful info to make this the trip of a lifetime. Oh and by the way, I'll be hunting the hard way with a Traditional Recurve bow!

Best wishes,

Nick

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From one overpopulated and restricted country to another...

Gday nick
I'm an Ozzie moving over asap
Had enough of the new woke AU

Nick get a couple more posts so I an send u a pm
I've got a block of private land u might like, only recurves allowed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by outlander

From one overpopulated and restricted country to another...

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Hi outlander, we're pushing 70 million now in the UK and Bow Hunting is illegal, it sucks!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nick-UK

Hi outlander, we're pushing 70 million now in the UK and Bow Hunting is illegal, it sucks!!

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I think that put things in perspective! That said, I agree with outlander, the direction of travel is not good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sharki

Gday nick
I'm an Ozzie moving over asap
Had enough of the new woke AU

Nick get a couple more posts so I an send u a pm
I've got a block of private land u might like, only recurves allowed

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Hi Sharki, sounds interesting. I know what you mean about the new Woke world.

Welcome to the forum. Plenty of resourses on here to answer you questions.

Hi useraccounts,
thanks for your answer on Ticks, shorts it is then. Over here ticks are a real problem and I'd never wear shorts when walking through brush. When camping in the Highlands of Scotland it is a nightly ritual to remove the ticks that have climb up my boots, under my trousers, up my legs and attached themselves into my never regions, they do seem to like the worst possible places you can imagine. The unreachable ones in the bum have to wait until I'm home, a job for the missus. I've had literally hundreds bitten me over the years but so far evaded Lymes diesease, hopefully.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nick-UK

Hi useraccounts,
thanks for your answer on Ticks, shorts it is then. Over here ticks are a real problem and I'd never wear shorts when walking through brush. When camping in the Highlands of Scotland it is a nightly ritual to remove the ticks that have climb up my boots, under my trousers, up my legs and attached themselves into my never regions, they do seem to like the worst possible places you can imagine. The unreachable ones in the bum have to wait until I'm home, a job for the missus. I've had literally hundreds bitten me over the years but so far evaded Lymes diesease, hopefully.

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Well there go my aspirations for visiting the UK. The first one had attach itself to my legs is hook grass.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Welcome aboard

Welcome @Nick-UK, I'm from the opposite end of the South coast (Kent) but been over here 21 years so another 50and I might be classed as a local. Tramping tracks are everywhere plenty here in the top of the south Island.

A group to look up on Youtube are South Island Rifle Walkers, they have a new series starting today.

@Nick-UK
Check your settings, can't send u a pm

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sharki

@Nick-UK
Check your settings, can't send u a pm

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Hi Sharki, many thanks for pointing that out, I'm very backward when it comes to tech, however I think I have managed to enable messages.
Best wishes
Nick

Gidday and welcome along @Nick-UK

I reckon if you participate enthusiastically in this forum, when you get here you won't find yourself having to hunt alone for very long:thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by XR500

Gidday and welcome along @Nick-UK

I reckon if you participate enthusiastically in this forum, when you get here you won't find yourself having to hunt alone for very long:thumbsup:

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Hi XR500, thanks for that, I've 5 weeks and coming over alone means I can have a no compromise trip, I just want to dive straight into the deep end of the New Zealand way of hunting in the backcountry. I've got my Stoney Creek shorts, Swanndri shirt and Tatonka backpack.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nick-UK

Hi XR500, thanks for that, I've 5 weeks and coming over alone means I can have a no compromise trip, I just want to dive straight into the deep end of the New Zealand way of hunting in the backcountry. I've got my Stoney Creek shorts, Swanndri shirt and Tatonka backpack.

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Proper job

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nick-UK

Hi XR500, thanks for that, I've 5 weeks and coming over alone means I can have a no compromise trip, I just want to dive straight into the deep end of the New Zealand way of hunting in the backcountry. I've got my Stoney Creek shorts, Swanndri shirt and Tatonka backpack.

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No reason it can't be done.
But I think someone's mentioned to you before, please rent or buy an EPIRB.
There's stories in the news every year about tourists (and locals!) wasting Search and Rescue's time.

Despite not having ticks or other animals trying to kill you over here, the single biggest killer of people in our bush is drowning crossing a river. I believe in the 1800's it was nick named "The New Zealand death". That and our temperatures during bad weather will hover just above zero, so all your gear stays saturated. Not that this should affect you, but there's been many people drowned attempting to stay on schedule with getting out of the hills on Sunday avo to go to work Monday.
Always have some lightweight spare tucker on board so you can just wait out a swollen river.

Yes, the climate and geography are not to be underestimated. A PLB purchased in the UK (or anywhere in the world) will work in NZ.

Hi Guys, thanks for the tips, especially safety tips, I have been doing research on PLB's, probably get a McMurdo as well as an inreach for texting home . Safety is paramount to me as I'm sure I'll want to get home eventually and start earning enough to get straight back. I've found a Bushcraft course run by OENZ out of Christchurch that looks like it has a big emphasise of navigation and river crossing, I think it would be a great way to start the trip and the dates would work for me.