New Zealand Prime Minister Says Borders Closed 2021

[Justbryan]

Travel + Leisure (Online Article): The thought that the island nation will remain closed off for the bulk of 2021 was jarring, but Ardern explained it with scientific-backed reasoning. "For travel to restart, we need one of two things: we either need the confidence that being vaccinated means you don't pass COVID-19 on to others — and we don't know that yet — or we need enough of our population to be vaccinated and protected that people can safely re-enter New Zealand," she continued. "Both possibilities will take some time." ​

Article says that New Zealand will probably remain closed for 2021. I had a Tahr hunt booked for March 2020 that was postponed to July 2020. Then, it was postponed to July 2021. Now, it may have to be postponed till July 2022. I am ready to give up on hunting New Zealand again. The proposed Tahr eradication program if completed will destroy hunting New Zealand for Tahr and maybe other animals.

I have a trip to South Africa for summer of 2022 and cannot afford to do both so I may cancel the New Zealand hunt. I understand trying to protect your population but I feel for the outfitters who cannot work for 2 seasons.

Anyone else experiencing the New Zealand shuffle?

 

[MarkB]

Well this cannot be good for possible/probable hunts there. Or as our Canadian dictator has followed NZ for Covid rules only makes me suspect if his plan is too follow.

MB

 

[Milo]

I was booked for Australia in April 2021. Hoping for 2022? Fortunately don't have a huge deposit down.

 

[kdenn]

was supposed to be in NZ now with wife for red stag and fallow deer, rescheduled for late Feb 2022 now. still with fingers crossed.

 

[cpr0312]

So sad for the outfitters there and in Australia! And for general population also

 

[Milo]

New Zealand is an amazing country to visit. Hopefully, I can go back sometime.

 

[stug]

Unfortunately our government doesn’t seem to have a plan in relation to COVID apart from keep the borders closed. They have not announced any strategies of when and how the borders will be opened. Makes it hard to plan.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Travel + Leisure (Online Article): The thought that the island nation will remain closed off for the bulk of 2021 was jarring, but Ardern explained it with scientific-backed reasoning. "For travel to restart, we need one of two things: we either need the confidence that being vaccinated means you don't pass COVID-19 on to others — and we don't know that yet — or we need enough of our population to be vaccinated and protected that people can safely re-enter New Zealand," she continued. "Both possibilities will take some time." ​

Article says that New Zealand will probably remain closed for 2021. I had a Tahr hunt booked for March 2020 that was postponed to July 2020. Then, it was postponed to July 2021. Now, it may have to be postponed till July 2022. I am ready to give up on hunting New Zealand again. The proposed Tahr eradication program if completed will destroy hunting New Zealand for Tahr and maybe other animals.

I have a trip to South Africa for summer of 2022 and cannot afford to do both so I may cancel the New Zealand hunt. I understand trying to protect your population but I feel for the outfitters who cannot work for 2 seasons.

Anyone else experiencing the New Zealand shuffle?

Re Tahr: it is DOC (dept of conservation) policy to eradicate ALL introduced animals (except destructive opossums which is in the too-hard basket) and you may be right about Tahr. Things in NZ hunting changing dramatically when DOC took over from the Forest Service and one change that affected me personally was block permits where once, you booked a block and were the only hunters on that block. Doc changed that and allowed others on that block at the same time as well AND refused to tell you if there was going to be others. No wonder hunters started getting shot by idiots. I never hunted public land again. DOC employed helicopters and shooters to decimate the Tahr herds, an invaluable irreplaceable pure Tahr gene pool for future restocking in Europe - money in the bank. Nobody could accuse DOC of being forward thinkers. Wapiti (Elk) have gone the same way, watching "Hunting Aotearoa" the other night, 4 hunters in Fiordland during the bugle didn't even see a Wapiti!. They only saw and shot a red deer. These days you have more chance of seeing a Moose over in Wet Jacket.

 

[deewayne2003]

I feel your pain!.... I had been looking forward to my epic return to Australia for a water Buffalo and fishing trip Sept 2021; that’s now on hold until further notice.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

I feel your pain!.... I had been looking forward to my epic return to Australia for a water Buffalo and fishing trip Sept 2021; that’s now on hold until further notice.

I would hang onto your tickets. Good luck with the Aussie hunt up north, what are you going to use on the buffs?. I take it Barramundi will be the fishing bit and the saltwater ones are great to eat.
Sorry I mistook you being in NZ. There is a probable travel bubble coming up soon but that won't help you in Texas !