Thread: Bow Hunting trip from UK

Hello to all of you fellow archers on here, new member here from the UK. I'm in the process of planning a Bow Hunting trip to the South Island next February for 5 weeks and I thought this would be the best place to ask a couple of questions of you locals. Firstly I just wanted to check that my equipment would meet NZ requirements for hunting. I shoot a 50lb Traditional takedown Recurve with 675 grain arrows and am currently using Zwicky Delta 2 blade old school broadheads which are 1 3/8 inch wide. Also I understand that Biosecurity is strict at NZ airports with some natural products being banned and have switched to carbon arrows from wood, but does anyone know if feather fletchings would get through. Does anyone have any experience of travelling through NZ airports with archery equipment.
Best wishes
Nick

Whilst I can't add experience of archery equipment through customs, I can say, make a point of declaring the fletching and smiling when asked "Do you have anything to declare?" and you should be OK. I do this with trout flies.

My wife brings all sorts of dried food back from Asia and always declares it and smiles and has no trouble. Mind you it's professionally packaged stuff, not anything found at a wet market...

Originally Posted by MarkN

Whilst I can't add experience of archery equipment through customs, I can say, make a point of declaring the fletching and smiling when asked "Do you have anything to declare?" and you should be OK. I do this with trout flies.

My wife brings all sorts of dried food back from Asia and always declares it and smiles and has no trouble. Mind you it's professionally packaged stuff, not anything found at a wet market...

Hi Mark, thanks for your reply, good advice, I will have to declare most of my Backpack I think, might be in customs for some time.

I think Biosecurity will be more interested in your outdoor gear than anyone else. Make sure everything is clean and free from mud and other debris. I came through Auckland recently and Biosecurity were an absolute clusterfuck. They couldn't seem to decide on their own rules.

@nick_UK Legal info for public DOC land hunting here.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...s-bow-hunting/

A post on your Hunting Permits thread has more info and links that are relevant too.
Good luck and have a ball.

Originally Posted by ROKTOY

@nick_UK Legal info for public DOC land hunting here.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...s-bow-hunting/

A post on your Hunting Permits thread has more info and links that are relevant too.
Good luck and have a ball.

Hi ROKTOY, thanks for that link, I'd glanced at that a while ago but couldn't find it again, so I am legal according to those rules. You have so much good info provided by DOC, we have absolutely nothing here in UK, but it can be a bit overwhelming to us foreigners or at least me.

Your wooden arrows and feather fletchings are already “ processed “ to such a level that you would not have any issues with the material itself.
You would have more trouble if you still have dry blood or dry soil or mud on your points. Ensure that they are really well cleaned, same thing with the soles of your shoes or pegs of your tent if you intend to bring one.

Scrub all soil, blood, guts etc from any gear and final brush/rinse with a mild bleach solution. If it looks clean and smells clean they'll see you have made an effort so won't bother you too much.

Just having gone through in Auckland, as said above make sure your boots etc are clean. They asked me if it was clean I said yes and they waved us through. To save you time have your out door stuff in one bag if possible then you don’t have to be sifting through it.

Thanks everyone, some really good tips there, I shall certainly be doing all of those suggestions. I was getting worried when I read the list of prohibited items, the riser of my bow is made of wood, I thought I might have to get one of those space age metal bows with the wheely things on!!
Thank you for taking the time to give me such good advice it really is much appreciated.
Nick

I've just landed in nz today with a ilf takedown they wanted to look for blood manly and dirt on boots. As previously stated declare and smile.

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

I've just landed in nz today with a ilf takedown they wanted to look for blood manly and dirt on boots. As previously stated declare and smile.

Thanks Smokey, that's good to know. I'll be bringing new Broadheads, so they will be clean, although hopefully they will be bloody on the way out. I won't be too bothered if they refuse me exit for dirty equipment, just turn around and go bush again, and as far as I know we don't have biosecurity in the UK, hence why we have so many plant diseases.

In adition to advice above - also make sure your walking boots are spotless and shake any seeds out of your tent, and clean your tent pegs. Other than that your archery kit will take any SI animals you care to harvest.....