DIY New Zealand hunt help

[FLhunter7]

Hello in a few years I wanted to go to NZ when I graduate high school. I cannot afford any estate hunts (don't really like or agree with them anyway) and I would like to keep the cost below 5000 USD. Is an 18 year old even allowed to bring a gun over or even use one what other problems might I have do to age. I have a car there I can use from a family member, tickets will probably be a little over 1000 accommodation probably another 1000 maybe less if I can just camp. I just had a few questions though like I heard Canterbury was the best place to hunt but where exactly it's a pretty big place. Would a guide for public land even be in my price range? What taxidermist should I use I probably can't afford to blow half my budget on taxidermy( If I even get something worth mounting). Wanted to go after red stag most of all and then chamois and Tahr any other suggestions? If I get an animal, are there people who will salt and prep it for you or should I learn to do it myself? Or should I just keep the money and invest it until I have more. Already researched almost every known thread,post, and article on this and these were my remaining questions. Thank You

 

[BRICKBURN]

Good luck with your plans.

On the caping and salting thing. Yes, learn to do it yourself. Unless you have a guide, you are the only guy up on the hill.
Caping is pretty easy to do. The face can take a little practice.
YOUTUBE will be your friend.

No clue on guide costs.

On the age matter:

http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/firearms-and-safety/visitors-firearms-licence-and-import-permits

 

[stug]

You would need to apply for a temporary firearms licence. Need to provide proof of being able to own a firearm in your country. Cost is about $25-50 from memory. NZPolice website has the info somewhere.
I live in Canterbury and there is heaps of hunting country. Don't expect to shoot a big red stag like you see in the pics though. They are farm bred, well fed etx. You won't shoot a wild one like that.
There are no costs for hunting permits, but you need to apply for one. Will last 3ish months, allows you to shoot as many animals as you want, you do not need to recover meat.
Huts have a cost, depends on the hut, but you can't book them. Tenting is free.
US$5000 will get you a lot of hunting.
If you a are after an experience don't book a guide. Pick an area and go for it. If you want to shoot a trophy get a guide. There is one guy who will give you a real kiwi hunting experience I'll find his name and post it up soon.

 

[stug]

This guy would give you a good experience, I have no idea the cost though.

 

[stug]

Here is a hunt he guided

 

[stug]

In Canterbury Arthurs Pass National Park is as good a place to hunt as anywhere else. Access is good and lots of huts. You will find red deer and chamois there. No tahr though.

 

[FLhunter7]

Thank you for your help, I reached out to the guide you suggested to check pricing but from what I've seen from other sites these guides are more expensive than I thought. I want to stay there for at least a month and really do just want a great experience in the outdoors. I would be elated with a ten pointer or better (not those ugly 40 pointers) and would probably be happier if I knew I did it by myself.

 

[stug]

A 10 pointer is realistic. Unfortunately the WARO (shooting deer from helicopters) is really getting going with venison prices on the rise. They target stags for the bigger carcass, so finding a reasonable stag on the tops might be hard. Probably a few floating around in the bush. Late March to April is the roar for the Red deer, chamois and tahr rut in May.
You could easily use a month looking around in all the valleys in Arthurs Pass.

 

[stug]

topomap.co.nz is great site that has all of NZ covered. If you zoom right in to an area it shows it using the topomaps we use in NZ. You can also overlay satellite imagery to get a good feel.

 

[cmnhunt]

Hello in a few years I wanted to go to NZ when I graduate high school. I cannot afford any estate hunts (don't really like or agree with them anyway) and I would like to keep the cost below 5000 USD. Is an 18 year old even allowed to bring a gun over or even use one what other problems might I have do to age. I have a car there I can use from a family member, tickets will probably be a little over 1000 accommodation probably another 1000 maybe less if I can just camp. I just had a few questions though like I heard Canterbury was the best place to hunt but where exactly it's a pretty big place. Would a guide for public land even be in my price range? What taxidermist should I use I probably can't afford to blow half my budget on taxidermy( If I even get something worth mounting). Wanted to go after red stag most of all and then chamois and Tahr any other suggestions? If I get an animal, are there people who will salt and prep it for you or should I learn to do it myself? Or should I just keep the money and invest it until I have more. Already researched almost every known thread,post, and article on this and these were my remaining questions. Thank You

Truthfully, if you don't know how to prep a cape, I would go to a taxidermist and see if he will let you watch. More than likely you could probably just skin and use as a European mount. If I were you, I would not waste money on a do it yourself trip yet. I would pick an outfit that is a backpack orientated hunt. Watch an learn what the guide does.

 

[cmnhunt]

Another thing. You have to remember that the guides on those videos are wearing about $1500.00 worth of gear that is light. You have to be prepared for mountain hunting as it can bite you no matter where you are. Think of all the costs, and than add some more money.

 

[stug]

There are not many guides that offer backpack hunts in NZ, most are estate hunts. You could also join a couple of the NZ hunting forums. If you ask for advice and can offer help with US hunting in return you might be quite surprised what offers of help you get.

 

[npm352]

Hi There...I did a NZ hunt Nov. 2016. It was all public land, very affordable, and I got an old bull tahr and two bonus red deer. PM if you have questions. His name is Peter Chamberlain and he knows his stuff.

 

[stug]

Peter Chamberlain is one of the better guides in NZ, he has been around for a long time.

 

[npm352]

He has been guiding about 33 years I think. Loves the wilderness stuff and flat out gets it done for clients. All his hunts are a good value. I did an off-peak season hunt and it was really affordable.

 

[FLhunter7]

If you think I'd have better luck in the bush what places should I go I have a lot more experience hunting in a lot of under growth (being from Florida) than in mountains. Any other tips for finding a good stag would be much appreciated.

 

[stug]

Arthurs Pass has plenty of bush and tops. Access is good, you do not need a 4wd to access most valleys. Being a National Park you cannot helicopter in, so you won't have other parties being dropped off around you, they will have to walk in as well.

 

[FLhunter7]

Do you guys use tree stands and calling or spot and stalk methods. I was thinking of bringing a Remington Model 700 AWR in 300 win. mag. is that overkill or is the range on the 300 win mag necessary for the ranges shots would be taken in NZ.

 

[stug]

Very few/no one uses tree stands. In the roar hunters will roar to locate/call in stags. Also stalk through the bush. On tops lots of sitting and glassing. 300 win mag will be fine. On the tops you can shoot out to 600 + yds easily. Most of my shots on the tops are 300 -400 yds.

 

[FLhunter7]

One more question since it's a national park do they allow camping in the park. What would be the costs and would you have to camp in a designated spot or anywhere.