NewZealand hunting

[Tank]

Well the trip is almost over! i'll be back on the 30th and will be workin by the first, but the vacation has been great! Lisa and I caught a heli ride into the mountains of the south island and hiked the 30km back out while hunting thar. we did see a few thar but were never able get a shot. Oh well, the scenery was worth it! I tried my hand a Sitka deer hunting with a fellow named Scott in Napier on the north island but again got skunked. Finaly i met up with James, a dairy farmer and serious hunter. We used his buddies (Marc's)hunting lodge as a free base camp and shot ducks, puk's, possums, rabbits, goats, turkeys, and just about anything alse that crossed our path! Nothin like spotlighting rabbits with a semiauto shot gun from the back of a quad! The lodge we stayed at was first rate and was perched on a hilltop surrounded by the beautiful new zealand country side. we were able to wake up and watch a couple of fallow bucks goin at it while red deer and wild goats looked on. It was an excellent trip and I would definitely recomend it! The price to travel to and hunt NZ is surprisingly low and the hunting is essentialy free. I will post some of the contact info for Marc and James when i can track it down. One of Marcs paying clients that we were bunking with shot a great 7X7 red stag the second day we were there as well. A great trip over all!

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199sitka_camp-thumb.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199first_camp-med.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199thar1-med.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199270grn_turkey_load-med.jpg

[Tank]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199killin_time-med.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199Marc_s_lodge2-med.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199clause_s_stag-med.jpg

[Tank]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199a_good_haul-med.jpg

This was about the biggest billy of the 30 or so that we shot.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/199big_billy-med.jpg

[elkster]

Tank,
Awesome pics!!! I am really jealous.:roll: :-D

[Dirty]

What happens to all the goats after you shoot them? Also are those native or farrel(sp) goats?

[Tank]

those are ferral goats, on private forestry blocks. because they have no predators in NZ their numbers can get out of control really quick. so hunters with permission can access the block and are encouraged to shoot as many of them as they possibly can. the goats are usually left for the wild pigs to eat, or if the number of goats shot is exceedingly high they will be hauled out to a dump or burned.

p.s. all big game animals in NZ are introduced species and therfore are not regulated in any way whatsoever.

[Fred]

You should have had a gold pan on the south island Tank. There is more placer gold there than there is around PG! :grin: Fred

[Dad and son]

Thanks for sharing the photos. NZ looks like a beautiful place

[Tank]

Here is a link to Marc's website for his guiding operation. www.bigskynz.com (http://www.bigskynz.com/) It would be a great outing for sure. Not too many places you can sight in your rifle on a couple a dozen goats before hunting red stag and fallow deer. Not to mention getting to shoot clays to pass the time at lunch, or exchanging your rifle for a big knife and taking the dogs out after wild boars!

F.Y.I. return ticket from vancouver to auckland = $1100:-o

[Elkhound]

I am JEALOUS!!!!! Awesome.

[3kills]

sounds like i will have to put aulkland on my list of places to go :D

[TOP_PREDATOR]

Glad you enjoyed your trip Tank,i went out bird shooting and we saw a red deer had no buckshot or slugs as used them all last weekend on goats,went home and got 243 but it had gone by the time we got back.

[Nails]

Thanks for sharing your adventure Tank, great pics also.

[ryanb]

I realize this is an old topic, but I have family in NZ, all of whom are non-hunters. I visit almost every year and would love to hunt while there. What would be the regulations for me if I wanted to hunt down yonder? Would I have to be accompanied, and by whom?

I see from Tank's post that he didn't seem to need a guide or resident to accompany. Can you just confirm this post-trip? And how tough was it to import your rifle/ammo?

Thanks :D

[TOP_PREDATOR]

Hello Ryan,you do not need a guide to hunt in new Zealand.Firearms are no problem too bring into New Zealand,you just vist the police station at Auckland airport when you get here and $25NZD for a vistor firearms license. i have sent you a PM

[Tank]

I realize this is an old topic, but I have family in NZ, all of whom are non-hunters. I visit almost every year and would love to hunt while there. What would be the regulations for me if I wanted to hunt down yonder? Would I have to be accompanied, and by whom?

I see from Tank's post that he didn't seem to need a guide or resident to accompany. Can you just confirm this post-trip? And how tough was it to import your rifle/ammo?

Thanks :D

Definitely, New Zealand is as advertised in this post! I hunted with TOP PREDATOR when I was there and can say that he is a great guy and an excellent source of info for NZ hunting!

[huntwriter]

Sounds like a lot of fun maybe I should start saving up for a trip. It seems hunting NZ is not as bogged down and overregulated as here in North America. Had a friend you went to Australia and he tells me the same there with goats and rabbits they kill em by the barrel loads for fun and target practiece.

[TOP_PREDATOR]

If you guys did not have the hunting laws that you have,there would be no animals left in Canada.All animals that are not native to New Zealand are pests here and can be shot on sight.We can shoot deer from Helicopters with semi-auto rilfes if we want the government cullers it for a job.

[CanAm500]

We can shoot deer from Helicopters with semi-auto rilfes if we want the government cullers it for a job.

Thats nuts!!!

And cool at the same time ;-)

[Thunderstix]

I also totally enjoy your pics and hunting stories Tank! You take us places that most of us will never go.