NEW ZEALAND: Ram Hunting In New Zealand

[nzhuntinginfo]

Wow...you've got an impressive backyard. I'm looking out now onto my 799 square yard property and wishing I was out in the hills again like I was yesterday.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Just the snow.

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Snow In the BackYard

We've had a ridiculous amount of snow recently.

This is a picture taken on a hunt near the tops a couple of weeks ago.

Fitness really comes into play in these sort of conditions....that's why I struggled.

 

[Diamondhitch]

No snow down there Wayne??? We are nearly 2 feet under! I had the rare privilege of sliding sideways down a steep hill in my pickup today and nearly slid back off a steep embankment thanks to my flustered ABS (it was not meant for this type of situation). My chains came in real handy!!! Also had to be pulled out of the ditch when I pulled over to let a semi by on a narrow road. Nasty!

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

On the theme of Feral Sheep.

Yesterday I wanted a really good photo of a feral ram. If this one had an extra half turn I would have been happy.

Reds on Public Land

I left home at 3.30 am yesterday and very quickly got into some rough country.
Red deer are starting to come out onto the spring feed.
This pair on public land were feeding about 150m away close to cover.
They scented me soon after I took the photo and bolted into the scrub.
Deer on public land in New Zealand are very wary.

 

[bluey]

an extra haif curl would have made him a monster which to me he all ready is , do they cook up good or are they real gamey
i thought the reds would have cast by now they cant be far off hey ,
thanks for sharing kiwi

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Casting of Antlers and other curly questions

Feral Sheep

These sheep are gamey...but the younger animals are fantastic eating. You can't beat a roast from a young animal.
I'd say this gentleman would be a bit chewy.

Casting of Antlers.

This photograph was taken last week.
Many reds still have their antlers but the elks are mostly well on the way to manufacturing new antlers.
The animal on the left is a wapiti and the one on the right is a red.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

How easy is it to combine a NZ red stag hunt with a proper dose of fly fishing for those trout you have?

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Stags and Trout New Zealand

If you mean the things pictured below, then it can be done easily if properly organised...eg really fine days for trout fly fishing, overcast and windier...time to drop the Red stags.

TROUT RISING FOR THE VINE HOPPER

RED STAG MOVING INTO A GOOD POSITION

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

If you mean the things pictured below, then it can be done easily if properly organised...eg really fine days for trout fly fishing, overcast and windier...time to drop the Red stags.

TROUT RISING FOR THE VINE HOPPER

View attachment 14517

RED STAG MOVING INTO A GOOD POSITION

View attachment 14518

Precisely what I was getting at. If/when I make a trip to NZ for hunting, as a previously avid fly fishermen I would have to take that opportunity. That pic of the brown in clear slow water is the perfect setting for a challenging battle against a trout.

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Fishn & Huntn in New Zealand

When you do decide to come to New Zealand to hunt and fish, be sure to contact me. I may be able to help.

I've done a lot of wilderness fly-fishing with my son over the last few years.

This sort of fishing is mostly "spot and cast" and is therefore similar to hunting.

Trout fishing in these conditions is definitely best on clear days because the fish are much easier to see.

But Red Stag hunting can be enjoyable in a much wider range of conditions.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

When you do decide to come to New Zealand to hunt and fish, be sure to contact me. I may be able to help.

I've done a lot of wilderness fly-fishing with my son over the last few years.

This sort of fishing is mostly "spot and cast" and is therefore similar to hunting.

That's the way it's supposed to be in my opinion. I can spend a whole day doing that and be satisfied having caught just one fish.

Trout fishing in these conditions is definitely best on clear days because the fish are much easier to see.

But Red Stag hunting can be enjoyable in a much wider range of conditions.

View attachment 14565

Beautiful pic of your countryside, not to mention that trout!

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

New Zealand Hunting Spring

Our mountains are a fantastic place to be at the moment.

Lots of guys get out for a meat hunt when the deer come out on the forest margins.

This is what I saw a couple of days ago.

Canada Geese are now open all year round anywhere with any gun.

The day was a cracker.

This is above Lake Sumner. We got here by 4WD and then mountain bike.

 

[graybird]

Here is another feral island sheep from the Big Island of Hawaii.

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Feral Sheep

Very nice pictures.

Those animals look very similar to some of the feral flocks we have in New Zealand.
But the hunting terrain is so very different to the terrain you hunt in New Zealand.

Yea my understanding is that Hawaii is similar to New Zealand because until the 1700s it was a group of Islands with no hooved animals.
The wild animals in Hawaii such as axis deer, California black tail deer, mule deer, antelope and mouflon sheep were all introduced.

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Tahr on the run

Tahr are incredibly wary if they are heavily hunted.

At this time of the year this is what bull tahr look like on the run.

You don't get a chance at a shot once they start moving.

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Chamois At Timberline

I took all day to get onto these chamois on heavily hunted public land.

At this time of the year, chamois hang around the cover at timberline to drop their kids.

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Red Stags in December New Zealand

On a hunt yesterday, this is what I saw.

The stags are well laden with velvet by now.

These ones were hustling and bustling each other.

 

[bluey]

them fluffy wobble sticks are taking on some awesome shape there mate

 

[nzhuntinginfo]

Some Shorter Sticks

Yes, I'd have to say it's exciting seeing the branches growing on top.

The process of antler loss and regrowth is truly amazing.

It's not wonder the Red Stag is such a desirable trophy... but I must say the chamois is also a favourite of mine.

This is what they look like at this time of the year.