Who has hunted New Zealand?
International
Anyone here hunt Red Stag in New Zealand? If so, any advice? North Island or South Island? Total Costs? Any information would be great.. Not sure I'm going to do it, but I'm looking into it.
I started a thread called "Cabin Fever...How about a 2013 NZ bowhunt?" It doesn't just focus on the hunt though....so if you just want hunting info, it may not be what you are looking for.....
I offer a suggestion for booking your airfare that you might want to consider....March is considered "Peak season" and airfare costs a LOT more....whereas, April is off season, and much cheaper.....and early April is the peak of the roar.....which is great!!
If you want free range, also look at Australia. It hasn't gotten commercialized like NZ and the prices seem much more reasonable.
I had a blast hunting in Australia, and you can do a multi-species hunt there, too.
To follow up on Jaquomo's post....I tried to "dovetail" the NZ hunt with an Australian bowhunt immediately after the NZ adventure. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to line up well for most of the species that I would have wanted to chase.....wrong time of the year.
Tatonka,
I just tried to add the link for you....hope that it worked.
Thanks....just finished reading it. Looks like you had quite an experience. Great animals you took also.
I've hunted there DIY in 2011, 2012, 2013 and going again in late May.
So, Jake.....what would you guess the cost would be to get the antlers back? I would do a European mount myself if I killed a stag. I've contacted a couple of outfits over there via e-mail with some questions, but they've not been very good about replying.... like not at all, which I found kind of odd.
I believe "thewoods" is a taxidermist. He was asking similar questions....and since I didn NOT bring just antlers back....it would only be a guess. Thewoods might have actual numbers by now.....I'd search for his thread, or send him a PM. You might also contact a NZ taxidermist and ask them what the cost of the export permit might be....I'd be sitting down....although, maybe it isn't that bad, and they hoodwinked me into thinking that it was really high, just to get me to have the taxidermy work done in NZ.....which worked.
I brought my salted skins back as checked baggage. All you need is an Export Permit from the DOC office located walking distance from Christchurch Airport at the Antarctica Center Complex, cost $40 NZ. Give them a few days to process. Upon arrival declare your trophies and USFWS declaration form 3-177 No problems, NZ is on the list of unrestricted animal imports. I've done this 3 times since 2011. ps. I'm a taxidermist here in the US.
I had no idea it was that hard to find.
I think I posted a link on Medicinemans post about bringing the antlers and cape home. I think PREZBOY posted it.
I Wish i Would have done that. When I went it was about 1200 for stag, fallow and goat.
I love NZ, actually even better then Africa, there was just something about it. Be honest with yourself on what you want to hunt alot of outfitters use High fence, so if that bothers you make sure you check.
There is a ton of free range there too, and as others have done it DIY.
Glass eye,
You are killin' me.
If you get to the airport on the scheduled day of departure, or even a day earlier, in your opinion, would it still be possible to get the paperwork done in time to get your cape/horns/antlers on the plane? If you killed a stag, did they make you split the antlers?
Medicineman, only one person at DOC in CHCH is authorized to issue export permits, so give some room in case she is busy or in conference etc. Leave some room to do some sight seeing while the papers are processed. In 2012 I had a last day kill before my flight, called her and she added it to the list while I was enroute to the airport. I have not targeted Red Deer yet, though if I could take one while hunting other species. I have been going after tahr & chamois, and waterfowl. However, if I kill a stag I will split the antlers after I take tip-to-tip measurements, and add it to my checked baggage.
I know what you mean, John. I just got on an airplane in LA and got off it it Aukland! :-)
Do allow yourself extra days to see the country, and spend time with the people.
It's the only other country I ever considered moving my family to...
What a place!
I went with Gerald Telford. Great hunt ! I harvested both Tahr , chamois, awapwa ram, and a couple turkeys. I plan on going back in 2016 again for a really big Red deer and Tahr.
Thought I should add a few comments to this thread. I'm a Kiwi (New Zealander)and have hosted a few American friends here and have found that there are a lot of misconceptions about the New Zealand hunting scene. I've produced a video on bowhunting Tahr, you can check it out at newzealandbowhuntingadventures.com, which includes a chapter on trophy export and a short piece on the New Zealand hunting scene.
Red stag hunting ranges from genetically selected and farm reared monster stags behind wire to free range public land hunting. These extremes are clear cut choices but there is a big grey area in the middle. A "fair chase" hunt will most likely be behind wire but it is the hunts advertised as "free range" where the grey area occurs. Generally these hunts will be on private land with no high fences BUT what about the stags. In many cases, but definitely not all, they will have been farm reared and released, in other words not truly wild. These are stags that have not made the grade for the high fence operations so are cheap for the outfitter to buy. The problem is when should they be considered truly "free range", when they've been out 1 year or 5 years or only if they have been born in the wild? To see what public land stags look like check out nzbowhunters.co.nz and have a look at the record book.
Downunder58,
That is exactly why I didn't go after a stag while I was there. Only hunted a Tahr and got a nice one. I agree with Writer, I would love to live in NZ.
Have a look here an excellent guide at great prices especially with the strong USD at the moment.
http://www.waynepreecesafaris.com/
In my post above it wasn't my intention to put anyone off planning a trip to hunt red stag in New Zealand. But when you are planning the most important think to do is to ask the right questions and make sure that you understand exactly what you are getting and if it fits with your particular hunting ethics then great, go for it. There are guided hunts available to fit anyone's requirements, it just might take a bit of research. New Zealand is such a fantastic hunting destination that whatever style of hunting you decide to do you'll have a memorable trip and you will probably want to keep coming back.
Definitely thinking about a diy hunt in NZ.I'd like to chase tahr and red deer on my own.Need to do a lot of homework first for a trip like this. How difficult is the public land hunting there?Is it extreme in physical ability for tahr/deer?Other thing I'd have to get motivated for is the 20+ hour plane flight
A bit of blatant promotion here, if your thinking of a DIY tahr hunt you should buy my DVD. It covers most of what you need to know and you'll see exactly what you are letting yourself in for. It was made specifically for DIY hunters. As a general rule tahr is far more physical than red deer. You can easily choose a red deer area to suit your abilities.
Already booked for May 1 to 7 2016 !!!! Will try for thar and red stag
