Thread: Not Another US Hunter

Originally Posted by SimpleRick90

Anybody want to school me on local etiquette? It seems like DOC's recommendation is to cull everything on four legs. They could care less whether I leave it to rot with the 1080 kill or fly it out like the waro guys. Obviously I'm not going to do that, so what do Kiwis want foreign hunters to do?

I'm inclined to let young stags walk, pack out all meat and donate any extra (homekill butcher or one of y'all?), and stay tight lipped about how DIY-friendly your awesome country is. Any informal rules I should know of? Is it kosher for me to cull goats or should I only shoot what I can haul out? Don't shoot nanny chamois?

Just trying to be respectful, thanks guys.

Goats are open season down here as well. Most hunters don't shoot goats as they are looking for deer and don't want to scare off anything nearby they have not spotted yet. But goats breed prolifically, they don't have and natural predators here, and they are definitely at pest levels in a lot of places.

One big rule here is Identify your target. Know that it is what you intend to shoot. It might well be a deer, but is it on a hunters back? DoC here is a permit hunt, and while some blocks are balloted, most are really permitted so DoC has some idea of how many people want permission to hunt so most places dont have a limit on the number of permits. It is Public land and the public is allowed there. Trampers and non hunters do not even need permits and could also be present...In fact if you want to met other hunters, hunting public land in the roar / rut is a good way to do so as there is often others out there as well.

Wish you the best of luck, and thank you for taking the time to ask. I hope you have a great time here. Others may have more to add and have more info than I do.